Rockets ready to battle Akron for MAC Championship

November 29, 2017 | Athletics, Events
By Paul Helgren



The Toledo Rockets have won one Mid-American Conference title, but they are certainly hungry for another.

Toledo, winners of the MAC West Division title, will battle East Division champion Akron for the MAC Championship crown Saturday, Dec. 2, at Ford Field in Detroit. Kickoff is at noon, and the game will be televised on ESPN.

Senior running back Terry Swanson rushed for 123 yards on 20 carries when the Rockets beat Akron, 48-21, during the regular season.

Toledo (10-2, 7-1 MAC) defeated Western Michigan, 37-10, in the regular-season finale at the Glass Bowl Nov. 24 to earn a berth into the league title game for the first time since 2004. It was UT’s first outright division title since 1998.

The Rockets clinched the title by following the same formula that has worked for them all year — a balanced offense combined with a stingy defense. Senior quarterback Logan Woodside threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns vs. the Broncos, while senior running back Terry Swanson added 94 yards and scored two scores. The defense held WMU to 275 yards of total offense, including just 98 yards in the first half.

Akron (7-5, 6-2 MAC) made it to the MAC title game by winning its final two games of the season over Ohio (37-34) and Kent State (24-14). The Zips are led by redshirt freshman quarterback Kato Nelson, who threw for 322 yards in the win over Ohio. Akron, which has allowed just 24.8 points per game this season, held Kent State to 246 yards of total offense in the division-clinching victory over the Golden Flashes.

The two teams clashed during the regular season; the Rockets defeated the Zips 48-21 Oct. 21 in the Glass Bowl. Toledo leads the series 11-9.

Toledo picked up 13 points in this week’s AP poll and seven in the coaches poll.

Purchase tickets here.

UT students: Click here to register for the bus trip to the MAC Championship Game.

Rocket fans and UT alumni: Read about the pregame party and bus trip planned by the UT Alumni Association.

Click to access the login or register cheese