University at Buffalo
Wagner
Bulls Open 2021 Campaign vs. Wagner on Thursday Night
8/30/2021 9:28:00 AM | Football
Buffalo (0-0, 0-0 MAC) vs. Wagner (0-0, 0-0 MAC)
September 2, 2021
UB Stadium - 7:00 pm
Radio
Buffalo - ESPN 1520
Rochester - Fox Sports 1280
Television
ESPN3
Storylines
• The Bulls are kicking off their 109th season of football.
• This will be the first game for new head coach Maurice Linguist.
• This is the just the second meeting between Buffalo and Wagner and the first since 1987 (a 20-0 Wagner win at Buffalo).
• The Bulls are 4-3 all-time against teams from the Northeast Conference. Since joining the FBS ranks in 1999, Buffalo is 2-0 with wins against Duquesne (2014) and Robert Morris (2019).
• The Bulls have won 10 of their last 11 home openers.
• Buffalo is 15-2 in its last 17 games played at UB Stadium.
• Buffalo is predicted to finish fourth in the Mid-American Conference East Division.
• Kevin Marks is 31 yards shy of passing Anthone Taylor (2011-15) for sixth in school history in career rushing yards and his next rushing touchdown will tie him with Lee Jones (1965-67) and Anthony Swan (1994-97) for fourth in school history.
• Alex McNulty (121) is seven points shy of Scott Keller (1997-00) for seventh place and eight points shy of Gerald Carlson (1993-96) for sixth place in program history in career scoring by a kicker.
• Quarterback Kyle Vantrease has only been sacked twice in the last 14 games.
Bulls Open 2021 Campaign vs. Wagner on Thursday Night
The University at Buffalo football team will kick off the 2021 season against Wagner on Thursday night at UB Stadium. Under new head coach Maurice Linguist, the Bulls are coming off a season in which they went 6-1, won the MAC East Division and defeated Marshall in the Camellia Bowl for their second straight bowl win.
Buffalo returns 12 players who started two or more games in 2020. The Bulls were picked fourth in the MAC East Division preseason poll.
Wagner is coming off an 0-2 season. The Seahawks were picked seventh in the Northeast Conference preseason poll.
This is the second meeting between Buffalo and Wagner. The Seahawks defeated the Bulls, 20-0, at UB in 1987.
Linguist Era Begins at UB
Maurice Linguist begins his first season as the head coach of the UB football program. It is a homecoming of sorts for Linguist who served as defensive backs coach for the Bulls in 2012 and 2013 under head coach Jeff Quinn.
Since leaving UB in 2013, Linguist had coaching stints at Iowa State, Mississippi State, Minnesota, Texas A&M, Michigan as well as the Dallas Cowboys.
Linguist is looking to become the 13th head coach in program history to win his first game.
On Your Marks
UB running back Kevin Marks begins 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 four games over his career, Marks ranks seventh in program history in career rushing yards with 2,621 and sixth in program history in career rushing touchdowns with 28. An All-MAC Third Team selection in 2020, Marks is 1,428 yards shy of breaking Branden Oliver's school record of 4,049 career rushing yards.
Marks is on the preseason watch list for the Maxwell and Doak Walker Awards.
Not So Fast
The Bulls defense has been dominant over the last few seasons and they look for that trend to continue this year.
UB has ranked in the top two of the MAC in total defense each of the last three seasons, ranking first in 2020 and 2019 and second in 2018.
Buffalo has been especially stout against the run. The last player to rush for 100 yards in a game against the Bulls was Miami (OH)'s Jaylon Bester (107 yards) on September 28, 2019 - a span of 15 games. The Bulls have only allowed one 100-yard rusher in their last 22 games.
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 five 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 and linebacker Kadofi Wright are all in their sixth year.
To quote Fuzak; "We are playing under our third president."
Vantrease Back Under Center
The Bulls will have a veteran presence under center again this season as Kyle Vantrease will be the Bulls' starting quarterback for the third straight season. After entering the starting lineup midway through the 2019 campaign, Vantrease has started the last 15 games at quarterback for UB.
The Stow, OH native threw for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns in 2019 and 1,326 yards and seven touchdowns in a Covid-shortened 2020.
Last season, he threw for 353 yards against Miami (OH) and 365 yards against Ball State, becoming just the second quarterback in UB's FBS era (since 1999) to throw for 350+ yards twice in the same season (Joe Licata was the other in 2014).
Watch Out
The Bulls have representatives on seven different NCFAA award preseason watch lists. Linebacker James Patterson, linebacker Kadofi Wright, running back Kevin Marks, quarterback Kyle Vantrease and offensive lineman Jake Fuzak each appeared on at least one watch list.
Buffalo Players on NCFAA Watch Lists
Kevin Marks - Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award
James Patterson - Bednarik Award, Butkus Award
Jake Fuzak - Outland Trophy
Kadofi Wright - Lombardi Award
Kyle Vantrease - Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
New Faces at Receiver
The Bulls have a number of new faces at wide receiver this season. In fact, of the UB receiving corps, only three players registered a catch for the Bulls last season. Jovany Ruiz had 20 catches for 192 yards and a touchdown. Dominic Johnson had five receptions for 43 yards. Bernard Porter had one catch.
Among the newcomers is Quian Williams a graduate transfer from Eastern Michigan who had 76 catches for 983 yards and eight touchdowns over the last two seasons.
Freshmen Jamari Gassett and Khamran Laborn have both been standouts in camp and could make an immediate impact.
Welcome Back Taylor
After a breakout season in 2019, Taylor Riggins missed the entire 2020 campaign with an injury. The Bulls' defensive end is now healthy and looking to return to his All-MAC form.
Riggins was a first-team All-MAC selection in 2019 after posting 50 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He ranked second in the conference in sacks in 2019.
Eight Bulls Named to Athlon Preseason All-MAC Team
Athlon Sports released its preseason All-Mid-American Conference football team and eight University at Buffalo players were named to the squad. The list was headlined by five first-team selections, running back Kevin Marks, offensive tackle Jake Fuzak, defensive end Taylor Riggins, linebacker James Patterson and punt returner Ron Cook.
Linebacker Kadofi Wright was named to the second team.
The fourth team included cornerback Aapri Washington and Cook again as a kick returner.
Home Sweet Home
The Bulls have built quite the home field advantage over the last few seasons. UB is 15-2 in its last 17 games played at UB Stadium. Since 2017, the Bulls are 5-1 against non-conference opponents with their only loss coming to Army in 2018.
Nice to Meet You
The Bulls have three opponents on their schedule this season they are playing for the first time. Following the opener against Wagner, an opponent they haven't faced since 1987, the Bulls will play Nebraska, Coastal Carolina and Old Dominion - all first-time matchups.
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 Nominee
Sixth-year offensive lineman Jack Klenk is a nominee 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.
Bulls vs. the FCS
This is the 13th straight season the Bulls will play an FCS program since adding them to the schedule in 2009. Over that stretch, Buffalo has posted a record of 12-1 against teams from the FCS. UB's only loss was a 22-16 defeat to Albany in the opener of the 2016 season.
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.
