CFB: Toledo's Disappointing End
The Toledo Rockets had a season to remember, and then they met Appalachian State. Senior quarterback Logan Woodside set the single game and season records for passing last season with 505 yards and 4,129 yards respectively. He had a breakout season after sitting behind Alabama-transfer, Phillip Ely, in 2015. Everyone knew that Toledo was going to be for real and were the team to beat in the Mid-American Conference in 2017. The Rockets began the season 3-0, winning against Elon, Nevada, and Tulsa. No. 14 Miami proved to be their biggest test where they fought for three quarters and led or kept it to one possession until the fourth quarter, when the Hurricanes scored 28 points and 14 unanswered to close the game.
After dropping the game to Miami, Toledo put together a five-game winning streak. As they sat at 8-1, the Rockets went on to face Ohio University. While in Athens, the Toledo defense crumbled as they gave up 532 yards, 393 of which were on the ground. Remaining on the road, Toledo cruised past Bowling Green for their eighth straight win in the Battle of I-75. To close out the regular season, the Rockets beat Western Michigan at home to clinch the MAC West title and securing a spot in the MAC championship game, where they battled Akron. The Rockets held on late against the Zips and concluded the season as Mid-American champions and boasted an 11-2 record heading in to bowl season.
Woodside set the record for career passing yards with 10,399. Toledo had won the MAC championship for the first time since 2006. It seemed disrespectful to have them play in the Dollar General bowl against Appalachian State, which was a rematch of the 2016 Camellia Bowl. The Rockets had everything rolling and nobody expected for the Mountaineers to hinder their success. But nothing went smoothly for Toledo. The offense’s longest drive was 38 yards, but the drive ended with an interception. Defensively, they seemed solid out of the gate, forcing a fumble and a punt on the first two drives, but could only slow down Appalachian State, not stop them. They were flat-out embarrassed the rest of the way.
Woodside endured the worst game of the season, possibly of his entire career, going for just 124 yards and three interceptions. Terry Swanson, one of the best running backs in Toledo history, could only muster up 44 yards on 11 carries, as the team was forced to throw the ball more because they trailed by so much. Diontae Johnson and Jon'Vea Johnson, two of the most dangerous receivers in the MAC, struggled as well, combining for just 35 yards on three catches. The Rockets ended up losing 34-0, and it was a nightmare of a way to finish one of the best seasons in school history. After finally winning a conference title, Toledo was able to get that done, but their next goal must be to take the next step and have a complete season from start to finish.
Photo Credit: Die Hards.
