Bulls Host Bowling Green on Friday in Regular Season Finale
11/25/2019 1:45:00 PM | Football
Buffalo (6-5, 4-3 MAC) vs. Bowling Green (3-8, 2-5 MAC)
November 29, 2019
UB Stadium - 12:00 pm
Radio
Buffalo - ESPN 1520
Rochester - Fox Sports 1280
Hornell - 1480 WLEA
Television
ESPN+
Storylines
• Bowling Green leads the all-time series, 11-5.
• A win would give the Bulls seven on the season for the fourth time as an FBS program (since 1999). They won eight in 2008 and 2013 and 10 in 2018.
• The Bulls have had 27 sacks over the last five games while allowing only one.
• UB leads the MAC and ranks eighth in the nation in rush defense, allowing 94.4 yards per game.
• The Bulls have held halftime leads in 10 of their 11 games on the season.
• Jaret Patterson (1,328) is six yards shy of passing James Starks (1,333 in 2008) for fourth and 68 yards shy of passing Branden Oliver (1,395 in 2011) for third in school history in single-season rushing.
• Kevin Marks is 99 yards shy of 1,000 on the season. It would give the Bulls two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season for the first time in school history.
• The UB defense has only allowed one 100-yard rusher on the season.
• The Bulls are 10-2 in their last 12 home games.
• With 38 sacks, Buffalo has tied its FBS era record (since 1999) for sacks in a season. The Bulls also had 38 sacks in 2013 over 13 games.
• At 6-5, the Bulls are bowl eligible for the third straight season and fifth time as an FBS program.
Bulls Host Bowling Green in Regular Season Finale
The University at Buffalo football team will host Bowling Green on Friday afternoon in the regular season finale.
The Bulls are 6-5 overall and 4-3 in MAC play following a 49-30 win over Toledo last Wednesday. The Bulls were led by running back Jaret Patterson accounted for 227 total yards and five touchdowns in the game.
Bowling Green is 3-8 overall and 2-5 in the MAC on the season and is coming off a 66-24 loss at Ohio last Tuesday. The Falcons are led by wide receiver Quitin Morris who has 54 catches for 614 yards and four touchdowns on the season.
Bowling Green leads the all-time series, 11-5. The Bulls won the last meeting, 44-14, last season at Doyt Perry Stadium.
Oh What a Night
Jaret Patterson had the best game of his career and one of the best of any player in school history against Toledo last Wednesday night. The sophomore running back rushed for a career-high 198 yards and four touchdowns and added three catches for 35 yards and another score. His five touchdowns in the game tied the Mid-American Conference single-game record. His four rushing touchdowns tied Branden Oliver for UB's FBS-era single game record. Oliver had four rushing touchdowns at Kent State in 2013.
Bowl Eligible
With its win over Toledo, Buffalo became bowl eligible for the third straight season. The Bulls were 6-6 in 2017, but not invited to a bowl game and won a school-record 10 games and an invitation to the Dollar General Bowl last season. The Bulls have also played in the International Bowl in 2008 and the 2013 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Sack Lunch
The Bulls have had 27 sacks over the last six games, including a season-best five in their last three road games at Akron, Eastern Michigan and Kent State. On the year, Buffalo has 38 sacks to rank first in the Mid-American Conference and eighth in the nation. The Bulls have three players in the top five in the MAC in sacks. Taylor Riggins leads the MAC with 8.5 sacks, Ledarius Mack is second with 7.0 and Malcolm Koonce is fourth with 6.5.
The Bulls have tied the school record for sacks in a season in the FBS era (since 1999) originally set in 2013.
Ground and Pound
The Bulls have rolled up 2,776 yards on the ground this season, already a single-season school record for team rushing. The previous record of 2,648 was set last season over 14 games.
Buffalo is averaging 236.0 yards per game. They rank sixth in the nation in rushing attempts with 562. UB has logged 50+ carries in six different games, including a season-high 62 at Eastern Michigan.
Leading the way are running backs Jaret Patterson and Kevin Marks. Patterson is averaging 120.7 yards per game on the ground to lead the MAC and round eighth in the nation. Marks is averaging 81.7 yards per game to rank seventh in the conference.
Run Stoppers
Buffalo leads the MAC in total defense, but they have been especially stout against the run. The Bulls lead the MAC and rank eighth in the nation in rushing defense, allowing only 94.4 yards per game. UB is the only team in the MAC to allow less that 100 yards per game on the ground. With 107 yards, Miami's Jaylon Bester is the only player to rush for 100 yards on the Bulls this season.
In Buffalo's win at Eastern Michigan, the Bulls didn't allow a single rushing first down in the game.
Dynamic Duo
Jaret Patterson and Kevin Marks have been a dynamic duo in the Bulls' backfield. Patterson has rushed for 1,328 yards and 11 touchdowns while Marks has accounted for 901 yards and seven scores on the year. While splitting carries, one of the two have posted 100-yard games in seven of the last eight outings. Patterson has six 100-yard games and Marks has three.
Both sophomores, Patterson and Marks are already in the top ten in school history in career rushing. Patterson ranks seventh with 2,149 yards and Marks is ninth with 1,628 yards.
Taylor Made
Taylor Riggins has been making his presence known as of late. The Bulls' defensive end has had eight sacks over the last six games. He leads the MAC in sacks with 8.5. Riggins' three fumble recoveries on the year are one shy of the single-season school record.
Serve and Protect
Buffalo's offensive line has done a good job protecting the quarterback. The Bulls have only allowed eight sacks on the season to rank second in the nation. UB has not allowed a sack in six of its 11 games on the year and have only allowed one sack over the last six games. A season ago, the Bulls allowed 15 sacks, the fewest in their FBS era (since 1999).
Banks Shot
The play of Joey Banks has his name in the discussion for MAC Defensive Player of the Year. The hard-hitting safety leads the team with 68 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack. He has added a team-best three interceptions and a forced fumble. The UB senior has been named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week three times this season. The only other UB player to ever win MAC East Player of the Week three times in the same season was Khalil Mack in 2013.
Taking Matters into their own Hands
The UB defense has scored four touchdowns this season, including three in the last five games. The Bulls rank fourth in the nation in defensive touchdowns, trailing only Illinois (6), Missouri (5) and Utah (5). Joey Banks had a pick six against Temple; Ledarius Mack returned a fumble for a touchdown at Akron; Kadofi Wright forced and recovered a fumble at Akron and had a pick six against Central Michigan.
Nunn Better
Antonio Nunn has been the favorite target of UB quarterbacks this season. The junior receiver leads the Bulls with 40 catches for 567 yards and five touchdowns. He has had at least two catches in the nine games he has played in. In addition, the Tampa native has five touchdown catches in the last seven games.
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.
In his six games as a starter this season, Vantrease has completed 80-of-136 passes for 955 yards, seven touchdowns and only one interception. He was named the MAC East Offensive Player of the Week following this performance against Eastern Michigan.
Capitalizing on Turnovers
The Bulls have forced 20 turnovers on the season - 10 fumble recoveries and 10 interceptions. Buffalo ranks 14th in the nation in fumble recoveries. UB has been able to capitalize on takeaways, scoring points 14 times following a turnover, including 11 touchdowns.
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.
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.
Time after Time
The Bulls lead the MAC and rank fifth in the nation in time of possession, averaging 34:26 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, was on the watchlist for the Maxwell Award and the Doak Walker Award.
Through nine games, Patterson has rushed for 1,328 yards on 254 carries (5.2 ypc) and has scored 11 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.
Onwuka Name Burlsworth Nominee
Chibueze Onwuka has been announced as a nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy, given annually to top player who originally joined the team as a walk-on. The junior defensive tackle walked on to the team prior to the 2017 season after starting his collegiate career as a wrestler at Niagara County Community College. This season, Onwuka ranks fourth on the team in tackles with 36, including seven tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
Otwinowski Named Academic All-District
Linebacker Matt Otwinowski has been named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District team. The award recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.
An accounting major with a 3.89 grade point average, Otwinowski is enjoying his best season on the field for the Bulls. The team captain ranks second on the squad in tackles with 65, including 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and an interception.
We The Match
The Bulls have had two different players donate stem cells to help save the life of a stranger. Both linebacker Matt Otwinowski and offensive lineman Mike Kenefick donated their stem cells through the Be The Match program. Otwinowski traveled to Washington, D.C. in April to donate. Kenefick missed last Thursday's game against Kent State to donate his stem cells in Rochester.
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 39. Left tackle Evin Ksiezarczyk is second with 37 starts. Right tackle Kayode Awosika has started 25 games for the Bulls and left guard Paul Nosworthy has 24 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.
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).
