Off Topic: How about a Name Home Opponent??

[Guest Zip88]

How does Toledo get 2 for 1's with Purdue, Minnesota, Kansas etc... and the Zips can't even get 3 for 0's???? (see Blade article below).

Is is the $$$ guarantees??? Only name on Zips future home schedule is Syracuse in 2010. Does anyone know if MT is working on some possibilities??

Rockets lure Purdue to Glass Bowl

Teams agree to a 2-for-1 deal

By MATT MARKEY

BLADE SPORTS WRITER

Luring Big Ten teams to play in the University of Toledo's Glass Bowl has not been easy, but Purdue has committed to make that trip and meet the Rockets in the season opener of 2007.

To complete the two-for-one deal, Toledo will have to play the Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Ind., in 2009 and 2010. The Rockets have had similar two-for-one arrangements in place recently with other schools from conferences involved in the Bowl Championship Series - Minnesota, Kansas, Syracuse and Pittsburgh.

"Our fans have indicated to us that they want to see what we can do about getting institutions from BCS conferences in here to play us, without selling our souls in the process," UT athletic director Mike O'Brien said yesterday.

"This is just one of the ways we can go about scheduling them."

Other options would be a home-and-home series, or single games on the road with significant financial guarantees.

Big Ten teams have played in the Glass Bowl just three times, and the Rockets have won two of those games. Purdue, coached by Toledo native Joe Tiller, made its only visit here in 1997, and lost to the Rockets 36-22.

Toledo is 4-11 all-time against the Big Ten, but all four wins have come in the last 11 seasons. The Rockets are 2-1 all-time against Purdue, also winning in West Lafayette in 1992 by a 33-29 score.

Purdue is 5-0 and ranked No. 5 in the nation in both polls. The highest-ranked team Toledo has defeated came last season in the Glass Bowl when the Rockets upended No. 9 Pittsburgh 35-31.

The other two Big Ten wins came against Minnesota, 38-7 in the Glass Bowl in 2001, and 24-6 at Penn State in 2000.

"Purdue has now established themselves as one of the top programs in the Big Ten, so it's an opportunity to play against one of the best teams in the country," Toledo coach Tom Amstutz said yesterday. "It's a game our players and fans will certainly look forward to."

The Rockets have had some success at bringing high-profile programs to the Glass Bowl in recent years. Besides Pittsburgh last season and Minnesota in 2001, Toledo has played at home against Syracuse (1999) and Navy (2001).

The Rockets, who lost at Kansas earlier this season, will host the Jayhawks in 2006 before playing in Lawrence again in the 2007 season to complete that two-for-one deal.

Toledo owes games at Syracuse (2005) and at Pittsburgh (2006) to finish those contracts.

Purdue has kept Mid-American Conference schools on its home schedule on a regular basis. The Boilermakers, who hammered Ball State 59-7 earlier this season, lost to Bowling Green 27-26 in last year's opener.

Besides the Rockets, in the coming years Purdue will also meet Akron (2005), Miami (2006), Ball State (2006, 2007), Central Michigan (2007, 2008) and Northern Illinois (2009).

[Guest Mastodon]

Not trying to brag but Kansas State, Tennessee, Miami (the real one), and Va Tech are all scheduled to visit Marshall. But the question is will any of them acutally honor their agreement? I think Kansas State is trying to worm out of the game next year and Tenn. and Miami will probably follow suit

[Guest ***GUEST_Zipper]

I hear there are some big games about to be announced from the Akron U Sports Department. Something should be coming in the next month or so.