In the 2001 MAC Championship game, it appeared the Marshall Thundering Herd were well on their way to a fifth-straight conference title, ahead 23-0 in the first half. But their opponents, the Toledo Rockets, stormed back to eventually win a barnburner, 41-36 behind the play of running back Chester Taylor and quarterback Tavares Bolden.
One year later, the teams meet again with the conference title on the line. Taylor and Bolden are both gone, but a shootout still looms on Saturday.
"Take back the MAC" has been the battle cry for Marshall all season, and they have the chance to do so against the team that took it from them in the first place on Saturday when they face Toledo in the 2002 MAC Championship Game at 2:30 p.m. in Marshall Stadium (ESPN 2).
"We most definitely feel like they have what we want," said Marshall free safety Chris Crocker. "This is a great opportunity to win the MAC championship and to take it back from somebody who took it from us."
It is a game that features two of the top five offenses in the country in terms of yards per game (YPG). The Herd are No. 2, averaging 512.8 YPG. Toledo is at No. 5, averaging 478.3 YPG.
The game also features two of the top four passers in the MAC and on the national level. Toledo's Brian Jones leads the nation in completion percentage (71.4 percent) and will likely set a new conference record in that category - Bolden currently holds the record of 68.7 percent. Marshall's Byron Leftwich has an outside chance at the Heisman Trophy and leads the nation in total offense.
Jones is in his senior year and is a transfer from Shasta Junior College. He beat out two other QBs to earn the starting position for the Rockets in training camp. This season he has thrown for 2,894 yards and 21 touchdowns.
"I don't really think (Jones) is much of a threat as far as going down the field because they don't go down the field that much," Crocker said. "He has completed 70 percent of his passes ... but a lot of those are screens. The receivers get so many yards after the catch. He is a good quarterback for what they do, but he is not as mobile as (Bolden)."
Jones' two main threats are receivers Carl Ford and Dont?Ae Greene. Ford is leading the team in catches (64), yards (900) and touchdowns (8). He has already set the UT single season receiving yards record. Greene, with only two catches against Bowling Green last week, set the all-time receiving record with 173 career catches.
Of course, Leftwich's targets are also some of the best in the nation. Denero Marriot, Josh Davis and Darius Watts are all among the top 25 receivers in the country in receptions per game. Watts needs one TD catch to tie the MAC career record and 101 yards to reach 3,000 for his career. He has 10 TD catches this season.
"They're one of the most potent offenses this conference has ever seen, so we're just trying to improve," Toledo inside linebacker Tom Ward said. "(The) D-line is doing a great job of controlling the front so when we go down to Marshall we can try to contain their explosive offense. They have some great players on that team, though."
Last week, playing with a high ankle sprain he suffered in the Herd's loss to Akron on Nov. 2, Leftwich was immobile but still threw for 401 yards and two TDs against Ball State. It was the most efficient performance of his career. Marshall backup QB Stan Hill came on in that game whenever the Herd needed a running quarterback.
Ward feels the key to the game will be putting pressure on Leftwich.
"You can't let Byron Leftwich sit back in the pocket and pick you apart because he will do that all day," Ward said. "He is one of the top, if not the top, quarterback in the country. ... It's real important to get pressure on him but you have to remember that he has one of the best receiving corps in the country, so you really have to keep an eye on them."
Regardless of Saturday's outcome, both teams already know where they are headed for the holiday break. Marshall will take on Louisville in their second-straight appearance at the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala., on Dec.18 (8 p.m. - ESPN 2). Toledo travels to Detroit, Mich., to face an undetermined opponent in the Motor City Bowl on Dec. 26 (5 p.m. - ESPN).
News / Notes
The Rockets are riding a four-game winning streak. UT would have been eliminated from the West Division race had they lost any of those games. They beat Bowling Green 42-24 last week.
Marshall clinched the East Division title on Nov. 23 when they defeated Ohio 24-21. The Herd played a meaningless game last week, defeating Ball State at home 38-14.
Toledo senior tailback William Bratton, who suffered a fractured ankle Oct. 26 against Miami (Ohio) is questionable for the game. Redshirt freshman Trinity Dawson has started for the Rockets the past four games. Bratton dressed in last week's win over Bowling Green but did not play.
Toledo and Marshall are facing each other in the championship game for the fourth time in the last six years. Marshall got the best of Toledo in 1997 and 1998 with both games played at Marshall Stadium.
The Herd are 48-1 at Marshall Stadium under head coach Bob Pruett. The Rockets have lost three straight in Huntington. Their last win occurred in 1980.
Toledo is 5-0 in national TV games since 2000. Saturday will be their first national TV appearance this season.
Both teams have picked up votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll. The Rockets are ranked at No. 31; Marshall is at No. 26.
Toledo has the nation's third best record in Division I-A over the last three seasons (29-6). Miami (Fla.) has the best mark at 33-1. Oklahoma is No. 2 at 34-4.
Eight first team All-MAC players will be playing in the game.
