Akron
Bulls Close Regular Season Against Akron on Saturday
12/8/2020 4:02:00 PM | Football
Buffalo (4-0, 4-0 MAC) vs. Akron (1-4, 1-4 MAC)
December 12, 2020
UB Stadium - 2:30 pm
Radio
Buffalo - ESPN 1520
Rochester - Fox Sports 1280
Television
CBS Sports Network
Storylines
• Akron leads the all-time series, 11-8.
• The Bulls have won eight of the last 11 meetings with the Zips, including six straight at UB Stadium.
• Buffalo is ranked 24th in the latest AP Poll, marking the first time in program history UB is nationally ranked.
• The Bulls are looking to start 5-0 in MAC play for the third time in program history. They started 6-0 in 2018 and 5-0 in 2013.
• Jaret Patterson is 80 yards shy of 1,000 on the season. If he does it against Akron, he would tie the NCAA record for earliest game reaching 1,000 yards (5 games), joining the likes of Marcus Allen, Barry Sanders and Ricky Williams. He would be the 12th player in FBS history to accomplish the feat.
• Jaret Patterson rushed for 710 yards and 12 touchdowns over the last two games - both FBS records for consecutive games.
• The Bulls have not allowed a sack on the season and now haven't allowed a sack in eight straight games dating back to last year.
• The Bulls are averaging 50.8 points on the season to lead the nation in scoring average. They have scored 40+ points in eight of their last nine conference games dating back to last season.
• Jaret Patterson's next rushing touchdown will be the 50th of his career, making him just the seventh player in MAC history to rush for 50 touchdowns.
Bulls Close Regular Season Against Akron on Saturday
The University at Buffalo football team will host Akron on Saturday in their regular season finale. The Bulls are coming off a 70-41 win over Kent State on November 28. The Bulls were led by running back Jaret Patterson who rushed for a MAC-record 409 yards and eight touchdowns against the Flashes.
Akron is coming off a 31-3 win over Bowling Green last Saturday. The Zips are led by running back Teon Dollard who has rushed for 641 yards and six touchdowns on the season.
Akron leads the all-time series, 11-8. The Bulls won the last meeting, 21-0, at Akron last season.
Running Down a Dream
The Bulls rushed for a school-record 515 yards in their win over Kent State. UB also set a school and MAC record with 10 rushing touchdowns, breaking the previous record of seven and nine, respectively.
Jaret Patterson (409) and Kevin Marks (97) combined to rush for 506 yards, the most ever by a duo in a FBS football game. It broke the record was 504 yards set by Ball State's McQuale Lewis and Cory Sykes in 2009.
Jaret Patterson Appreciation Note
Running back Jaret Patterson is posting historic numbers this season. Here are a few of note.
• Rushed for 409 yards against Kent State - the second most in FBS history.
• Tied the FBS record with eight rushing touchdowns against Kent State
• Rushed for 710 yards over the last two games - the most ever in consecutive games in FBS history.
• Leads the nation in rushing average (230 ypg) and is fifth in total yardage (920) after four games.
• His 16 rushing touchdowns are second in the nation and are tied for second in school history for a single season. He holds the record with 19 set last year.
• Over the last 10 games, Patterson has rushed for 2,033 yards and 31 touchdowns.
• Four games into his junior season, Patterson already holds the school record for career rushing touchdowns (49) - 15 more than second place James Starks.
This is 40
After scoring 70 points against Kent State (the most by a UB team in its FBS era), the Bulls are averaging 50.8 points per game - tops in the nation. UB has scored 40+ points in each of the first four games of the season for the first time in program history. It is also the first time they have ever scored 40+ points in their first four MAC games. The Bulls have now scored 40 or mores points in eight of their last nine conference games dating back to last season.
Second Half Adjustments
The third quarter has been the best quarter for the Bulls this season. UB has outscored its opponents 70-7 in the third quarter so far this season. The Bulls scored at least 14 third-quarter points in each of their first four games. In fact, in Buffalo's win over Miami (OH), the Bulls scored on its first four possessions of the second half, with scoring drives of 81, 82, 62 and 84 yards.
Koonce Invited to Senior Bowl
Senior defensive end Malcolm Koonce has accepted an invitation to the Reese's Senior Bowl. He will be the fourth player in school history to play in the prestigious all-star game, joining DT Gerry Philbin (1964), WR Anthony Johnson (2019) and QB Tyree Jackson (2019).
A first-team All-MAC selection in 2019 after leading the conference in sacks, Koonce has 22 tackles, five tackles for loss and four sacks through three games this season.
With 17 career sacks, Koonce currently ranks seventh in school history.
National Team of the Week
Following their 70-41 win over Kent State, Buffalo was named the Reveal Suits National Team of the Week by the FWAA on Nov. 30. It was the first MAC school to win it since Sept. 16, 2017, when Northern Illinois won at Nebraska.
The 70 points scored were the most by a UB team since joining the FBS ranks in 1999. The Bulls rushed for a school-record 515 yards, and broke the MAC record with 10 rushing touchdowns against the Golden Flashes.
Excelling in the Red Zone
The Bulls have been in the red zone 18 times this season and have scored 17 touchdowns. A turnover on downs against Bowling Green was the only time they didn't score once in the red zone. Of their 17 scores, 15 have been rushing touchdowns.
Building a Consistent Winner
Head Coach Lance Leipold has been able to build a consistent winning program since being hired prior to the 2015 season. The Bulls have won 28 games since the start of the 2017 season - going 6-6 in 2017, 10-4 in 2018 and 8-5 last year. The 28 wins are the most by any MAC team since the start of the 2017 campaign.
Big Play Bulls
The Bulls have used big plays to find the endzone so far this season. They have scored 10 touchdowns of 40 yards or more. Against Miami (OH), Kyle Vantrease had a 78-yard touchdown pass to Trevor Wilson and an 82-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Nunn. It marked the first time in UB's FBS era (since 1999) that it had two touchdown passes of 78 or more yards in the same game.
Running back Jaret Patterson has touchdown runs of 42, 49, 56, 57 and 58 yards this season.
Long touchdown plays aren't limited to the offense as the Bulls scored on a 42-yard and 46-yard fumble recovery and a 65-yard pick six in the opener at Northern Illinois.
Mr. 3,000
Against Miami (OH) on Nov. 10, running back Jaret Patterson went over 3,000 yards for his career, becoming the fastest player in school history to reach the milestone (29 games). He is currently second in school history in career rushing yards. Patterson needed 138 less carries to pass Starks for second in school history in career rushing.
Player, Yards, Att, Years
1. Branden Oliver 4,049, 866, 2010-13
2. Jaret Patterson 3,732, 602, 2018-
3. James Starks 3,140, 698, 2006-08
4. Anthony Swan 3,103, 812, 1994-97
5. Alan Bell 3,022, 682, 1989-92
Breakout Game for Vantrease
Kyle Vantrease had the best game of his career against Miami (OH) on Nov. 10. The junior signal-caller threw for 353 yards and four touchdowns against the RedHawks - both career highs. He was perfect in the second half, going 9-for-9 for 229 yards and three touchdowns. He had touchdown passes of 82, 78, 25 and 5 yards. His previous longest career pass was a 61 yarder against Ohio last season.
Vantrease was the first UB quarterback to throw for 300 yards in a game since Tyree Jackson posted 358 yards passing against Miami (OH) in 2018.
Vantrease is 36 for 57 for 605 yards with five touchdowns and one interception on the season.
Nunn Better
Senior wide receiver Antonio Nunn continues to develop into one of the best receivers in the Mid-American Conference. He is averaging 87 yards per game.
Nunn posted 100-yard performances in each of his first two games. He had six catches for 102 yards and a touchdown at Northern Illinois and five catches for 137 yards and a score against Miami.
Nunn has recorded at least two catches in 14 straight games and has at least four grabs in six of the last seven games.
Taking Matters into their Own Hands
UB scored three defensive touchdowns in its 49-30 win at Northern Illinois on Wednesday. Tim Terry returned a fumble 46 yards for the first defensive score. On the Huskies very next possession, Isaiah King scooped up another fumble and dashed 42 yards for a touchdown. Kadofi Wright added a 65-yard pick six for the Bulls' third defensive score.
It was the first time the Bulls scored three defensive touchdowns in a game since 2015 when the defense also scored three times at FAU.
With three defensive touchdowns in the opener UB was already tied for first in the nation in defensive touchdowns.
Record-Breaking Night for Patterson
Jaret Patterson scored two rushing touchdowns in the opener at Northern Illinois to bring his career total to 35, breaking the school record for career rushing touchdowns. He broke the record of former All-MAC running back James Starks who rushed for 34 scores from 2006-08.
What's more impressive about Patterson's record is how quickly he got there. Patterson scored his 35th touchdown in only his 28th career game. Starks rushed for his 34th career touchdown in his 36th career game and Branden Oliver, UB's all-time leader rusher, scored his 33rd touchdown in his 40th game.
Patterson leads the MAC with 16 rushing touchdowns to bring his career total to 49. He currently ranks eighth in MAC history in career rushing touchdowns.
Wright Place, Wright Time
Senior linebacker Kadofi Wright scored on a 65-yard interception return against Northern Illinois. It was his third career defensive score that have all come over the last two seasons. Wright forced and recovered a fumble for a touchdown at Akron on Oct. 19, 2019 and then, a week later, scored on a 40-yard interception return against Central Michigan. Wright was an All-MAC Second Team selection last season.
On Your Marks
While Jaret Patterson got most of the headlines last season, running back Kevin Marks also had a breakout season for the Bulls in 2019. As a sophomore, The Virginia native rushed for a career-best 1,035 yards and eight touchdowns last year. It marked the first time in school history the Bulls had two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season. Marks had a rushing touchdown in each of the last six games of the regular season.
Marks has eight career 100-yard rushing games, including a 109-yard performance against Miami on Nov. 10.
Marks joins Patterson on the Doak Walker Award watch list. Buffalo is one of just nine schools in the country to have multiple candidates on the Doak Walker list.
Movement on the Offensive Line
The Bulls replaced three starters on the offensive line, but fortunately they have experienced players ready to move into starting roles. The Bulls replaced LT Evin Ksiezarczyk, RG Tomas Jack-Kurdyla and LG Paul Nosworthy. Ksiezarczyk and Nosworthy were All-MAC selections.
Kayode Awosika was the starting right tackle for the past two seasons and has made the move to left tackle in 2020. An All-MAC Second Team selection in 2019, Awosika is on the Outland Trophy watch list.
Mike Novitsky started all 13 games at center last season and is on the 2020 Rimington Trophy watch list.
Jake Fuzak will starts at right tackle. He started the final two games of the 2019 season as well.
Jacob Gall started the final five games at right guard in 2018 and had one start in 2019. He has been starting at left guard this season.
Senior Jack Klenk is a first-year starter at right guard. Sophomore Gabe Wallace and graduate transfer Ray Thomas-Ishman have also been in the rotation at guard.
Last season, UB's line blocked for an offense that rushed for a school-record 3,256 yards and allowed a program-low eight sacks, second fewest in the country.
This season the Bulls are averaging 328.5 yards rushing and have yet to allow a sack.
International Flavor
The Bulls have five international players from three different countries on this year's roster.
Buffalo has three players who hail from Canada, including Dominic Johnson (Ontario), Cole Burniston (Ontario) and Gabe Wallace (BC). In addition, the Bulls have two players from Europe, Alain Schaerer (Switzerland) and Jordan Avissey (France).
