So why do they call it the Glass Bowl, anyway?

Kansas University’s 7 p.m. game at Toledo today will be played in the Glass Bowl, a charming stadium in Toledo, Ohio, with roots dating back 70 years. And, no, it’s not encased in glass, nor does it remotely resemble a “glass bowl” you might find in your kitchen.

Built in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration project, “University Stadium” held just 8,000 fans. But following World War II, the stadium was renovated, expanded and renamed to signify the city of Toledo’s history and significance in the glass industry. Toledo is known as the Glass City.

The stadium has been kept up-to-date over the years. A video board was added in 1999, and a NeXturf playing surface was installed in 2001.

Like KU’s Memorial Stadium, the Glass Bowl is a horseshoe-style stadium.

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Doesn’t matter: Kansas whipped Toledo, 63-14, when the teams played at Memorial Stadium in 2004. Though that wasn’t too long ago, KU coach Mark Mangino said it was far enough away that not much could be learned from that game.

“We took a brief look at it just to make sure, maybe some tendencies that we have and what they have,” Mangino said. “We focused mainly on (Toledo’s) two games this year and what we could get our hands on on games that they played last year.”

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Among the leaders: With 243 yards rushing in two games, KU senior Jon Cornish is second in the Big 12 Conference in rushing so far.

Cornish – whose 140-yard performance against Northwestern State preceded a 103-yard game against Louisiana-Monroe – is trailing only Oklahoma standout Adrian Peterson in rushing. Peterson has 304 yards rushing through two games.

KU fans should hope the triple-digit rushing attack continues. When the Jayhawks have had a player rush for 100 yards in a game the last 11 years, they’re 32-10.

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About the series: Today’s matchup is the middle game of a three-game contract between Kansas and Toledo.

The Rockets came to Lawrence in 2004. They’ll be back at Memorial Stadium to wrap up the series next season. The tentative date is exactly one year from today, Sept. 15, 2007.

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This, that: The Jayhawks are 2-0 all-time against Toledo, the first a season-opening victory in 1991. : Current Missouri coach Gary Pinkel was 73-37-3 in 10 seasons at Toledo before going to Columbia, Mo. : Current Miami Dolphins head coach Nick Saban’s first head-coaching job was in 1990 with Toledo. : Kansas has just six penalties in two games, best in the Big 12.