The Pitt Panthers will conclude the 2024 season later today against the Toledo Rockets in the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit. Pitt enters the game with a 7-5 record and will be looking to capture its 16th bowl win in program history.
Here is a closer look at Pitt's opponent.
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Game details: Thursday December 26, 2024. 2:00 p.m. Ford Field (65,000)
Current Odds: Pitt -7 // O/U 50 (DraftKings)
Television: ESPN — Matt Schumacker (play-by-play) Dustin Fox (analyst) Harry Lyles Jr. (reporter)
Radio: 93.7 The Fan — Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play), Pat Bostick (analyst), Larry Richert and Dorin Dickerson (reporters)
Opponent: University of Toledo (established 1872)
School location: Toledo, Ohio
Season record: 7-5 (4-4 MAC)
Head Coach: Jason Candle, 9th season (72-40)
All-Time Series: Pitt leads 2-1
Last Meeting: September 30, 2006: Pitt 45, Toledo 3
National ranks
Total Offense: Toledo 92nd (354.8 ypg) // Pitt 50th (406.3 ypg)
Scoring Offense: Toledo 75th (26.7 ppg) // Pitt 39th (31.8 ppg)
Rushing: Toledo 106th (118.6 ypg) // Pitt 101st (128.5 ypg)
Passing: Toledo 41st (246.2 ypg) // Pitt 15th (277.8 ypg)
Total Defense: Toledo 51st (352 ypg) // Pitt 72nd (373.8 ypg)
Scoring Defense: Toledo 29th (21.3 ppg) // Pitt 82nd (26.8 ppg)
Run Defense: Toledo 51st (138.1 ypg) // Pitt 25th (115.5 ypg)
Pass Defense: Toledo 58th (213.8 ypg) // Pitt 120th (258.3 ypg)
About the Rockets: The Mid-American Conference has always been a transient league for head coaches, which makes Toledo's Jason Candle pretty unique. Candle just wrapped up his ninth season as head coach, and his eighth with a winning record. Toledo is a consistently consistent mid-major program and Candle has kept the standard pretty high with two MAC titles under his watch.
The 2024 Toledo season started emphatically with a 3-0 record, including a 41-17 beatdown over Mississippi State of the SEC. The Rockets did not do much to capitalize on that win, with just a 4-4 record in league play, including two straight losses to end the regular season.
Toledo has not lost too much to the transfer portal and should be fairly well stocked with depth heading into the game. The Rockets possess one of the most potent passing attacks in the MAC and that will be the area to watch on Thursday. Both of Toledo's top two receivers made the all-MAC first team last month. Jerjuan Newton led the team with 64 catches for 949 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Junior Vanderross collected 73 receptions for 763 yards and four scores.
The quarterback to get them the ball is Tucker Gleason, a 6'3" junior, who threw for 2,457 yards and 22 touchdowns in his first full season as a starter. Gleason also led Toledo with six rushing touchdowns, as this is a team that gets more from its passing attack.
The defense is led by first-team All-MAC safety Maxen Hook, who recorded 107 tackles and two interceptions in the regular season. As a team, Toledo recorded 28 sacks this season, with eight players recording multiple on the year. The group up front is led by big 6'4" 310-pound senior, Darius Alexander, who earned second team all-conference this season.
STORYLINES
Rockets Land in the Motor City for the 2024 GameAbove Sports Bowl (Toledo Athletics)
Nine Rockets Earn All-MAC Honors (Toledo Athletics)
Toledo Highly Motivated to Play Pitt in GameAbove Sports Bowl (Toledo Athletics)
Toledo football motivated for a second power conference victory (Toledo Blade)
Early GameAbove Sports Bowl preview: Toledo football vs. Pittsburgh (Toledo Blade)
Toledo Rockets will play the Pittsburgh Panthers in 2024 GameAbove Bowl (Hustle Belt)
Toledo Rockets football hits the town on first night of bowl week (WTOL)
Tucker Gleason was with Georgia Tech for the 2020 season, and appeared in two games, but has since found a home at Toledo. After serving as a backup, he took on the starting role this season and excelled. He had two 300-yard performances and four games with three touchdowns or more. Gleason is a capable runner and is second on the team with 330 yards.
Connor Walendzak is Toledo's leading rusher with 457 yards on 122 carries with just one touchdown on the year. Walendzak's season-high was 87 yards on 19 carries in his last game out against Akron.
Jerjuan Newton collected a number of power-five offers during his recruitment, but slipped through the cracks a bit down to Toledo. Newton is in his sixth season at Toledo, and obviously having his best one yet with first team all-conference recognition. For his career, Newton has 198 receptions, 2,843 yards and 32 receiving touchdowns, a Toledo school record.
Junior Vandeross has proven to be another good Florida find for the Toledo program, who had some power-five offers but landed in their lap. Vandeross set a career-high with 73 receptions this season, topping the 47 he had as a sophomore. He has eight career touchdown receptions and is a more than capable No. 2 option.
Jacquaz Stuart is a skilled return man. He has been the MAC's first team kick return in back-to-back seasons and has three kickoff return touchdowns for his career.
Ethan Spoth earned third team All-MAC honors after starting at both guard and center. He is out of Eastlake North High School and was a teammate of current Pitt offensive linemen Ryan Baer.
Maxen Hook is the heart and soul of this defense. He has earned first team All-MAC three years in a row and is as reliable as they come for a safety. Hook has 356 tackles and seven interceptions in 52 games played in his career.
Big Darius Alexander is another veteran piece for Toledo, on a roster that seems full of them. Alexander got second team All-MAC this season and has played in 56 career games for the Rockets with 21 TFLs and eight sacks.
Avery Smith is the team's top cornerback and also received all-conference recognition. As a first-year starter, Smith posted 50 tackles and two picks this season.
