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Mid-American Conference favorite, the University of Toledo Rockets will welcome the San Jose State University Spartans to the Glass Bowl Saturday at 7 p.m. Eastern.
Broadcast Information
Kickoff: Saturday, September 16 at 7:00 PM EST on ESPN+
Location: Glass Bowl, Toledo, Ohio
On the Call: Michael Reghi and Ryan Cavanaugh
Listen: Rocket Sports Radio Network, and 860AM KRTB (SJSU)
What's at Stake?
Both squads are looking to build off of strong showings against FCS opponents before heading into conference play. One week ago, the Rockets decimated Texas Southern to the tune of 71-3, while San Jose State put Cal Poly away 59-3.
Key Players - Toledo Rockets
QB Dequan Finn The Rockets' junior signal-caller is the key to their success. Finn is a lethal dual-threat option and one of the top quarterbacks in the Group of Five. He's off to a strong start this season, with a 67.6 completion percentage, 462 yards, five touchdowns, and only one pick so far. On the ground, Finn added 82 yards and a score on 24 carries. He's also coming off a game against Texas Southern where he set the Toledo record for completion percentage, missing only one of his 17 attempts. SJSU's defense will have their hands full slowing him down.
OLB Terrance Taylor Senior edge rusher Taylor has proved to be a force this season. The Chicago native leads the MAC in sacks and tackles for loss, with 2.5 and 4.0 respectively. Those marks rank 13th and eighth nationally. His best game of the season came against Illinois, where Taylor notched 3.0 TFL and 1.5 sacks on the Illini. He'll go against a stout Spartan offensive line that has only given up five sacks in three games.
Key Players - San Jose State Spartans
QB Chevan Cordiero In what shapes up to be an offensive shootout, the Spartans bring the Mountain West Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year in Cordiero. In three games this season, the Hawaiian senior has completed 55 percent of his passes for 555 yards and five touchdowns. He's yet to turn over the football, even against Power Five opponents like USC and Oregon State.
DE Tre Smith On the season, Toledo has only allowed one sack. Spartan edge rusher Smith has 2.5 on his own. Based on pregame depth charts, Smith is scheduled to square off against the Rockets' best offensive lineman, left tackle Nick Rosi. This is a battle worth watching, and if Smith can get into the backfield and push Finn off schedule, the Spartans might be able to slow down the Rocket offense.
Prediction/Analysis
Everything about this game points to a high-octane shootout brewing in Toledo. Both squads have impressive offensive marks already, with Toledo ranking eighth nationally in scoring offense and SJSU coming in at 49th. Attention then turns to the margins of this game to find a winner.
One of the stats that really stood out for me in researching this article was Toledo's third-down percentage, which sits at an astounding 65.4 percent. That ranks second in the nation, behind UAB's mark of 69.6. Conversely, the Spartans rank 97th in the nation in defensive third-down percentage at 45.7 percent. Third downs are incredibly important for a successful team, and Toledo has a clear edge on this mark.
Toledo also carries a strong defense, which ranks in the Top 25 in passing defense at 151.5 ypg (25th), and sacks 3.5 (16th). They have struggled against the run, though, ranking 97th nationally with 154.5 yards per game. San Jose State, on the other hand, has a decent running game, ranking 55th nationally with 173.7 yards per game. If the Spartans can run the ball effectively, they could be able to exploit a Toledo weakness and take over the game.
In the end, I think Toledo is just the better team and will defend their home turf. I predict an offensive shootout where the game hinges on which defense can take advantage of the few mistakes made on offense. I think Toledo has that edge. Final score prediction: 34-27, Rockets.
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