Toledo's non conference schedule is Duquesne, UMass, @Mississippi State and @Western Kentucky. This is how a school that wins a lot schedules for momentum and success. UMass will be a win. MSU will be a loss. WKU will be a competitive game with a chance for a win against a good program on the road. 3-1 to start the season isn't out of the question. 2-2 should be a slam dunk. Toledo is trying to win games.
@Ohio State, @Rutgers, Colgate, @South Carolina is how a program schedules for failure and zero momentum. Akron simply isn't trying to win.