Glass Bowl -- Toledo, OH
If Week One results are any indication, Toledo seems intent on rewriting that early script by getting back to Detroit.
The Hurricanes themselves are coming off their own lopsided win -- a 77-0 pummeling of Savannah State. It was a record-setting performance as far as stats go, but UM still has a lot to prove after dropping its opener to Louisiana State.
Both Miami and Toledo have a lot of talent, and both are anxious to impress. Here is more on the two teams . . .
NO. 21 MIAMI HURRICANES
➤➤ UM actually started the season ranked No. 8 in the land. Louisiana State, however, took down the Hurricanes in convincing fashion. LSU (No. 25 at the time) owned a 33-3 lead over Miami in the third quarter. The Hurricanes did manage to find the end zone twice in the final quarter.
➤➤ Miami actually outgained the Tigers 342-296, but it hurt its own cause with 11 penalties for 85 yards and coughed up two turnovers. LSU did not turn the ball over.
➤➤ Uncharacteristically, UM rushed for just 83 yards in the loss.
➤➤ Senior quarterback Malik Rosier completed just 15 of 35 passes for 259 yards with one TD and two interceptions. He saw limited action against Savannah State, but completed 8 of 12 for 131 yards and two scores before yielding to other QBs. Three other Hurricane quarterbacks made their debuts in the 77-0 rout. It was the largest victory margin in school history.
➤➤ Although UM again had two turnovers in Week Two, the Hurricanes were able to break out their “Turnover Chain” as they registered four takeaways.
➤➤ Junior Travis Homer (20 carries, 100 yards) and sophomore DeeJay Dallas (13 carries, 86 yards) lead UM rushers, but neither has a touchdown thus far.
➤➤ Miami owns six rushing scores and six receiving TDs.
➤➤ Sophomore Jeff Thomas tops receivers with six catches for 199 yards with a long of 67.
➤➤ DB Jaquan Johnson tops UM defenders with 15 tackles, while DL Gerald Willis owns 9 stops, 4.0 tfl and 1.0 sacks.
TOLEDO ROCKETS (1-0)
➤➤ After losing record setting quarterback Logan Woodside, UT’s challenge was to find who could step up into the QB role Junior Mitchell Guadagini looked solid in Toledo’s opener. He completed 11 of 16 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns.
Three other quarterbacks also saw action against the Keydets. UT, in fact, used 83 playes in the opener. True freshman DE Jamal Hines led the Rockets in tackles (7), while redshirt freshman Bryant Koback was the top rusher (67 yards, 2 TDs).
➤➤ Toledo is the first FBS program even to return three wide receivers who have earned all-conference accolades and caught at least 10 TDs in a season. All three of those receivers -- Diontae Johnson, Jon’Vea Johnson and Cody Thompson caught a touchdown pass against VMI.
➤➤ Thompson’s 21st career touchdown came on special teams and made it onto ESPN’s Plays of the Day. Playing his first game since a knee injury suffered last October, Thompson blocked a punt -- right of the Keydet punters foot. The ball stayed with Thompson, who finished his rush with a two-yard return for the score.
➤➤ Thompson is riding a 30-game streak of catching at least one pass. That is second in the nation.
➤➤ The Glass Bowl’s official capacity is 26,038, but it has eclipsed 30,000 several times, with the last occasion being the 2016 matchup against Bowling Green (30, 147). A big crown is again expected for the Miami (Fla) contest.
➤➤ The highest ranked team to ever losing in the Glass Bowl was No. 9 Pittsburgh in 2003. Bruce Gradkowski QB’s for Toledo, while WR Larry Fitzgerald was a key member of the Panthers.