Page 141 - Toledo Football Media Guide - 2012

142 HISTORY

1967

• Toledowins its frstMAC title. After a season-opening loss to Ohio, the Rockets reel of nine straight wins.

1969

• A 45-18 win over Villanova marks the beginning of Toledo’s famed 35-game winning streak, second only in NCAA history to Oklahoma’s 49 straight.

• The Rocketswin their secondMAC title and end an 11-0 season by defeating Davidson, 56-33, in the Tangerine Bowl.

1970

• Toledo thrashes William and Mary, 40-12, in the Tangerine Bowl, fnishes 12-0 and is ranked 12th in the fnal AP poll.

1971

• Mel Long becomes the frst consensus All-American in MAC history. Long later plays with the Cleveland Browns.

• The Rockets win a third-consecutive MAC title and their fourth in fve years.

• Toledo is 12-0 and ranked 14th in the fnalAPpoll followinga28-3victoryover Richmond in the Tangerine Bowl.

• Rocket quarterback Chuck Ealey is named MAC Player of the Year for the third time, and fnishes eighth in the Heisman Trophy balloting.

1974

• Astroturf is installed in the Glass Bowl for the frst time.

1975

• Quarterback Gene Swick becomes the frstplayer inNCAAhistorytoreach8,000 yards incareer total ofense. Swick leads the nation in total ofense and fnishes 10th in voting for the Heisman Trophy.

1980

• The annual Peace Pipe trophy, given to the winner of the Toledo-Bowling Green game, is awarded for the frst time in football.

1981

•Toledowins its ffthMAC titleandstuns 20th-ranked San Jose, 27-25, in the in-augural California Bowl.

1984

• Toledo wins its sixth MAC title, and makes a second appearance in the California Bowl.

1990

• Toledo ties Central Michigan for the MAC title, UT’s seventh MAC crown. • A complete renovation begins on the Glass Bowl. The new stadium, which debuts in 1991, features a modern sky box with 42 luxury suites. Construction also begins on the Larimer Building, a new facility to house the football of-fces, locker rooms, weight rooms and classrooms.

1992

• The Rockets upset Purdue, 33-29, the frst win in UT history over a Big Ten opponent. Quarterback Kevin Meger is named Sports Illustrated national of-fensive player of the week.

1993

•TheDenverBroncos,withthe11thpick intheNFLdraft, selectUTdefensiveend Dan Williams, the highest pick in MAC history at the time.

1995

• Toledo wins its eighth MAC title in school history, posting a 7-0-1 confer-ence mark.

• The Rockets complete their fourth undefeatedseasoninschoolhistory(11-0-1) witha40-37victoryoverNevada in the Las Vegas Bowl. Wasean Tait scores from two yards out for the winning

points in the frst overtime game in NCAA Division I-A history.

• Toledo is ranked 22nd in the fnal UPI poll, 24th intheAPpoll and24th in the CNN/USA Today poll. Wasean Tait fnishes second in the nation in rushing, tallying a MAC record 1,905 yards.

1997

• Toledo begins its seasonwith a 36-22upsetof Purdue, andproceeds to an 8-0 record. Before the streak was snappedwitha loss at Ball State, the Rockets were ranked No. 18 in the AP poll and No. 20 in the CNN/USA Todaypoll.TheRocketsgoon towin the MACWest title.

• CoachGaryPinkel isnamedMACCoach of the Year for the second time.

1998

• The Rockets repeat as MAC West champions.

1999

• A video replay screen is installed in the north end zone of the Glass Bowl.

• FormerRocketMel Long, Sr., is inducted into the National College Football Hall of Fame.

2000

• The Rockets go 10-1, including a 24-6 win at Penn State in the season opener. Toledo is ranked No. 25 in the nation in the fnal AP and USA Today/ESPN polls, but is the only ranked team that does not receive a bid to a bowl game.

• Gary Pinkel, the winningest coach in UT history, leaves after 10 years to take the top position at Missouri. Long-time assistant Tom Amstutz is named head coach.

2001

• The Rockets win 10 games for the second consecutive season, but this time go on to win the MAC Champion-ship Game and Motor City Bowl in Tom Amstutz’s rookie season as head coach. Toledofnishes theseasonrankedNo. 22 in the USA Today/ESPN poll and No. 23 in the AP poll.

• The Rockets are on ESPN a school-record three times, and setMAC records

t Football Timeline

Wasean Tait’s touchdown in overtime gave UT a 40-37 victory over Nevada in the 1995 Las Vegas Bowl.