Most Power Five football programs may look right past Toledo. Their fans are certainly prone to. And that includes Notre Dame’s.
But the Rockets should not be overlooked in 2021. They return more than most any team in the country off a strong team that was two field goals short of an unbeaten 2020. As the second weekend of September approaches, headlines will start to realize: Toledo will play the Irish tough.
In the end, Notre Dame should distance itself from the Rockets — looking at preseason analytics, the Irish will be favored by more than two touchdowns — but this will not be a MAC program cowed by the moment.