Akron
Bulls Travel to Akron to Face Zips on Saturday
10/20/2021 9:40:00 AM | Football
Buffalo (3-4, 1-2 MAC) at Akron (2-5, 1-2 MAC)
October 23, 2021
InfoCision Stadium - 3:30 pm
Radio
Buffalo - ESPN 1520
Rochester - Fox Sports 1280
Television
ESPN+
Storylines
• The Bulls have won the last three meetings against Akron and have only allowed one touchdown over that three-game span.
• Since joining the MAC in 1999, the Bulls are 2-7 all time in games played at Akron, including a 1-3 mark in games played at InfoCision Stadium.
• The Bulls have allowed a total of 95 rushing yards to Akron in their last two meetings (92 in 2020 and 3 in 2019).
• 19 of Buffalo's 25 offensive touchdowns this season have come on the ground. The Bulls lead the MAC and are tied for 13th in the nation in rushing touchdowns.
• Kevin Marks is one rushing touchdown shy of tying James Starks (2006-08) for second in school history with 34.
• Kevin Marks is 11 yards shy of becoming just the sixth player in program history to rush for 3,000 career yards.
• UB quarterback Kyle Vantrease is from Stow, OH, just eight miles from the Akron campus.
• The Bulls have held fourth-quarter leads in five of their seven games this season.
• Buffalo has been outscored 21-0 in the first quarter in each of its last two games, but have fought back to take leads in both games.
• The Bulls last 5 games have been decided by 22 points.
Bulls Travel to Akron to Face Zips on Saturday
The University at Buffalo football team will look to win their second consecutive game when they play at Akron on Saturday afternoon.
Buffalo is 3-4 overall, 1-2 in the MAC and is coming off a 27-26 win over Ohio last Saturday. Running back Dylan McDuffie led the Bulls with a career-high 143 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Akron is 2-5 overall, 1-2 in MAC play and is coming off a 34-21 loss at Miami (OH) last Saturday. The Zips are led by quarterback Demarcus Irons who has thrown for 763 yards and 8 touchdowns and rushed for 251 yards and two touchdowns on the season.
Akron leads the all-time series, 11-9.The Bulls won the last meeting, 56-7, at UB Stadium last season.
Walk-Off Winners
UB kicker Alex McNulty drilled a 26-yard field goal, with no time left on the clock, to lift the Bulls to a 27-26 win over Ohio last Saturday. Buffalo trailed the entire game before McNulty made the game-winner.
It was Buffalo's first walk-off win since 2016 when Adam Mitcheson hit a 33-yard field goal in overtime to beat Army.
Remember the Tight Ends
In Buffalo's win over Ohio, UB's tight ends combined for seven receptions and two touchdowns. Over the first six games of the season, UB tight ends had a total of eight catches.
In addition, UB tight ends have registered three touchdown receptions in the last two games. Tyler Stephens and Trevor Borland each had one against Ohio and Jake Molinich had one at Kent State. The three touchdowns are one shy of the four touchdown grabs tight ends caught over the entire 2019 and 2020 campaigns.
McDuffie Coming into his Own
Running back Dylan McDuffie is enjoying the best season of his career. The junior running back has rushed for 492 yards and a team-best six touchdowns on the season. He has already surpassed his rushing total of his first three seasons combined (225). McDuffie has scored a rushing touchdown in five of the seven games this season.
McDuffie made the first start of his career against Ohio on Oct. 16 and responded by rushing for a career-best 143 yards and a touchdown. He was named the MAC East Division Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts.
Three-Headed Monster
Buffalo has been getting a balanced contribution from each of its three running backs this season.
Dylan McDuffie leads the Bulls in rushing with 492 yards and six touchdowns. Kevin Marks is second with 368 yards and five touchdowns. Ron Cook is third with 342 yards and two scores.
Marks, McDuffie and Cook have all been the leading rusher in a game this season.
Field Goal Defense
Opponents have struggled kicking field goals against the Bulls this season. Opponents are just 4-of-12 on field goal attempts this year. It wasn't until the Bulls played Western Michigan on Oct. 2 that their opponent even made a field goal. The opposition had missed their first seven field goals to start the season. While most were just misses, C.J. Bazile did block a field goal and return it 85 yards for a touchdown against Old Dominion on Sept. 25.
Utilizing the Running Backs in the Passing Game
This season, UB's running backs have been utilized much more in the passing game. Running backs have combined for 29 receptions for 201 yards. Over the last two games, they had 14 catches for 128 yards. This is in stark contrast from a season ago when running backs combined for 5 catches the entire season.
Ron Cook ranks third on the team with 16 receptions.
Getting the Offense Going
Against Kent State, the Bulls rolled up 549 yards of total offense. They did so by running 99 plays, the most they've ever run as an FBS program (since 1999). UB kicked it into gear in the second half as they ran 56 plays for 402 yards. They scored touchdowns on each of their first four possessions of the second half against the Golden Flashes.
Spreading the Wealth
A season-best 10 different Bulls recorded receptions in each of their last two games against Ohio and Kent State. Four times this season receptions were made by 9 or more different players. Nine different Bulls caught passes against Wagner and Nebraska.
Neon Quian
There were a lot of question marks surrounding the wide receiver position entering the 2021 campaign. Enter Quian Williams - a graduate transfer from Eastern Michigan.
Williams is third in the MAC in receiving yards (572) and ranks fourth in receptions (41).
He was the fastest UB receiver to reach 30 catches since Ron Willoughby had 30 catches in the first five games of the 2015 season.
He had back-to-back 100-yard receiving games with six catches for 119 yards against Western Michigan and nine grabs for 134 yards against Old Dominion.
In two seasons at Eastern Michigan, Williams had 76 catches for 983 yards and eight touchdowns.
Elite Eight
James Patterson continues to be a standout linebacker for the Bulls. He leads UB and the MAC in tackles with 74. He is the fastest Bull to reach 50 tackles (5 games) in a season since Khalil Hodge had 67 tackles over the first five games of the 2018 campaign.
Patterson had a forced fumble against Old Dominion to bring his career total to seven - tied for second in program history. Former All-American Khalil Mack holds the program record as well as NCAA record with 16 career forced fumbles.
On Your Marks
UB running back Kevin Marks is in his first season as the Bulls' starting running back after splitting time with All-American Jaret Patterson over the last three seasons.
Despite only starting 10 games over his career, Marks ranks sixth in program history in career rushing yards with 2,989 - 34 yards shy of passing Alan Bell (1989-92) for fifth place. He ranks third in program history in career rushing touchdowns with 33 - one shy of tying James Starks for second. An All-MAC Third Team selection in 2020, Marks was on the preseason watch list for the Maxwell and Doak Walker Awards.
Johnson Stepping Up
Since making the move from quarterback to wide receiver prior to the 2019 season, Dominic Johnson is enjoying his best season at his new position. Johnson was originally recruited as a quarterback and played the position from 2016-18. But with a crowded quarterback room, the athletic Johnson was given the opportunity to get on the field as a wide receiver.
Against Coastal Carolina, the sixth-year senior had six catches for 66 yards - both career highs. His six receptions were one more than he had all of last season.
He is the Bulls' second leading receiver with 19 catches for 208 yards. His 19 receptions are nine more than the total from his first two seasons playing the position.
Bulls Win Big in Linguist Debut
It was an impressive debut for head coach Maurice Linguist on September 2 as the Bulls easily disposed of Wagner, 69-7.
UB scored on each of its first 11 possessions of the game. The Bulls were in victory formation on their 12th possession. It was the third most points ever scored by a UB team and the most ever in a season opener.
The Bulls rolled up 569 yards of offense - 320 yards rushing and 257 yards passing. It was first time since 2014 against Akron that the Bulls rushed for 300 yards and passed for 200 yards in the same game.
Defensively, UB only allowed 97 yards of total offense, its fewest allowed since giving up only 84 yards against Hofstra on Oct. 24, 1992.
Winning Ways
Since the 2017 season, the Bulls have more wins than any other school in the Mid-American Conference. Buffalo has 33 wins over that span. Toledo is second with 31 followed by Western Michigan which has 29.
Linebacker U
UB has had a number of standout linebackers in recent years, most notably Khalil Mack who was an All-American and now an NFL All-Pro.
The Bulls have had 12 linebackers named All-MAC over the last 10 years, including each of the last 10 seasons. Buffalo has two All-MAC linebackers on its current roster. James Patterson was named to the first team in 2020 and Kadofi Wright was a second team selection in 2019.
Rounding out the list are Khalil Hodge (2018, 2017, 2016), Brandon Berry (2015), Okezie Alozie (2015), Lee Skinner (2014), Adam Redden (2014), Khalil Mack (2013, 2012, 2011).
Back for a Sixth Year
The Bulls have six players on the roster who took advantage of their extra year of eligibility due to Covid and are playing their sixth year.
Offensive linemen Jake Fuzak and Jack Klenk, tight end Jake Molinich, wide receiver Dominic Johnson, linebacker Kadofi Wright and defensive end Taylor Riggins are all in their sixth year.
To quote Fuzak; "We are playing under our third president."
International Flavor
The Bulls have six international players on this year's roster.
Buffalo has four players who hail from Canada, including Dominic Johnson (Ontario), Cole Burniston (Ontario), Gabe Wallace (BC) and Deondre Doiron (Ontario). In addition, the Bulls have two players from Europe, Fabian Weitz (Germany) and Alain Schaerer (Switzerland).
Klenk Named Campbell Trophy Semifinalist
Sixth-year offensive lineman Jack Klenk 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.
Klenk graduated Summa Cum Laude with degrees in communication and social science interdisciplinary. He posted a 3.823 grade point average. He is a currently working towards a masters degree in real estate development.
He is a two-time Academic All-MAC selection and earned the Mid-American Conference Medal of Excellence in 2021.
On The Airwaves
Again this season, University at Buffalo football can be heard locally on ESPN 1520, a 50,000-watt station with one of the strongest signals in the nation. The Bulls can also be heard on 1280 AM in Rochester.
Calling all the play-by-play action of Bulls football for his 22nd year, and 14th consecutive, will be Paul Peck. Scott Wilson is back for his fifth season as analyst. Brad Riter also returns as game host.
New this season, the UB Football postgame show will take place at The Anchor Bar on Maple Road with host Bob Gaughan.
