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Gopher Football
Who: University of Toledo, enrollment: 19,019
Where: Metrodome, capacity: 64,172
When: Saturday, 8:00 p.m.
TV/Radio: ESPN2/WCCO Radio (830)
Series: Gophers lead 2-1
Head Coach: Tom Amstutz (27-11)
Lettermen/Returning/Lost: 30/18
Offensive Starters Returning: 8
Defensive Starters Returning: 5
Specialists Returning: 1
Basic Offense: Pro Set
Basic Defense: 3-4
Line: Gophers 11½ over
Opponent Injuries: No information released
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Extra Points:
Toledo’s .755 winning percentage (37-12) over the last five years ranks sixth in the nation. The Rockets are expected to win their MAC Division title this year which would be their 12th consecutive winning season.
The Rockets defeated two ranked opponents in 2003, Pittsburgh and Northern Illinois. Toledo is 4-6 all-time against ranked teams.
Toledo quarterback Bruce Gradkowski completed 71.2 percent of his passes in 2003 which was good for second place nationally. His passing efficiency rating of 161.5 ranked sixth nationally.
Toledo wide receiver Lance Moore had 103 catches last season and led the nation with 8.58 receptions per game.
The Gophers are riding a 12-game winning streak in non-conference games. The last non-conference loss was a 38-7 thrashing by Toledo in the 2001 season opener. Minnesota won 15 straight non-conference games between 1944 and 1950. Glen Mason is 22-6 (.786) in non-conference games as head coach for Minnesota.
Mason is 7-0 in openers in the Metrodome. The Gophers haven’t lost a Dome opener since the Penn State game in 1994.
The Gophers won the previous contest with Toledo, 31-21 decision in 2002 at the Metrodome. The other previous home contest against the Rockets was 38-12 Minnesota win in 1978 at Memorial Stadium. Mason is 4-1 against Toledo with one additional win while coaching at Kansas and two at Kent State. Tom Amstutz is 1-1 coaching against Minnesota.
Minnesota is 20-2-1 all-time against the Mid-American Conference with the other loss coming against Ohio in 2000.
A crowd upwards of 50,000 is expected for this game. It would be the largest crowd in the Metrodome for a non-conference game since 1997 when 55,943 attended the game against Iowa State. Prior to that you have to go back to 1989 for a home non-conference game that had over 50,000 in attendance. 58,368 fans showed up for a game against Nebraska that year. However, the visitors’ fans contributed a good share the crowd in those two games.
Tailgating forecast
Toledo Official Site
RocketFootball.net
Listen to the game online