Rivalry with Bowling Green

Among Toledo football players of any era, it’s known simply as “BG Week,” the week of preparation leading up to the annual Toledo-Bowling Green football game, considered by most observers as the greatest rivalry in the Mid-American Conference. Just 20 miles of highway on I-75 separate the two universities, creating a familiarity that fuels the rivalry. The origin of the emotional nature of the rivalry has its roots in legend. Following a 63-0 Rocket blowout in 1935, Bowling Green declined to continue playing UT, effectively ending the rivalry. Bowling Green officials reportedly ended the rivalry because of the unruly behavior of jubilant UT fans following the outcome of the game; UT faithful claimed the decision had more to do with the final score. In any case, the rivalry resumed in 1948 and this time the Falcons were ready, pulling a 21-6 victory in their first-ever appearance in the Glass Bowl. Bowling Green leads the all-time series, 37-30-4, though UT has won eight of the last 12 battles.

The Peace Pipe

Originally a trophy granted to the winner between Toledo and Bowling Green in basketball, the Peace Pipe has been a football tradition since 1980. The Peace Pipe tradition began in 1948, with the student newspaper from the winning school keeping the pipe until the renewal of the tradition the following basketball season. Unfortunately, the tradition came to an abrupt end in 1969 when an unidentified person stole the pipe from its resting place in the Collegian office. The thief was never caught, nor was the pipe ever recovered. The tradition was reinstated in 1980 for football with a miniature peace pipe replica resting atop a trophy created by Frank Kralik, a former UT football player, as an award for the winner of the annual gridiron battle between the Rockets and the Falcons.

The Spirit Rock

In 1968, Nicholson Concrete and Supply Co. donated an eight-ton rock to the University of Toledo as a symbol of the spirit of its student body. The Spirit Rock was originally located on the grass between the William S. Carlson Library and the Student Union. The large rock marked the final resting place of the old Bancroft High image of UT. The original Spirit Rock was moved by the university in order to make room for the Student Union expansion, and now resides by the pond at Scott Park Campus. The current Spirit Rock on Main Campus was donated to the University in 1997 and placed in the Flatlands. Over the years, the rock has been a site for many Rocket pep rallies. The Spirit Rock has been tarred and feathered, burnt, and painted hundreds of times, but it is tradition to paint it only during twilight hours.

The Marching Band

The Rocket Marching Band is dedicated to excellence in performance, as well as the musical and social enrichment of its members. The Rocket Marching Band provides quality entertainment and spirit promotion at UT functions and athletic events. In addition, the band has appeared at professional football games, college bowl games and many high school marching band festivals. The band consists of students from large cities, small towns and rural areas, pursuing a myriad of careers and majoring in everything from architecture to zoology. The Rocket Marching Band has proudly represented UT with professionalism, dignity, spirit and excellence. Auxilliaries to the Rocket Marching Band include the Dancing Rock-ets and the Flag Line. The Rock-ets constitute a dance line of approximately 14 women who are chosen each spring by a special audition. The Flag Line is comprised of approximately 28 women who primarily twirl flags during Rocket Marching Band pre-game and half time shows.

The Cheerleaders

Providing the spirit at all home and road football games are the cheerleaders. The cheerleaders are also at every home men’s and women’s basketball game, and numerous public appearances on behalf of the UT Athletic Department. The UT cheerleading squad consists of a varsity and a junior varsity squad. There is a total of 33 members—16 varsity, 16 junior varsity and one mascot. The varsity squad is selected in the spring of every year. The varsity squad practices throughout the summer in preparation for the coming season. The varsity squad travels to all the away football games, and cheers on the men’s basketball team. For football games, the varsity squad is stationed primarily in the southeast corner of the stadium. The JV squad is selected in the fall. Tryouts are held during the first week of classes. The JV squad cheers at every home football game and the women’s basketball games. For football games, the JV squad is stationed primarily in the southwest corner of the stadium

The Varsity ‘T’ Club

The Varsity T Club is a support group of former varsity letter winners whose purpose is to support Rocket Athletic programs through service projects and special events. The Varsity T Club provides financial assistance to the athletic department on an annual basis. Over the years, the club has provided over $100,000 to fund the purchase of weight equipment in the Larimer and Savage Hall weight rooms. The club has also supported the replacement of the Glass Bowl turf, the student-athlete handbook, senior scholar-athlete receptions, the annual Hall of Fame Banquet and has also assisted in raising funds through a summer golf outing, and most recently, made a major commitment to the Building Champions Campaign to name the new Hall of Fame area in the Sullivan Athletic Complex at Savage Arena. In 1998, the Varsity T Club completed a $300,000 capital campaign for the construction of the Varsity T All-Sports Pavilion located just south of the Glass Bowl. The club sponsors pre-game tailgate receptions prior to all home football games for club members and guests. In 2007, the club reached an all-time high with over 530 dues paying members.

The Rocket Fund

The Rocket Fund is the athletic department’s annual giving program, which generates funds for program operations for our teams, scholarship aid for our student-athletes, and unrestricted support for UT’s nearly 400 student-athletes. Over 1,000 Rocket fans currently support the program with a gift of $100 or more to the Rocket Fund.

Downtown Coaches Association

The Downtown Coaches Association is a support group whose purpose is to promote, encourage and stimulate interest in intercollegiate athletics at The University of Toledo. Athletic director and head football coach Doc Spears founded it in 1937. For over 71 years, the DCA has sponsored Monday luncheons and assisted in the department’s fundraising efforts. The DCA sponsors an annual reverse raffle and conducts 50/50 raffles at UT football and basketball games. Recently, the DCA made a major commitment to the Building Champions Campaign to name the new “walk of champions” in the new Sullivan Athletic Complex.