Paul Peck's Bull Session: Bowling Green

Each week, Voice of Bulls Football Paul Peck will preview the upcoming game.

Buffalo (2-2, 1-0) vs. Bowling Green (3-2, 1-0)

Put new batteries in the calculator. Check the bulbs on the scoreboard. There are going to be some points scored on Saturday. The way the Bulls and the Falcons are playing offense, there could be close to 100 points scored and each team may run close to 100 plays. Both teams are among the best offensive units in the MAC, which is a big difference from last year. When UB & Bowling Green played in last season's finale at Ralph Wilson Stadium, they were the #1 & #2 defenses in the MAC. Right now, the Bulls are 6th and the Falcons are last at 13th. But that doesn't diminish what this game is all about. It's two of the best teams in the conference and the division, battling for early-season supremacy and maybe the title as favorite to win the MAC East.

The Bulls have lost three straight to the Falcons, and last year's loss still hurts. It prevented UB from winning the East and going to the MAC Championship. Senior guard Andre Davis says that it's a big part of the Bulls motivation Saturday. So while the matchup may be different, the stakes are still the same. Who is the team to beat in the MAC East? We should know by Saturday night.

Bullseye on: Buffalo Offense

The Bulls are averaging 33.8 points per game, while the Falcons are giving up 43.6. BG's shocking defensive struggles have them ranked 125^th in the country in total defense.

Some of that is a product of a new, Baylor-like high speed offense brought in by new coach

Dino Babers. Some of it is due to graduation losses, and some of it is due to injuries. But to see the team that's been #1 in the MAC in defense the last two years allowing 619 yards per game is jolting. They gave up 756 yards to Wisconsin, 702 yards to Western Kentucky and 638 yards to UMass. The Bulls are averaging 485 yards per game on offense, which looks like a tiny number compared to what the Falcons are giving up....Anthone Taylor's 222 yards last week against Miami was the most of any NCAA back. Taylor has now run for 338 yards the last two games. Taylor revealed that some of his motivation came from the fact that Miami offered, then revoked a scholarship offer to the Ohio native when he was being recruited. Let's hope that BG made that same mistake. Taylor's two biggest rushing days (222, 154) have come against the Red Hawks. Anthone is now third in the MAC and 10th in the NCAA in rushing....Tight End Matt Weiser has 157 yards on 10 catches. He's just 43 yards away from being the first UB tight end since Jesse Rack in 2009 to top 200 yards receiving in a season...Jacob Martinez had a breakout game against the Red Hawks. His 8 catches for 94 yards and a score were all career-highs. Martinez was especially effective on crossing routes and screens. That running ability comes from his time as a high school option quarterback in Florida....Marcus McGill, in his UB career, has now caught passes, returned punts, long snapped, had a special teams tackle and thrown a pass....BG's defense has been hit hard by injuries among their senior leaders. Senior DT Zach Colvin is out for this week, senior LB D.J. Lynch is doubtful and senior safety Ryland Ward is questionable....That has prompted the Falcons to play a lot of young players, some of whom have been impressive. Linebacker James Sanford had nine tackles, two sacks a fumble recovery and forced the fumble late that clinched the game...Senior linebacker Gabe Martin is the leader of the Falcons defense. Due to an injury, he did not play against the Bulls last year...The Falcons are playing two undersized, former walk-ons at defensive tackle. Gus Schwieterman is 261 pounds, Taylor Royster is 255 pounds...Because Bowling Green's offense moves so fast, the defense has been on the field for an average of 87 plays per game. That has affected the stamina of the defensive players, forcing more young depth players on the field, bringing the mistakes that young players are prone to.

Bullseye on: Buffalo Defense

With these two offensive juggernauts, it's no surprise that Jeff Quinn said "the best defensive effort will win this game." It doesn't mean the UB defense has to throw a shutout. They need to do the two things they have struggled with this season: Takeaways and big plays. The Bulls are one of only five NCAA teams without an interception. They have just five recovered fumbles. Remember, last year UB had 30 takeaways. As for the big plays, the Bulls defense has given up 33 plays of 20 yards of more (23 passes, 10 runs). Bowling Green has 28 such plays. Sideline reporter Scott Wilson did some research on this topic. 58% of the total yards allowed by the Bulls have come on those big plays...Courtney Lester rose to the challenge of covering Miami's star receiver David Frazier. Lester had six passes defended in the game. His season total of nine is tied for second in the MAC. Lester is within five of Gemara Williams' school record...Boise Ross made his first career start at cornerback last week. His quick advancement after the change from receiver has been a tribute to his skills and the Bulls need for more depth at the position...Linebacker Kyril Threats has provided some nice edge rushing off the bench. The Canisius High School grad and ECC transfer has shown a nice burst. He has 2 sacks to tie for the team lead...When BG quarterback Matt Johnson hurt his hip and was declared out for the season, it was easy to think the Falcons year was over. But James Knapke has stepped in and performed well. As any young quarterback, he has made some mistakes (six interceptions). But he's #4 in the MAC in passing, has games of 443 & 395 yards, and may actually be better suited to run Baber's high tempo offense. He's a pocket passer, while Matt Johnson was more of a read option runner who could throw....Knapke has excellent receivers. Freshman Roger Lewis leads the MAC in catches and receiving yard, while three other wideouts have at least 20 catches...The Falcons can also run, as the Bulls know. Travis Greene is averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He had 1,594 yards last year, and ran for 129 against the Bulls at the Ralph...Backup RB Fred Coppet is averaging 6.2 a carry...Much like the Baylor offense it's styled after, BG averages 85 plays per game and runs their plays every 15 seconds...Babers brought his offense from his time at Baylor, but last year, at FCS Eastern Illinois, tutored QB Jimmy Garappolo. He was the New England Patriots 2nd round draft pick.

Bullseye on: Joe Licata

This is a game where the Bulls QB will shine. He has taken his game to another level this season. You can see his confidence, comfort level and total understanding of the offense. That's reflected in the fact that the Bulls are averaging nine receivers per game. Joe always knows how to find the open man. With Johnson out, Licata is the favorite to be the MAC's top QB. Joe ranks second in passing yards, and first in TD passes. Licata is actually fifth in the country in TD passes, and within seven of Drew Willy's UB career record....Joe has gone 113 straight passes without an interception...He has thrown a touchdown pass in 20 of his 22 career starts. The two without? His two career games against Bowling Green. That streak should end Saturday.

Please join me, color analyst Ed O'Neil, sideline reporter Scott Wilson, game host Brad Riter and postgame host Kevin Sylvester for the broadcast on the Bulls Football Network. Our pregame show starts at 2:30pm. You can hear it in Buffalo on ESPN 1520 (www.espn1520.com), in Rochester on Sports 1280 WHTK (www.whtk.com), in Albany on 104.5 The Team (www.1045theteam.com) & in New York City on 570 WMCA (www.wmca.com).

University at Buffalo Athletics

Paul Peck's Bull Session: Bowling Green

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