Toledo football will face Youngstown State, Memphis, New Haven and Utah State to open the 2027 season.
The Toledo Rockets revealed the 2027 non-conference schedule, including hosting an in-state foe in the season opener!
Toledo will host Youngstown State to open the season, before traveling to Memphis and Utah State in non-conference play.
Following the cancellation of a home-and-home series with Kentucky that was set to start next year, Toledo was forced to modify the 2027 schedule, and it resulted in matchups against Youngstown State, Memphis, New Haven and Utah State.
Youngstown State (August 28)
Toledo is slated to host Youngstown State in the 2027 season opener at the Glass Bowl on August 28, which will be the eighth all-time matchup between the in-state opponents. The first meeting against Youngstown State took place in 1942, and while they were last scheduled to play in 2001, that game was canceled, meaning their most recent on-field battle dates back to 1961. Toledo has a 4-2-1 record against Youngstown State, as the schools prepare to face off next year.
at Memphis (September 4)
The Rockets are scheduled to hit the road for the first time in 2027 with a highly-anticipated non-conference matchup against Memphis at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on September 4. In addition to being the first-ever meeting between the programs, the upcoming matchup will be the front end of a home-and-home series that will see Memphis travel to Toledo in 2028.
New Haven (September 11)
Toledo will return home to square off against New Haven for the first time in program history at the Glass Bowl on September 11. New Haven is on track to complete its multi-year NCAA transition to full FCS postseason eligibility in 2027, so the trip to Toledo will be one of its first marquee matchups. The Rockets hold a 31-1 record against FCS opponents, including a 63-10 win over Central Connecticut State this season.
at Utah State (September 18)
The Rockets will wrap up the non-conference schedule with a trip to Utah State at the Jim Laub Family Stadium on September 18. Toledo and Utah State previously met in the 2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, as the Rockets suffered a 41-15 loss to the Aggies. Utah State is one of the nation’s most underrated programs, so it will be a chance for Toledo to secure a notable road win.
“We're excited about the variety of our 2027 non-conference schedule,” Toledo head coach Mike Jacobs told the media. “We'll have an opportunity to play in front of our fans at the Glass Bowl, renew a series with a great in-state program in Youngstown State and compete in some outstanding venues against programs that have a strong tradition of success.”
