I finally get to add my two bits into the bowl preview discussion. I couldn’t pick a better game to start it off with.
The Basics: Wednesday, December 28th, 2011, 4:30 PM EST on ESPN, from Washington D.C. Toledo (8-4, 7-1 MAC) and Air Force (7-5, 3-4 MWC).
History: This is the second year that Northrop Grumman, a big military contractor, has sponsored this game. Not surprisingly we’ve already covered the history of this game in detail.
Toledo: The Rockets are a strong running team this year, ranking 14th in rushing behind Adonis Thomas’ 963 yards. They’re also a scoring machine, picking up 11 touchdowns from each of their top rushers, and 15 from each of their quarterbacks. This could have been an even better year for the Rockets if their defense had been a little more stiff.
Air Force: While Toledo is a strong running team, Air Force is a spectacular one. The Falcons are ranked 2nd in rushing with a 320 yards per game average. This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to anyone who has actually watched an Air Force game in the last several years. Adding a dimension to their attack, however, is QB Tim Jefferson Jr. who has picked up 12 touchdowns and 1478 yards on a 60.9% completion rate. While they won’t go call his number often, he’s successful enough to give defenses something to think about.
Fun Fact: While Northrop Grumman is most famous for their aircraft, such as the B-2 and BQ-4, and spacecraft, like the LEM (as Grumman), they are also big ship-builders. In fact, every US Aircraft Carrier, including the Supercarriers, has been constructed at the Northrop Grumman Newport News shipyard. There’s a reason why they’re a major military contractor.
Who we got?
- Chris -Toledo
- Eric – Air Force
- Jim – Toledo
- JoeD – Air Force
- Mali – Toledo
- JoeL – Toledo
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