1969 Toledo Rockets football team

The 1969 Toledo Rockets football team was an American football team that represented the University of Toledo in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1969 NCAA University Division football season. In their seventh season under head coach Frank Lauterbur, the Rockets compiled an 11–0 record (5–0 against MAC opponents), outscored all opponents by a combined total of 385 to 160, and won the MAC championship. The season began with a 45–18 victory over Villanova and concluded with a 56–33 victory over Southern Conference champion Davidson in the 1969 Tangerine Bowl. The Rockets were ranked No. 20 in the final AP Poll taken before bowl games.^[1][2] The defense led the way for the 1969 team, allowing only eight rushing touchdowns and intercepting 22 passes in eleven games.^[3]

1969 Toledo Rockets football
MAC champion Tangerine Bowl champion
Tangerine Bowl, W 56–33 vs. Davidson
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Record	11–0 (5–0 MAC)
Head coach	Frank Lauterbur (7th season)
Captains	Curtis Johnson Dave Penn Jim Rance
Home stadium	Glass Bowl
Seasons ← 1968 1970 →

1969 Mid-American Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Toledo $	5	–	0	–	0			11	–	0	–	0
Bowling Green	4	–	1	–	0			6	–	4	–	0
Miami (OH)	2	–	3	–	0			7	–	3	–	0
Ohio	2	–	3	–	0			5	–	4	–	1
Kent State	1	–	4	–	0			5	–	5	–	0
Western Michigan	1	–	4	–	0			4	–	6	–	0
$ – Conference champion

The 1969 season marked the beginning of a 35-game winning streak that consisted of three consecutive seasons from 1969 through 1971. During the streak, Toledo won three consecutive MAC championships and three consecutive bowl games, led the nation in total defense all three years, and outscored opponents by a combined total of 1,152 to 344.^[4] It remains the second longest winning streak in modern Division I-A college football history behind Oklahoma's 47-game streak in the 1950s.^[5]

Cornerback Curtis Johnson, who intercepted seven passes in 1969,^[6] received first-team All-America honors from the Newspaper Enterprise Association and second-team honors from the Associated Press.^[7][8] Eight Toledo players received first-team All-MAC honors: Curtis Johnson, quarterback Chuck Ealey, tailback Tony Harris, defensive tackles Mel Long and Jim Rance, defensive end Jim Tyler, linebacker John Niezgoda, and placekicker Ken Krots.^[9]

Chuck Ealey was named MAC Back of the Year, and Frank Lauterbur was named MAC Coach of the Year.^[10] Ken Crots, who converted six of 18 field goal attempts,^[11] won the Jim Nicholson Award as the player contributing the most to the team's success.^[12] The team captains were Curtis Johnson, Dave Penn, and Jim Rance.^[13]

The team's statistical leaders included Chuck Ealey with 1,428 passing yards, Tony Harris with 889 rushing yards (including 217 in the season opener against Villanova), Don Fair with 469 receiving yards, Charles Cole with 78 points scored, and John Niezgoda with 201 tackles.^[14]

The Rockets played their home game in the Glass Bowl. The attendance at five home games was 75,282, an average of 15,056 per game.^[15]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 20	Villanova*		Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	W 45–18
September 27	at Marshall*		Fairfield Stadium Huntington, WV	W 38–13
October 4	Ohio		Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	W 34–9
October 11	at Bowling Green		Doyt Perry Stadium Bowling Green, OH (rivalry)	W 27–26
October 18	Western Michigan		Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	W 38–13
October 25	Kent State		Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	W 43–17
November 1	at Miami (OH)		Miami Field Oxford, OH	W 14–10
November 8	at Northern Illinois*		Huskie Stadium DeKalb, IL	W 35–21
November 15	Dayton*		Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	W 20–0
November 22	at Xavier*	No. 20	Corcoran Stadium Cincinnati, OH	W 35–0	2,281	^[16]
December 26	vs. Davidson*	No. 20	Tangerine Bowl Orlando, FL (Tangerine Bowl)	W 56–33	16,311	^[17]
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

After the season

NFL Draft

The following Rockets were selected in the 1970 NFL Draft following the season.^[18]

Round	Pick	Player	Position	NFL club
4	81	Curtis Johnson	Defensive back	Miami Dolphins
6	137	James Manuel	Tackle	St. Louis Cardinals
11	269	Danny Crockett	Wide receiver	San Francisco 49ers

References

1. "1969 Toledo Rockets Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
2. "Toledo Football 2015 Media Guide" (PDF). University of Toledo. 2015. pp. 190, 196.
3. 2015 Media Guide, pp. 200-201.
4. 2015 Media Guide, p. 138.
5. Ron Musselman (October 4, 2001). "Toledo to celebrate 30th anniversary of 35-0 football streak". The Blade (Toledo).
6. 2015 Media Guide, p. 213.
7. "Steve Owens, Mike Phipps Pace NEA All-Americans". Clovis News-Journal. November 21, 1969. p. 12.
8. "Mike Reid, Dennis Onkotz of Penn State Named to All-America". Hazleton Standard-Speaker. December 5, 1969. p. 27.
9. 2015 Media Guide, p. 147.
10. 2015 Media Guide, p. 149.
11. 2015 Media Guide, p. 224.
12. 2015 Media Guide, p. 160.
13. 2015 Media Guide, p. 164.
14. 2015 Media Guide, pp. 205, 218-222.
15. 2015 Media Guide, p. 199.
16. "Ealey leads Toledo toundefeated season". Dayton Daily News. November 23, 1969. Retrieved May 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "Toledo socks Davidson 56–33". Chillicothe Gazette. December 27, 1969. Retrieved August 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "1970 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 29, 2023.