Bowling Green–Toledo football rivalry

The Bowling Green–Toledo football rivalry is annual college football rivalry game between Mid-American Conference members Bowling Green State University (BGSU) and the University of Toledo (UT). The universities are separated by about 25 miles (40 km) along Interstate 75 (I-75). The Bowling Green Falcons and Toledo Rockets have exchanged two traveling trophies; the Peace Pipe Trophy (1980–2010), and the Battle of I-75 Trophy (2011–present). Toledo currently leads the series 43–42–4.

Battle For I-75

Bowling Green Falcons Toledo Rockets
First meeting	October 3, 1919 Toledo, 6–0
Latest meeting	October 26, 2024 Bowling Green, 41–26
Next meeting	2025
Trophy	Battle of I-75 Trophy
Statistics
Meetings total	89
All-time series	Toledo leads, 43–42–4[1]
Largest victory	Toledo, 63–0 (1935)
Longest win streak	Bowling Green, 12 (1955–1966) Toledo, 9 (2010–2018)
Current win streak	Bowling Green, 1 (2024–present)

10km
6miles

Toledo

Bowling Green

  

Locations of Bowling Green and Toledo

History

The Glass Bowl, home to the Rockets since 1937

Doyt Perry Stadium, home to the Falcons since 1966

The game is sometimes referred to as The Black Swamp Showdown and the Battle of I-75, as the cities of Toledo and Bowling Green are both located on I-75, just 20 miles (32 km) apart, and in the Black Swamp area of Northwest Ohio.

Traveling trophies

Peace Pipe Trophy

In 1980, a scale-down replica was fashioned and placed on top of a trophy created by former UT football player Frank Kralik. The Peace Pipe Trophy is a miniature replica of an American Indian sacred ceremonial pipe, sitting atop a trophy with both football teams' logos. Kralik donated the trophy to the university to be given to the winner of each year's football game, which like many other college football rivalries is usually the last game of the regular season for both teams. Though the two schools play in different divisions in the Mid-American Conference, they have yet to meet in the MAC Championship Game.

The awarding of the Peace Pipe Trophy was discontinued after the 2010 game. The schools agreed to change the trophy after conversations with members of the American Indian community. Taken into consideration was the spiritual symbolism of the ceremonial pipe to the American Indian community, as well as the NCAA's push to remove inappropriate American Indian nicknames and symbols associated with member's athletic teams.^[2] The Peace Pipe Trophy will be permanently housed in the Toledo football trophy case as the Rockets won the last battle for the Peace Pipe in 2010.

Battle of I-75 Trophy

Beginning in 2011, the two schools started playing for the Battle of I-75 Trophy. Sponsored by Taylor Kia Automotive Group, it replaced the Peace Pipe Trophy. The Battle of I-75 Trophy was designed by Jeff Artz, who also designed the Fred Biletnikoff Award (awarded to America's top college football wide receiver).^[3] Toledo leads 10–2.

Recent Toledo domination

Toledo won nine straight games from 2010 to 2018. The 2017 contest was, "a snoozer” as they blew out the Falcons 66–37 before a crowd that barely dented the Doyt’s capacity.^[4] Coaches on both teams agreed, "the fiercest and most-heated rivalry in the Mid-American Conference has lost some luster, and that's probably because of the lopsidedness".^[5] In 2019, on the 100th anniversary of the rivalry,^[6] Toledo's streak ended as Bowling Green, a 26-point underdog, defeated the Rockets. The Falcons coached by first-year Head Coach Scot Loeffler dominated all game. Walk-on Grant Loy got his first career start at QB, rushing for 137 yards and a TD while throwing for another. The Falcons Defense led by Brandon Perce held the dominant Toledo offense to only 7 points as the Falcons won 20–7. Toledo resumed their winning ways in 2020 to continue to lead the overall series.

Notable games

2010: First primetime game

On November 17, 2010, Toledo and Bowling Green met for the first primetime game in series history. The game was held in Toledo and broadcast by ESPN2, Dave Neal and Andre Ware on the call. Toledo Rockets came into the game with a 6–4 record on the season. The Bowling Green Falcons came into the game at 2–8 on the season. Toledo defeated Bowling Green 33–14. The Rockets gained 537 yards and held the Falcons to 254 yards. Toledo forced five turnovers (three fumbles and two interceptions) in the game and gave up one interception. Toledo took a 26–7 lead at halftime. Fourteen points were scored between the two in the second half, securing the victory for Toledo.

2022: Barstool college football show

On November 15, 2022, the Barstool College Football Show went to the Glass Bowl for the 87th meeting of Toledo and Bowling Green rivalry. Dan Katz also known as "Big Cat" received the key to Toledo from Wade Kapszukiewicz the mayor of Toledo. Bowling Green upset the Rockets in the snow by the score of 42–35.

Game results

Bowling Green victories

Toledo victories

Tie games

No. Date Location Winner Score 1 October 3, 1919 Bowling Green Toledo 6–0 2 October 29, 1921 Toledo Bowling Green 20–7 3 November 4, 1922 Bowling Green Tie 6–6 4 October 27, 1923 Toledo Toledo 27–0 5 October 25, 1924 Toledo Toledo 12–7 6 October 20, 1928 Bowling Green Bowling Green 14–0 7 October 26, 1929 Toledo Tie 0–0 8 November 1, 1930 Bowling Green Tie 0–0 9 November 5, 1932 Bowling Green Bowling Green 12–6 10 October 28, 1933 Toledo Toledo 26–7 11 November 3, 1934 Bowling Green Toledo 22–0 12 November 2, 1935 Toledo Toledo 63–0 13 October 9, 1948 Toledo Bowling Green 21–6 14 October 8, 1949 Toledo Toledo 20–19 15 October 28, 1950 Toledo Bowling Green 39–14 16 October 27, 1951 Bowling Green Toledo 12–6 17 October 25, 1952 Toledo Bowling Green 29–19 18 October 24, 1953 Bowling Green Toledo 20–19 19 October 23, 1954 Toledo Toledo 38–7 20 October 22, 1955 Bowling Green Bowling Green 39–0 21 October 20, 1956 Toledo Bowling Green † 34–12 22 October 19, 1957 Bowling Green Bowling Green 29–0 23 October 18, 1958 Toledo Bowling Green 31–16 24 October 17, 1959 Bowling Green Bowling Green † 51–21 25 October 15, 1960 Toledo Bowling Green 14–3 26 October 14, 1961 Bowling Green Bowling Green † 17–6 27 October 13, 1962 Toledo Bowling Green † 28–13 28 October 19, 1963 Bowling Green Bowling Green 22–20 29 October 17, 1964 Toledo Bowling Green † 31–14 30 October 16, 1965 Bowling Green Bowling Green † 21–14 31 October 15, 1966 Toledo Bowling Green 14–13 32 October 14, 1967 Bowling Green Toledo † 33–0 33 October 12, 1968 Toledo Tie 0–0 34 October 11, 1969 Bowling Green Toledo † 27–26 35 October 10, 1970 Toledo Toledo † 20–0 36 October 9, 1971 Bowling Green #20 Toledo † 24–7 37 October 7, 1972 Toledo Bowling Green 19–8 38 October 6, 1973 Bowling Green Bowling Green 49–35 39 October 5, 1974 Toledo Toledo 24–19 40 October 11, 1975 Bowling Green Bowling Green 34–17 41 October 9, 1976 Toledo Bowling Green 29–28 42 October 8, 1977 Bowling Green Bowling Green 21–13 43 October 7, 1978 Toledo Bowling Green 45–27 44 October 6, 1979 Bowling Green Toledo 23–17 45 October 11, 1980 Toledo Bowling Green 17–6 46 October 24, 1981 Bowling Green Bowling Green 38–0 No. Date Location Winner Score 47 October 23, 1982 Toledo Toledo 24–10 48 October 8, 1983 Bowling Green Toledo 6–3 49 October 6, 1984 Toledo Toledo † 17–6 50 November 11, 1985 Bowling Green Bowling Green † 21–0 51 November 15, 1986 Toledo Toledo 22–3 52 October 17, 1987 Bowling Green Bowling Green 20–6 53 September 24, 1988 Toledo Toledo 34–5 54 October 14, 1989 Bowling Green Bowling Green 27–23 55 October 13, 1990 Toledo Toledo † 19–13 56 October 19, 1991 Bowling Green Bowling Green † 24–21 57 October 17, 1992 Toledo Bowling Green † 10–9 58 October 2, 1993 Bowling Green Bowling Green 17–10 59 October 15, 1994 Toledo Bowling Green 31–16 60 October 21, 1995 Bowling Green Toledo † 35–16 61 October 5, 1996 Toledo Toledo 24–16 62 October 25, 1997 Bowling Green #24 Toledo ‡ 35–20 63 October 17, 1998 Toledo Toledo ‡ 24–16 64 October 2, 1999 Bowling Green Bowling Green 34–23 65 November 22, 2000 Toledo Toledo 51–17 66 November 23, 2001 Bowling Green Bowling Green 56–21 67 November 30, 2002 Toledo Toledo ‡ 42–24 68 November 29, 2003 Bowling Green #22 Bowling Green ‡ 31–23 69 November 23, 2004 Toledo Toledo † 49–41 70 November 22, 2005 Bowling Green Toledo 44–41 71 November 21, 2006 Toledo Toledo 31–21 72 November 23, 2007 Bowling Green Bowling Green 37–10 73 November 28, 2008 Toledo Bowling Green 38–10 74 November 27, 2009 Bowling Green Bowling Green 38–24 75 November 17, 2010 Toledo Toledo 33–14 76 October 15, 2011 Bowling Green Toledo 28–21 77 September 15, 2012 Toledo Toledo 27–15 78 October 26, 2013 Bowling Green Toledo 28–25 79 November 19, 2014 Toledo Toledo 27–20 80 November 17, 2015 Bowling Green Toledo 44–28 81 October 15, 2016 Toledo Toledo 42–35 82 November 15, 2017 Bowling Green Toledo † 66–37 83 October 6, 2018 Toledo Toledo 52–36 84 October 12, 2019 Bowling Green Bowling Green 20–7 85 November 4, 2020 Toledo Toledo 38–3 86 November 10, 2021 Bowling Green Toledo 49–17 87 November 15, 2022 Toledo Bowling Green 42–35 88 November 14, 2023 Bowling Green Toledo ‡ 32–31 89 October 26, 2024 Toledo Bowling Green 41–26 Series: Toledo leads 43–42–4[1] †Eventual MAC Champions ‡Lost in MAC Championship Game (1997–present)

See also

• List of NCAA college football rivalry games

References

1. "Winsipedia – Bowling Green Falcons vs. Toledo Rockets football series history".
2. "Toledo and Bowling Green Announce New "Battle of I-75 Trophy" for Football Series". utrockets.com. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
3. "Battle of I-75 winner to earn new trophy". Toledo Blade. October 10, 2011. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
4. Thomas Schmeltz. "Rockets dominate Falcons for 8th straight win in rivalry". Sentinel-Tribune.
5. Thomas Schmeltz. "Toledo still owns Bowling Green". Sentinel-Tribune.
6. "Falcon Football 100th Anniversary". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved October 13, 2019.