UT focused on halting skid against rival

"There was only like five of us standing there," said UT senior cornerback Desmond Marrow, who was one of the few standing.

The others were offensive lineman Nate Cole, linebacker Archie Donald, and defensive ends Alex Johnson and Douglas Westbrook - all fifth-year seniors who were present when the Rockets last defeated their arch-rival in 2006.

Everybody else remained seated, which served as a hard-hitting reminder of the Falcons' three-game winning streak in the Battle of I-75.

"I never really thought about it like that until [Beckman] brought it up," Marrow said. "It definitely makes it that much of a bigger game for us."

The last time Toledo and Bowling Green played at the Glass Bowl, which they will do at 8 Wednesday night, the Falcons romped to a 38-10 victory and posed for pictures with the Peace Pipe trophy in front of the north end zone scoreboard after the game.

In their last three meetings, BG has outscored

UT 113-44, including a 38-24 victory at Perry Stadium last year.

"It eats at you," UT senior center Kevin Kowalski said. "For three years now, I've played them and we've come away unsuccessful. Especially last year is one that really gets to you, when you kind of throw one away. So, we're really looking forward to, the senior class especially, getting a win against these guys and going out the right way."

The importance of this rivalry can't be understated for the UT program.

Last year, since it was the last game of the regular season, the scout team's helmets were painted orange to mimic Bowling Green's. The Rockets also watched a quarter of the BG game every Friday during spring practices, and they have a countdown clock in their weight room showing the days, hours, minutes and seconds until they next take the field against the Falcons.

Even when it comes to individual grades from the previous week's game, the players that get passing marks are listed as "midnight blue and gold" and the ones that don't are listed in the "orange and brown" category.

"This is one of the top rivalries in the country," Beckman said. "Everything is geared toward this game. It's about teaching these kids what this rivalry is all about."

The first quarter against Bowling Green last season, when Toledo had two punts blocked and fell behind 24-0, has been replayed over and over again, literally and figuratively, for the Rockets.

"In a rivalry football game, if you get two blocked punts and drop a punt, you're not going to be successful," Beckman said. "Every quarter was harped upon as we've studied these guys, but especially that first one."

Falling into early deficits, especially at home, has been an issue for the Rockets this season as well.

"We have not done that well all year, on the road or at home," Beckman said.

Last week in a 65-30 loss at Northern Illinois, the Rockets were behind 28-0 at halftime - the seventh time this season they've either trailed and were tied after two quarters.

"That's been something we've talked about as a [coaching] staff and as a team continually," Beckman said. "To get this program to the championship caliber we'd like to be at, we have to play four quarters of football."

In theory, the Rockets should have no problem rebounding from a disappointing setback last week and coming out ready to play against their biggest rival.

"Being it's rivalry week, that's all we're thinking about," Kowalski said. "It's all about this one right here and getting to seven wins."

Contact Zach Silka at:

zsilka@theblade.com

or 419-724-6084.

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Running back Adonis Thomas has 669 yards and five TDs for Toledo. THE BLADE/ANDY MORRISON Enlarge | Photo Reprints

At a team meeting last week, University of Toledo coach Tim Beckman asked the players who have beaten Bowling Green to stand up.