And so it begins …

The University of Toledo football team will be kicking off their 2015 season Thursday in the Glass Bowl against Stony Brook in the schools’ first-ever meeting.

The Rockets, picked to win the Mid-American Conference by members of the league’s media contingent, hold a 21-2 all-time record against FCS schools and have won 17 straight against FCS foes, including a 54-20 victory over New Hampshire.

“We know we will get their best shot,” said Head Coach Matt Campbell. “They do a great job at trying to slowing the game down and get the game to the fourth quarter and win the game there. It will be a great challenge for our team.”

Stony Brook finished last season with a 5-7 record but features junior tailback Stacey Bedell who rushed for 1,070 yards and nine touchdowns.

However, Bedell will be running against a very stout Rocket defense who returns eight starters and 14 other players who have seen significant action in their colligate career.

Toledo will be getting back senior corners Cheatham Norrils and Christian Dukes who missed the entire 2014 season.

“We are all ready to go,” said senior Trent Voss, a Rotary Lombardi Award candidate for best linebacker in the country. “We’ve been hitting each other for half a year now and we’re tired of going at each other at full speed.

“We want to get some different colors to run into and show no mercy.”

That defense will be missing one of their key members. Senior defensive end Allen Covington along with junior running back Kareem Hunt will be suspended the first two games of the season due to violating team policy.

“It was two college mistakes whether it was academically or social,” Campbell said. “Those were mistakes that I don’t think indicate the character of either of those two men and just a rule we have in our program that we abide by.

“I know they both will be ready to play when their time comes.”

UT will be counting on sophomore tailback Terry Swanson to pick up the workforce with Hunt’s suspension.

Swanson rushed for 732 yards and six touchdowns in his rookie campaign.

“We won a lot of football games with [Swanson] as our starting running back,” Campbell said. “A lot of people forget just how good of a season he had last year as a true freshman. I truly believe he will have a phenomenal sophomore year.”

This summer has seen many collegiate teams across the country with tough quarterback competitions and Toledo was no exception.

On Monday the Rockets settled their quarterback dilemma with Campbell announcing that senior Phillip Ely will be the game one starter over junior Logan Woodside.

“This was one of the hardest things I had to do as a head football coach was to tell one of these elite young men that they weren’t going to get to start the football game,” Campbell said. “I feel that I have two championship quarterbacks that know how to win games.”

Ely, who was the starter in game one last year, tore his right ACL and left labrum in week two against Missouri. Coming out of high school he was considered one of the best QBs in the country.

“It was an emotional moment and I feel truly blessed to be where I am right now,” Ely said when he got the news that he was going to be the starter. “I got to give it all to God and he really allowed me to get this opportunity.

“Words really can’t describe it.”

One of the most consistent and reliable positions for UT in past years was in the kicking game thanks to Jerimiah Detmer. Now the kicking game will be in the hands of true freshman Jameson Vest, capping off the last unknown of the Toledo offseason.

“The key will be not to ask [Vest] to do to much early on in the season,” Campbell said. “[We have] to bring him around slowly for he can gain great confidence and get into a groove.”

As the offseason comes to an end and the real season begins, Campbell is confident and excited for what is in store next for his team.

“Our process of preparation for game one has been excellent,” Campbell said. “I thought we had a really strong fall camp and stayed somewhat healthy during the duration of camp.

“We really look forward to the challenges ahead for this football team.”