1-1
Stony Brook
0-2
Buffalo's Quick-Strike Offense Sinks Seawolves
9/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Buffalo-Stony Brook Post Game Press Conferences
BUFFALO, NY – If the first play of the home slate is any indicator of the season, the Buffalo football team has some exciting things in store for their fans this year.
Tight end Alex Dennison hauled in a perfectly thrown 57-yard touchdown pass from Chazz Anderson on UB's first play from scrimmage and the Bulls never looked back in a 35-7 win over Stony Brook before 21,933 fans, the seventh largest home crowd in school history.
Sophomore tailback Branden Oliver continued his tremendous early-season play by rushing for a career-best 126 yards and three long touchdowns (22, 43 and 49 yards) as the Bulls featured a balanced attack that averaged 7.4 yards per play.
"It was a great night for UB football, certainly long overdue. As I told the players, we were going to end a streak and start a new one," said head coach Jeff Quinn. "We couldn't be more proud to be able to deliver on our efforts a great night, and if you look at it, the tell all is the explosive plays by Branden Oliver and actually the first play of the game. We've been waiting to make that call and we did a great job getting that play dialed up and a 57-yard touchdown. There's nothing better than to start a game and seven points on the board.
"Then Branden did a great job, he had a real solid night," said Quinn. "The offensive line did a tremendous job competing up front. The defense hung in there, they had the ball for 40 minutes tonight, so I liked what I saw on that side of the ball. Really all in all it was a great win, a great night, well deserved but it's one of many. Next week we have to get ready for Ball State."
Khalil Mack was a one-man wrecking crew for the UB defense. Mack finished with eight tackles, one sack, 3.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, an interception and three quarterback hurries.
Anderson connected on 15-of-22 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns on the day, including the first career TD catch by redshirt-freshman Devon Hughes – who led the Bulls with four receptions for 33 yards.
Before even the first play from scrimmage things started well for the Bulls as Terrell Jackson returned the opening kickoff 53 yards to set up the touchdown throw to Dennison.
However, the Seawolves would come back and tie the score at 7-7 before the Bulls reeled off the game's final 28 points. Oliver got it started by bursting 22 yards for his first score of the game to cap a 13-play, 74-yard drive immediately after Stony Brook had tied the game.
Oliver found the end zone again late in the second quarter on a third-and-seven draw play, which he bounced to the outside and went 49 yards to paydirt.
The Bulls went to halftime up 21-7 and then came out and dominated the second half, holding the Seawolves off the board. Hughes caught a 15-yard pass from Anderson on a post pattern and Oliver capped a terrific night with a 43-yard burst that finished his night and put away Stony Brook.
Stony Brook would threaten one more time midway through the fourth quarter, driving to the Bulls three-yard line. However, Mack would snuff that drive out with a sack and forced fumble that was recovered by teammate Fred Branch at the UB 20-yard line.
The Bulls had three sacks on the night and nine tackles for loss for 31 yards. Colby Way and Steven Means added sacks for the Bulls, while cornerback Najja Johnson had a career-best six tackles.
The Bulls leveled their record at 1-1 and will play at MAC-foe Ball State next Saturday.
BULL-ETINS:
- Today's captains were Josh Copeland, Peter Fardon, Alex Neutz and Chazz Anderson.
- Tight end Alex Dennison's first career catch came on the team's first play of the game, a 57-yard touchdown reception from Chazz Anderson. Devon Hughes then hauled in his first career touchdown in the third quarter on a 15-yard pass from Anderson.
- The opening-drive touchdown was the first touchdown in the opening quarter for Buffalo since November 10, 2009 and the first score on the game's first play from scrimmage since James Starks' 74-yard touchdown reception against Temple in 2007.
- After pinning Stony Brook inside its own 20 twice in the first quarter alone, senior punter Peter Fardon now has 44 kicks inside the 20 for his career.
- Colby Way's tackle for a seven-yard loss on fourth and one to stop the Stony Brook drive in the first quarter was the first fourth-down stop for the Bulls this season, in its first opportunity. Way finished the game with four tackles (two for loss) and also had a sack.
- Branden Oliver's 22-yard touchdown run in the second quarter made it his second straight game with at least one score. On the next Buffalo drive he set a new personal best with a 49 yard scamper to the end zone and a 43 yard run for a score in the third quarter. Oliver finished with 126 yards on just 15 carries. His three total rushing touchdowns are tied for the fifth most in program history in a single game and he is only the third player in the team's Division I-A history to score that many rushing touchdowns in a single game, tied with two others.
- Terrell Jackson got the home opener started in style with a 53-yard kickoff return followed soon after by a 35-yard punt return. Jackson passed Kali Watkins for career kickoff returns with 68 now in his time at UB, the second-most in program history. He also has 1,292 career kickoff yards to pass Alan Bell (1,244) for fourth all time.
- Linebacker Khalil Mack was again a ball-hawking terror for the UB defense, with an interception, a sack, two forced fumbles that were recovered by UB and 3.5 tackles for loss (eight total).
- The opening-drive touchdown was the first touchdown in the opening quarter for Buffalo since November 10, 2009 and the first score on an opening drive since James Starks' 74-yard touchdown reception against Temple in 2007.
- After pinning Stony Brook inside its own 20 twice in the first quarter alone, senior punter Peter Fardon now has 44 kicks inside the 20 for his career.
- Colby Way's tackle for a seven-yard loss on fourth and one to stop the Stony Brook drive in the first quarter was the first fourth-down stop for the Bulls this season, in its first opportunity. Way finished the game with four tackles (two for loss) and also had a sack.
- Brandon Oliver's 22-yard touchdown run in the second quarter made it his second straight game with at least one score. On the next Buffalo drive he set a new personal best with a 49 yard scamper to the end zone and a 43 yard run for a score in the third quarter. Oliver finished with 126 yards on just 15 carries. His three total rushing touchdowns are tied for the fifth most in program history in a single game and he is only the third player in the team's Division I-A history to score that many rushing touchdowns in a single game, tied with two others.
- Terrell Jackson got the season opener started in style with a 53-yard kickoff return followed soon after by a 35-yard punt return. Jackson passed Kali Watkins for career kickoff returns with 68 now in his time at UB, the second-most in program history. He also has 1292 career kickoff yards to pass Alan Bell (1,244) for fourth all time.
Team Stats
SBU 0, UB 7
UB - DENNISON, Alex 57 yd pass from ANDERSON, Chazz (FARDON, Peter kick) 1 plays, 57 yards, TOP 0:19
SBU 7, UB 7
SBU - GUSH, J. 16 yd pass from ESSINGTON, K. (SKIFFINGTON, W. kick) 10 plays, 92 yards, TOP 5:03
SBU 7, UB 14
UB - OLIVER, Branden 22 yd run (FARDON, Peter kick), 13 plays, 74 yards, TOP 5:43
SBU 7, UB 21
UB - OLIVER, Branden 49 yd run (FARDON, Peter kick), 3 plays, 52 yards, TOP 1:03
SBU 7, UB 28
UB - HUGHES, Devon 15 yd pass from ANDERSON, Chazz (FARDON, Peter kick) 3 plays, 25 yards, TOP 1:00
SBU 7, UB 35
UB - OLIVER, Branden 43 yd run (FARDON, Peter kick), 5 plays, 82 yards, TOP 2:33
