1971 Toledo Rockets football team

American college football season August 2023 February 2026 1971 Toledo Rockets football Mid-American Conference MAC 13 14 12–0 5–0 Jack Murphy 1st Dave Hardy 4th Dick Strahm 2nd Chuck Ealey Gary Hinkson Mel Long Glass Bowl MAC championTangerine Bowl champion Tangerine Bowl W 28–3 vs. Richmond The 1971 Toledo Rockets football team was an American football team that represented the University of Toledo in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1971 NCAA University Division football season. In their first season under head coach Jack Murphy, the Rockets compiled a 12–0 record, outscored all opponents by a combined total of 383 to 96, and won the Mid-American Conference (MAC) championship. The season ended with a 28–3 victory over Southern Conference champion Richmond in the 1970 Tangerine Bowl.Toledo Football 2015 Media Guide University of Toledo 2015 190 http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/utrockets.com/documents/2015/8/17/Toledo_Football_Media_Guide_2015b.pdf September 23, 2016 February 10, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160210044115/http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/utrockets.com/documents/2015/8/17/Toledo_Football_Media_Guide_2015b.pdf dead The Rockets were ranked No. 14 in the final AP Poll and No. 13 in the final UPI Poll.2015 Media Guide, p. 196. The 1971 season was part 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 344.2015 Media Guide, p. 138. It remains the second longest winning streak in modern Division I-A college football history behind Oklahoma's 47-game streak in the 1950s.Toledo to celebrate 30th anniversary of 35-0 football streak Ron Musselman The Blade (Toledo) October 4, 2001 http://www.toledoblade.com/UT/2001/10/04/Toledo-to-celebrate-30th-anniversary-of-35-0-football-streak.html The defense led the way for the 1971 team, allowing only 164.6 total yards per game, a figure which remains a school record.2015 Media Guide, p. 199. Quarterback Chuck Ealey, who had led Toledo to all three undefeated seasons, finished eighth in the 1971 Heisman Trophy voting with 168 points.2015 Media Guide, p. 149. Ealey was also selected as a first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and Football News.Walker, Majors All-Americans on Two Teams The Nashville Tennessean November 24, 1971 15 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4231649/walker_majors_all_americans/ For the third consecutive year, Ealey was also named the MAC Back of the Year.2015 Media Guide, p. 148. For the second consecutive year, he received the Jim Nicholson Award as the player contributing the most to the team's success.2015 Media Guide, p. 160. Defensive tackle Mel Long was a consensus All-American,2014 NCAA Football Records: Consensus All-America Selections National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 2014 February 10, 2015 7 http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2014/Awards.pdf December 22, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20141222163944/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2014/Awards.pdf dead receiving first-team honors from the Associated Press,All-America Lists News-Journal (Mansfield, Ohio) December 2, 1971 42 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1479017/honorable_mention_all_american/ FWAA,FWAA All-America Since 1944: The All-Time Team Ted Gangi February 8, 2015 http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/awards/allamerica/alltime.pdf March 4, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190304073432/http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/awards/allamerica/alltime.pdf dead Newspaper Enterprise Association,1971 NEA All-America Corpus Christi Caller-Times November 27, 1971 3D https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4231209/1971_nea_all_america/ and United Press International. Long was the first consensus All-American in MAC history. Long was also named MAC Lineman of the Year for the second consecutive year. Five Toledo players received first-team All-MAC honors: Chuck Ealey, Mel Long, tailback Joe Schwartz, end Don Fair, tight end Al Baker, defensive end Bob Rose, linebacker John Niezgoda, and defensive backs Gary Hinkson and John Saunders.2015 Media Guide, pp. 146-147. The team captains were Ealey, Long and Hinkson.2015 Media Guide, p. 164. The team's statistical leaders included Chuck Ealey with 1,821 passing yards, Joe Schwartz with 1,130 rushing yards and 120 points scored, Don Fair with 773 receiving yards, and John Niezgoda with 178 tackles.2015 Media Guide, pp. 218-222. Jack Murphy had been an assistant coach at Toledo under Frank Lauterbur. After Lauterbur resigned in December 1970 to become head football coach at Iowa, Murphy was named as the new head coach.2015 Media Guide, p. 166. In his first year as Toledo's head coach, Murphy was named MAC Coach of the Year. The Rockets played their home game in the Glass Bowl. The attendance at five home games was 98,360, an average of 19,672 per game. Schedule 1971 AP Eastern September 11 7:30 p.m. w y y East Carolina Ficklen Memorial Stadium Greenville, NC 45–0 15,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72589769/toledo-wallops-outmanned-east-carolina/ Rocky Mount Telegram Toledo wallops outmanned East Carolina September 12, 1971 March 3, 2021 Newspapers.com September 18 8:00 p.m. w y Villanova Glass Bowl Toledo, OH 10–7 20,012 https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-toledo-late-fg-top/182026058/ Staten Island Advance Toledo late FG tops 'Cats, 10–7 September 19, 1971 September 30, 2025 Newspapers.com September 25 8:32 p.m. w 19 y y UT Arlington Turnpike Stadium Arlington, TX 23–0 8,500 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67428556/rockets-sock-it-to-ut-arlington/ Dayton Daily News Rockets sock it to UT-Arlington September 26, 1971 January 11, 2021 Newspapers.com October 2 8:00 p.m. w Ohio Glass Bowl Toledo, OH 31–28 21,984 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lexington-herald-leader-toledo-wins-322/182105423/ Lexington Herald-Leader Toledo wins 32–28 over Ohio University October 3, 1971 September 30, 2025 Newspapers.com October 9 1:30 p.m. w 20 y Bowling Green Doyt Perry Stadium Bowling Green, OH rivalry 24–7 26,860 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lima-news-rockets-mash-bg-for-28th-i/182105502/ The Lima News Rockets mash BG for 28th in row October 10, 1971 September 30, 2025 Newspapers.com October 16 1:30 p.m. w 17 Western Michigan Glass Bowl Toledo, OH 35–24 18,964 https://www.newspapers.com/article/dayton-daily-news-ealey-ignites-toledo-r/182105575/ Dayton Daily News Ealey ignites Toledo Rockets October 17, 1971 September 30, 2025 Newspapers.com October 23 8:00 p.m. w 14 y Dayton Glass Bowl Toledo, OH 35–7 17,201 https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-toledo-wins-30th/182105650/ Democrat and Chronicle Toledo wins 30th in row October 24, 1971 September 30, 2025 Newspapers.com October 30 w 15 y Miami (OH) Miami Field Oxford, OH 45–6 16,013 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-toledo-cinches-t-bo/182105729/ The Orlando Sentinel Toledo cinches T-Bowl October 31, 1971 September 30, 2025 Newspapers.com November 6 2:30 p.m. w 14 y y Northern Illinois Huskie Stadium DeKalb, IL 23–8 10,339 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sunday-oregonian-toledo-hikes-grid-s/181979741/ The Sunday Oregonian Toledo hikes grid streak November 7, 1971 September 30, 2025 Newspapers.com November 13 1:35 p.m. w 14 y y Marshall Fairfield Stadium Huntington, WV 43–0 14,750 https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-toledo-keeps-streak-alive/181976111/ Minneapolis Tribune Toledo keeps streak alive November 14, 1971 September 30, 2025 Newspapers.com November 20 8:00 p.m. w 13 Kent State Glass Bowl Toledo, OH 41–6 20,201 Toledo 41 Kent State 6 News Journal Mansfield, Ohio November 21, 1971 Sports 5 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92172405/toledo-41-kent-state-6/ Newspapers.com December 28 w 14 y y Richmond Tangerine Bowl Orlando, FL Tangerine Bowl 28–3 16,750 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112158686/richmond-falls-in-tangerine-toledo-back/ The Cincinnati Enquirer Richmond falls in Tangerine, Toledo back in orbit December 29, 1971 October 28, 2022 Newspapers.com 1971 Toledo Rockets Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football September 21, 2016 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/toledo/1971-schedule.html Schedule/Results (1971 Toledo) https://stats.ncaa.org/teams/130967 NCAA Statistics National Collegiate Athletic Association May 5, 2025 Roster 1971 Toledo Rockets f 16 Sr Chuck Ealey QB y 70 Sr Jim Goodman T 64 Sr Scott Johnson C 81 Jr Jim Wells TE 77 Sr Mel Long DT y https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/4z4AAOSwL4lbCt~v/s-l1600.jpg *Jack Murphy Dave Hardy – Offensive coordinator Roger Merb – Offensive backs Charlie Snyder – Wide receivers Dick Strahm – Defensive coordinator Irvin Wright – Middle guards/linebackers Dan Simrell – Defensive backs Chet Fair – Scouting After the season NFL draft The following Rockets were selected in the 1972 NFL draft following the season.https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1972/draft.htm 1972 NFL Draft Listing Pro-Football-Reference.com July 29, 2023 Toledo Rockets 2 Round Pick Player Position NFL club 487John SaundersDefensive backLos Angeles Rams11278Mel LongLinebackerCleveland Browns References Toledo Category:Toledo Rockets football seasons Category:Mid-American Conference football champion seasons Category:Citrus Bowl champion seasons Category:College football undefeated seasons Toledo Rockets football