TOLEDO — The Toledo Rockets put their high-flying offense on display today when San Diego State visits the Glass Bowl for a noon kickoff in a Week 4 nonconference matchup. First-year head coach Mike Jacobs has the Rockets’ attack humming, and oddsmakers have Toledo favored by 3.5 points.
Toledo is coming off a wild 49-48 overtime win over Temple last week, a shootout in which quarterback John Alan Richter threw for 429 yards and four touchdowns. Receiver Adjatay Dabbs has emerged as one of the top pass-catchers in the Group of Six, and the Rockets have thrown the ball on more than 62 percent of their snaps — the sixth-highest rate in the country.
The passing game has masked real problems. Toledo’s offensive line has generated little push in the run game, and the defense gave up 261 rushing yards to Temple. Linebacker Isaac Zay has been one of the most active defenders in the nation, but the Rockets remain a work in progress on that side of the ball.
San Diego State, meanwhile, leans on defense and the ground game. The Aztecs held UCLA to 28 points and bottled up James Madison in the second half last week, while running back Javion Kinnard rumbled for 181 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Jayden Denegal must avoid the two interceptions he threw last week.
The noon Eastern kickoff is the equivalent of 9 a.m. body-clock time for the visitors from California — a classic trap-game setup. Attendance has been a concern at the Glass Bowl this season, though last week’s crowd of about 18,000 was treated to an instant classic.
Kickoff is at noon. The over-under is 50.5 points, and the prediction from USA Today’s college wire: Toledo 35, San Diego State 23.
