5-7
Massachusetts
3-9
UMass Trips Up UB in Season Finale, 31-26
11/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo, the State University of New York football team dropped the season finale to Massachusetts, 31-26, at rainy and windy UB Stadium on Friday evening. The Bulls ended the season 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the Mid-American Conference.
The Basics
Score: Massachusetts 31, Buffalo 26
Records: Buffalo (5-7, 3-5 MAC), Massachusetts (3-9, 2-6 MAC)
Location: UB Stadium, Buffalo, NY
Attendance: 15,648
Weather: 54 degrees, wind & rain
How It Happened
Scoring Plays
- After UB went three and out to start the game, UMass scored on its first possession with a 6-yard touchdown run by Marquis Young (UB 0, UMass 7, 12:16 1Q)
- The Bulls were stopped on fourth down on their next possession and Young found the end zone for a second time - this time running it in from 47 yards out (UB 0, UMass 14, 9:08 1Q)
- UB got on the scoreboard as Joe Licata hooked up with Matt Weiser in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown pass (UB 7, UMass 14, 6:32 1Q)
- After a UMass interception set the Bulls up at their opponents 27-yard line, the Bulls tacked on a 22-yard field goal from Adam Mitcheson (UB 10, UMass 14, 3:32, 1Q)
- An interception by Andrews Dadeboe set the Bulls up with prime field possession at the UMass 19-yard line and the Bulls punched it in the end zone on a 2-yard run from Anthone Taylor (UB 17, UMass 14, 12:57 2Q)
- After the teams traded a couple of possessions, UMass went 76 yards in nine plays and Young ran it in from 1-yard out for his third touchdown of the opening half (UB 17, UMass 21, 3:13 2Q)
- Just before the break, UB ended a 71-yard drive with an interception in the end zone and UMass went 80 yards in just 55 seconds, capped off by a 14-yd touchdown run by quarterback Blake Frohnapfel (UB 17, UMass 28, 0:17 2Q)
- On its first possession of the second half, UB cut into the UMass lead with a 23-yard field goal from Mitcheson (UB 20, UMass 28, 5:50 3Q)
- Jordan Johnson began the fourth quarter with a 5-yard touchdown run to pull the Bulls closer, but were unable to convert on the 2-pt conversion (UB 26, UMass 28, 14:27 4Q)
- UMass ended a five minute drive in the fourth quarter with a 37-yard field goal by Logan Laurent (UB 26, UMass 31, 2:13 4Q)
Inside the Numbers
- UMass outgained the Bulls, 458-447, in total yardage
- After allowing 28 first-half points, the Bulls held the Minutemen to just three points in the second half.
- In the final start of his career, Joe Licata went 19-of-40 for 287 yards a touchdown and two interceptions.
- Anthone Taylor rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown and Jordan Johnson rushed for 77 yards and a score.
- Matt Weiser had a team-high six catches for 68 yards and a touchdown.
- Ron Willoughby had five catches for 54 yards and Marcus McGill added three grabs for 78 yards.
- The UB defense forced three turnovers in the game. Brandon Berry and Andrews Dadeboe had interceptions and Boise Ross recovered a fumble.
- Ryan Williamson had a team-high 10 tackles.
- Adam Mitcheson was perfect on the day, going 2-for-2 on field goals (22, 23) and 2-for-2 on extra points.
Key Stat
- UMass running back Marquis Wilson rushed for a career-high 240 yards and three touchdowns in the game.
Game Changer
- Late in the first half, the Bulls had a first and goal looking to take the lead at halftime. However the Minutemen came up with an interception in the end zone and proceeded to drive 80 yards on only five plays and scored a touchdown with 19 seconds on the clock to take a 28-17 lead at the half.
Nota-BULLS:
- Branden Berry had nine tackles in the game to go over 100 for the season (104). He joined Nick Gilbo who also finished with at least 100 tackles on the season (113). It marked the first time since the 2008 season two UB players had 100+ tackles in the same season (Justin Winters, Davonte Shannon).
- Matt Weiser finished the year with 63 catches to become the first tight end since Chad Upshaw in 2006 to lead the team in receptions.
- Weiser's 63 catches are tied for eighth in school history for a single season.
- Marcus McGill finished with 50 catches on the season. Along with Weiser's 63 and Ron Willoughby's 60, it is the first time in the Bulls FBS era they had three players with 50 catches in the same season.
- Joe Licata finished his career with the school record 9,485 career passing yards and 76 career touchdowns.
- Jordan Johnson scored his ninth touchdown in the last six games and finished the season with 12 – tied for sixth in school history for a single season.
- Berry had his first career interception in the game.
- Nine different UB players had interceptions this season.
- Boise Ross finished the season with a school-record 20 passes defended.
- Lance Leipold's five wins on the year were the most by a UB first-year head coach since Bob Deming went 6-3 in 1969.
Quota-BULLS
Head Coach Lance Leipold
I'm disappointed. I'm disappointed for our seniors. I'm disappointed for our program. Ultimately, it's my responsibility and we didn't play four quarters of football capable of winning the game.
On the run defense
Unacceptable, they did a nice job. For a team with two wins they took it to us. We lost leverage.
Slow Start
It's something that needs to be highly analyzed in the offseason. We've talked about slow starts often this season. It's got to change. Either other teams are getting comfortable and we are able to adjust or we are underachieving. We got three turnovers and only ten points from them.
On the red zone offense in late second half
Yeah, we should have run the ball. It's on me. We should have run it once or twice and give them little clock to work with.
Senior Quarterback Joe Licata
It's disappointing and frustrating. I thought we were well-prepared. We came out and didn't play well. It's frustrating knowing we won't be able to suit up in blue and white again.
I thought the offensive line did well and Taylor and Johnson found the holes. We were effective running the ball.
I had a flashback to Kent State. I told the guys in the huddle that we've been here before. I envisioned walking off the field victorious at my last game at UB Stadium. It was my fairy tale story, but things happened and we didn't get it done.
Senior Linebacker Nick Gilbo
I wasn't expecting this game to be the last one. Going through practice this week, just giving it our all. I expected to play another game.
Once they got their running game going, they kept rolling over us. We didn't have an answer until the second half. At that point we dug ourselves too big of a hole.
We should have come out and hungry in the first half, but we didn't.
Team Stats
UMASS 7, UB 0
UMASS - Young, M. 6 yd run (Laurent, L. kick), 7 plays, 48 yards, TOP 1:36
UMASS 14, UB 0
UMASS - Young, M. 47 yd run (Laurent, L. kick), 3 plays, 56 yards, TOP 0:31
UMASS 14, UB 7
UB - WEISER, Matt 18 yd pass from LICATA, Joe (MITCHESON, Adam kick) 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:30
UMASS 14, UB 10
UB - MITCHESON, Adam 22 yd field goal 10 plays, 22 yards, TOP 2:27
UMASS 14, UB 17
UB - TAYLOR, Anthone 2 yd run (MITCHESON, Adam kick), 3 plays, 19 yards, TOP 0:39
UMASS 21, UB 17
UMASS - Young, M. 1 yd run (Laurent, L. kick), 9 plays, 76 yards, TOP 4:04
UMASS 28, UB 17
UMASS - Frohnapfel, B. 14 yd run (Laurent, L. kick), 5 plays, 80 yards, TOP 0:53
UMASS 28, UB 20
UB - MITCHESON, Adam 23 yd field goal 11 plays, 59 yards, TOP 6:00
UMASS 28, UB 26
UB - JOHNSON, Jordan 5 yd run (MCGILL, Marcus passfailed), 11 plays, 68 yards, TOP 4:51
UMASS 31, UB 26
UMASS - Laurent, L. 37 yd field goal 12 plays, 48 yards, TOP 5:06
