2015 MARMOT BOCA RATON BOWL
Toledo (9-2, 6-2 MAC) vs. Temple (10-3, 7-1 American Athletic Conference)
Tuesday, December 22, 2015 • 7:00 pm ET • Boca Raton, Fla. • FAU Stadium (30,000)
ESPN Announcers: Allen Bestwick (play-by-play), Dan Hawkins (analyst), Tiffany Greene (sideline reporter)
Watch Live
Toledo Notes:
• Jason Candle will be debuting as Toledo’s head coach in The Marmot Boca Raton Bowl. Candle assumed the head coaching position on Dec. 2 following the departure of Matt Campbell to Iowa State at the conclusion of the regular season. Candle had been an assistant at Toledo for the past seven years, the last four as the offensive coordinator.
• The Rockets (9-2, 6-2 MAC) are co-champions of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference, sharing the crown with Northern Illinois, Western Michigan and Central Michigan.
• Toledo was ranked in the Top 25 for six weeks this season, rising to No. 19 in the AP poll on Oct. 18. The Rockets defeated two teams from Power Five conferences in successive weeks, then-No. 18 Arkansas on Sept. 12 and Iowa State on Sept. 19.
• The Rockets will be playing in their 15th bowl and fifth in the last six years. Toledo is 10-4 all-time in bowl games, including a 63-44 victory over Arkansas State at the GoDaddy Bowl in Mobile last January.
• The last time Toledo played in a bowl game in Florida was the 1971 Tangerine Bowl in Orlando. The Rockets beat Richmond, 28-3, the final victory in the Rockets’ famous 35-0 run from 1969-71.
• Toledo leads the all-time series with Temple, 7-3, including a 1-1 record when the Owls were a member of the Mid-American Conference from 2007-11. The two teams last faced in Philadelphia in 2011, a 36-13 Rocket victory.
• Toledo won every road game on its schedule (5-0) for the first time since it went 12-0 in 1971. The Rockets were undefeated on the road in 1995, but had one tie (5-0-1).
• Toledo ranks No. 1 in the MAC in scoring defense (21.1) and rushing offense (213.2), and No. 2 in scoring offense (35.3) and rushing defense (115.5).
Kareem Hunt Rocketing Up The Record Book: Junior Kareem Hunt’s 139 yards vs. Western Michigan on Nov. 27 gives him 3,391 career rushing yards, moving him into fourth place on the Rockets’ all-time rushing list. He moved past former Rocket teammate David Fluellen (2010-13), who ranks fifth with 3,336 yards. Hunt also scored one touchdown vs. WMU to give him 32 career rushing touchdowns, tying Roland Moss (1966-68) for fourth place on Toledo’s all-time list. Hunt topped the 100-yard mark for the 20th time in his career, the second-most century outings in Toledo history. Hunt is now seven 100-yard games behind the Rockets’ all-time leading rusher Chester Taylor (27 from 1998-2001).
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Justice League’ Keys Rockets At Running Back: Star running back Kareem Hunt isn’t the only weapon in Toledo’s backfield. The rushing attack has versatility, thanks to what sophomore Terry Swanson dubbed “The Justice League.” Hunt, a junior, leads the committee with 894 yards and 10 touchdowns in eight games played. A second-team all-league pick this year, Hunt leads the MAC with 111.8 yards per game and has gained over 100 yards in each of Toledo’s last four games.
Swanson is right behind Hunt with 870 yards. Also a second-team All-MAC selection, Swanson averages 6.6 yards per carry, tops in the MAC and 12th in the nation.
Toledo’s other two members of the Justice League played big roles early in the season, especially when Hunt and Swanson were out with injuries. Junior Damion Jones-Moore was the starter vs. Arkansas State and Ball State. He led the team in rushing with 68 yards in Toledo’s 16-12 upset of Arkansas on Sept. 12. He is third on the team with 404 yards and also has
scored five touchdowns. Junior Marc Remy got the starting nod in the Arkansas game. He has rushed for 171 yards and is second among the running backs with nine receptions.
