Central Michigan
Bulls Host Central Michigan on Saturday Looking to Level Record
10/22/2019 12:28:00 PM | Football
Buffalo (3-4, 1-2 MAC) vs. Central Michigan (5-3, 3-1 MAC)
October 26, 2019
UB Stadium - 3:30 pm
Radio
Buffalo - ESPN 1520
Rochester - Fox Sports 1280
Hornell - 1480 WLEA
Television
ESPN+
Storylines
• Central Michigan leads the all-time series, 7-2.
• The game will pit the top two defenses in the MAC. Buffalo ranks first in total defense (298.4) and Central Michigan ranks second in total defense (364.8).
• Kevin Marks is 30 yards shy of becoming the 11th running back in school history to rush for 1,500 yards.
• The Bulls have had nine sacks over the last two games.
• The UB defense has only allowed one 100-yard rusher on the season.
• The Bulls have held halftime leads in six of their seven games on the season.
• Buffalo is coming off its third ever shutout of a Mid-American Conference opponent and just the second ever MAC road shutout.
• The Bulls rank seventh in the nation in rushing attempts with 341.
• This will be Central Michigan's first visit to UB Stadium since the 2014 season.
• The Bulls have won nine of their last 11 games played at UB Stadium.
• UB ranks 10th in the nation in redzone defense (.667), holding opponents to 14 scores on 21 trips to the redzone.
• The Bulls have forced 10 turnovers over the last four games.
Bulls Host Central Michigan Looking to Level Record
The University at Buffalo football team will host Central Michigan on Saturday afternoon looking to even their record at 4-4.
The Bulls are 3-4 overall and 1-2 in MAC play following a 21-0 win at Akron last Saturday. The Bulls were led by defensive end Ledarius Mack who had three tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Central Michigan is 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the MAC on the season and is coming off a 38-20 win at Bowling Green last Saturday. The Chippewas are led by wide receiver Kalil Pimpleton who has a MAC-best 50 catches for 521 yards and four touchdowns on the season.
Central Michigan leads the all-time series, 7-2. The Bulls won the last meeting, 34-24, last season at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
Shout Out for a Shut Out
The Bulls blanked Akron on Oct. 19 for just their third shutout of a Mid-American Conference opponent since joining the league in 1999. It was just the second ever road shutout of a MAC opponent. The previous shutouts were a 33-0 win at Western Michigan in 2013 and a 44-0 victory over Ohio at UB Stadium in 2001.
Taking Matters into their own Hands
Not only did the UB defense pitch a shutout at Akron, but the Bulls' defense scored two of the team's three touchdowns on the day. Ledarius Mack scooped and scored on a 35-yard fumble recovery for the first touchdown and Kadofi Wright forced and recovered a fumble in the endzone for the second score. It marked the first time since the 2015 season Buffalo scored at least two defensive touchdowns in a game. The Bulls had two fumble returns and a pick six in a 33-15 win at Florida Atlantic on Sept. 19, 2015.
No Passing Zone
The Bulls have not needed to throw the ball a lot to be successful this season. In fact, UB has thrown for less than 100 yards in two of its wins this season. Buffalo threw for 69 yards in its season-opening win against Robert Morris and 67 yards in a 21-0 victory over Akron. Only two other times in their FBS era (since 1999) did the Bulls throw for less than 100 yards and win a game. Buffalo threw for 97 yards in a 10-6 win over Kent State in 2005 and 83 yards in a 26-17 win over Ohio in 2003.
Mack Named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week
Defensive end Ledarius Mack was named the Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday. It marked the fourth time this season a UB defensive player won the award.
Mack had the best game of his career in Buffalo's win at Akron. The senior defensive end had four tackles, a sack, three tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in Buffalo's second-ever road shutout against a Mid-American Conference opponent. With the Bulls leading, 7-0, late in the third quarter, Mack recovered a fumble off a strip sack by teammate Taylor Riggins and dashed 35 yards for his first career touchdown. All three of Mack's tackles for loss came in the first half to help set the tone for the game.
Mack joins safety Joey Banks and Riggins who also won MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors this season. Banks won the award twice following UB's game against Penn State and Temple. Riggins took home the honor following Buffalo's game against Ohio.
Back in the Saddle
Redshirt-sophomore Kyle Vantrease made his first start of the season at quarterback against Ohio and looked quite comfortable. Vantrease accounted for all three of UB's touchdowns, throwing for two and rushing for one. He finished 16-of-23 for 197 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 19 yards and another score. Before redshirting last season, the Stow, OH native made one start as a true freshman in 2017. Last week, Vantrease completed 14-of-23 passes for 65 yards in UB's win at Akron.
Sack Lunch
The Bulls have had nine sacks over the last two games, including a season-best five at Akron on Oct. 19. On the year, Buffalo has 20 sacks to rank third in the Mid-American Conference. The Bulls have three players in the top 10 in the MAC in sacks. Malcolm Koonce is second with 4.5 sacks, Ledarius Mack is eighth with four sacks and Taylor Riggins is 10th with 3.5 sacks.
King of the Hill
Junior safety Tyrone Hill had the best game of his career against Ohio on Oct. 5. Hill finished with a career-high 15 tackles, the most by a UB player since Khalil Hodge had 20 tackles against Army in 2018. Hill leads the Bulls with 47 tackles and is also has a team-best five pass break ups.
Sharing the Wealth
Buffalo has spread the ball around through the air this season. 14 different players have caught a pass for the Bulls. Antonio Nunn leads UB with 21 receptions, over twice as many as Carlton Todd who ranks second with nine. In addition, Buffalo's eight touchdown passes on the season have been caught by six different players.
Ground and Pound
The UB running game is off to a great start to the season. The Bulls are averaging 224.4 yards through seven games. They rank seventh in the nation in rushing attempts with 341. UB logged 58 carries against both Penn State and Temple. The 1,697 rushing yards through seven games is the most to start a season in the Bulls' FBS era (since 1999).
Leading the way are running backs Jaret Patterson and Kevin Marks. Patterson is averaging 98.0 yards per game on the ground to rank fifth in the MAC. Marks is averaging 86.1 yards per game to rank sixth in the conference.
Time after Time
The Bulls lead the MAC in time of possession, averaging 33:02 per game.
The Bulls controlled the ball for 42:32 against Penn State. It was the team's highest time of possession in their modern FBS era (since 1999). The previous high was 42:30 against Bowling Green last season. The Bulls ran 90 plays, compared to just 46 plays for Penn State and outgained the Nittany Lions, 429-357 in total offense.
Not Standing Patt
UB running back Jaret Patterson is coming off the finest freshman season in school history and is already building on it in his second year with the program. Patterson rushed for 1,013 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2018, becoming the first freshman running back in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. He broke the previous record of 917 set by Aaron Leeper in 2002. In addition, Patterson's 14 rushing touchdowns were the most ever by a UB freshman and was two shy of the single season record held by James Starks (2008).
Patterson, the 2018 MAC Freshman of the Year, is on the watchlist for the Maxwell Award and the Doak Walker Award.
Through seven games, Patterson has rushed for 686 yards on 131 carries (5.2 ypc) and has scored four touchdowns. At Miami (OH), he ripped off an 82-yard touchdown run - the longest by a UB player since James Starks had a 91-yard against Miami (OH) in 2007.
Otwinowski Named Campbell Trophy Semifinalist
Senior linebacker Matt Otwinowski is a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy. Given annually to college football's top student-athlete, the Campbell Trophy is also known as the Academic Heisman.
Otwinowski is an accounting major with a 3.89 cumulative grade point average. He is a two-time Academic All-MAC selection and has been honored as a MAC Distinguished Scholar Athlete.
A pillar of the community, Otwinowski helped save the life of a stranger by donating his stem cells through the Be The Match Program. For his work in the community, he has been placed on the watch list for the AFCA Allstate Good Works Team and the Weurffel Trophy.
Experience on the Offensive Line
One of the strengths of the 2019 UB football team is the offensive line. The Bulls return four of their five starters from a season ago. Right guard Tomas Jack-Kurdyla has the most starts under his belt with 35. Left tackle Evin Ksiezarczyk is second with 33 starts. Right tackle Kayode Awosika has started 21 games for the Bulls and left guard Paul Nosworthy has 20 starts. In addition, Jacob Gall started the final five games at right guard last year.
Last season, UB's line blocked for an offense that ran for a school-record 2,648 yards and also allowed only 15 sacks, a program low since moving to the FBS level in 1999.
Nunn Better
Antonio Nunn had the best game of his career at Penn State, finishing with five catches for 113 yards - both career highs. The junior receiver had two catches of over 40+ yards, a 42-yarder in the first quarter and a 40-yarder in the second quarter. He continues to be dangerous deep threat for the Bulls. Over his career, Nunn has seven catches of 40 or more yards.
This season, Nunn leads the Bulls in receiving with 21 catches for 293 yards.
New Season, New Position
After serving as a reserve quarterback for the past three seasons, Dominic Johnson made the move to wide receiver shortly before the start of the 2019 campaign The move looks to be paying off. After not playing the position in his career, Johnson has five catches for 42 yards and a touchdown on the season. his first career touchdown came agaisnt Ohio on Oct. 5. At 6-5, 225, Johnson is a big target for the Bulls.
International Flavor
The Bulls have nine international players on this year's roster - by far the most in school history.
Buffalo has six players who hail from Canada, including Dominic Johnson (Ontario), Dev Lamour (Quebec), Cole Burniston (Ontario), Tomas Jack-Kurdyla (Quebec), Gabe Wallace (BC) and Julien Bourassa (Quebec). In addition, the Bulls have three players from Europe, Fabian Weitz (Germany), Alain Schaerer (Switzerland) and Jordan Avissey (France).
Pallotti Boys
The Bulls have five players from Maryland's Saint Vincent Pallotti High School on this year's team. Running back Jaret Patterson, linebackers James Patterson and Justin Mulbah, wide receiver Jelani Foster and cornerback Dylan Powell all played together for the Panthers.
Justin Winters, a former All-MAC linebacker for the Bulls, was a coach at Pallotti when the players were there.
Murchie Family Fieldhouse Opens
Thanks to a record gift by the Murchie family, the Murchie Family Fieldhouse opened in April. The 92,000-square-foot indoor practice facility is situated just beyond the north end zone of UB Stadium on the university's North Campus.
The multi-use facility not only houses a full-size football field, but also features 6,000 feet of rubber track for sprint practice as well as long/triple jump and pole vault pits. It will also have motorized suspended softball hitting tunnels.
