1923 Toledo Rockets football team

The 1923 Toledo Rockets football team was an American football team that represented Toledo University (renamed the University of Toledo in 1967) during the 1923 college football season. In their first season under head coach Pat Dwyer, the team compiled a 6–4 record, the first winning season in program history, won the Northwest Ohio League championship, and shut out its opponents in all six victories.^[1] The team's 87 points against Findlay established the program's single game scoring record and remains the second highest point total in program history.^[2]: 202 Gib Stick's 30 point tally in the Findlay game also remains tied for the second highest single game scoring total in program history.^[2]: 210

1923 Toledo Rockets football
NOL champion
Conference	Northwest Ohio League
Record	6–4 (3–0 NOL)
Head coach	Pat Dwyer (1st season)
Seasons ← 1922 1924 →

1923 Northwest Ohio League football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Toledo $	3	–	0	–	0			6	–	4	–	0
Bowling Green	2	–	2	–	0			3	–	5	–	0
$ – Conference champion

The team captain was James Pierce, the first African-American to hold the position. Pierce became a professor after graduation.^{[2]: 133, 164}

According to the Toledo media guide, the program's nickname dates to the 1923 season. The 1923 season opened with a game against Carnegie Tech in Pittsburgh. According to the media guide, the Pittsburgh reporters in the press box were surprised to learn that the Toledo team did not have a nickname and asked a Toledo student, James Neal, to come up with a nickname. Neal suggested the team be called the Skyrockets, and the sportswriters shortened the name to Rockets. The Rockets nickname has been in use since 1923.^{[2]: 133, 231}

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 29	at Carnegie Tech*	Tech Field Pittsburgh, PA	L 12–32
October 6	Michigan State Normal*	Toledo, OH	W 13–0
October 13	at Akron*	Buchtel Field Akron, OH	L 3–10
October 19	Defiance*	Toledo, OH	W 26–0
October 27	Bowling Green	Toledo, OH (rivalry)	W 27–0		[3]
November 3	Findlay*	Toledo, OH	W 87–0
November 10	Grand Rapids*	Toledo, OH	W 32–0
November 17	Detroit Junior College*	Toledo, OH	W 38–0
November 24	at Hillsdale*	Hillsdale, MI	L 19–32
December 1	Notre Dame reserves*		L 0–31
*Non-conference game