Rockets ready for No. 14 Miami

September 21, 2017 | Athletics, Events
By Paul Helgren



Fresh off one of the greatest comeback victories in school history, the Toledo Rockets will attempt to win their fourth consecutive game in a matchup at No. 14 Miami Saturday, Sept. 23, at 3:30 p.m.

Toledo (3-0) rallied from a 21-point deficit to defeat Tulsa, 54-51, before 24,239 joyous fans at the Glass Bowl Sept. 16. On a night in which the University honored some of the greatest players in its 100-year history, the Rockets and senior quarterback Logan Woodside came through with a performance worthy of the ages.

Woodside threw for 458 yards and a school-record-tying six touchdowns. The third-biggest comeback in the 100-year history of the program was not completed until junior placekicker Jameson Vest booted a 33-yard field goal with no time on the clock.

Woodside was honored by both the Manning Award and the Davey O’Brien Award for his performance vs. Tulsa. He also was named Mid-American Conference West Division Offensive Player of the Week. Woodside has 7,636 career passing yards, moving him into third place on Toledo’s all-time passing yardage list.

Woodside and Vest were only two of the night’s heroes. Senior wide receiver Cody Thompson set career highs in both receptions (9) and receiving yards (178). Sophomore Diontae Johnson caught four passes for a career-best 142 yards, and he scored twice in the fourth quarter on bombs of 49 and 74 yards. Senior running back Terry Swanson rushed for 139 yards and one score. On the defensive side, junior safety Josh Teachey racked up a career high 14 tackles and returned a blocked extra point 100 yards for a critical two points near the end of the third quarter.

Sophomore Diontae Johnson caught four passes for a career-best 142 yards, and he scored twice in the fourth quarter on bombs of 49 and 74 yards in Toledo’s 54-51 win over Tulsa.

Toledo racked up 679 yards of total offense vs. Tulsa, the fourth-most all-time and the most since the Rockets gained 666 yards vs. New Hampshire in 2014.

Miami (1-0) will be playing just its second game of the season due to cancellations related to Hurricane Irma. The Hurricanes dispatched Bethune-Cookman, 41-13, in their season opener Sept. 2. Junior Mark Walton rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns, while the defense held Bethune-Cookman to 350 yards of total offense.

Miami leads the series with Toledo, 1-0. The Hurricanes won in Miami in 1987, 24-14, when they were ranked No. 3 in the nation. Miami will make the return trip to Toledo in 2018.

The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports Ohio Plus, Sports Channel Ohio and the Atlantic Coast Conference-RSN, and streamed on ESPN3. Tune in to the Rocket Radio Network to hear the game; free live audio-streaming of that broadcast is available at utrockets.com.

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