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Bulls Travel to UMass for Non-Conference Tilt on Saturday
10/11/2022 1:44:00 PM | Football
Buffalo (3-3, 3-0 MAC) at Massachusetts (1-5)
October 15, 2022
McGuirk Stadium - 1:00 pm
Radio
Buffalo - ESPN 1520
Rochester - Fox Sports 1280
Television
ESPN3
Storylines
• The Bulls are in search of their fourth straight win and third straight road win.
• This will be the first meeting between the teams since 2015 when UMass was a member of the Mid-American Conference.
• The Bulls have won three of the four meetings between the teams since both schools joined the FBS ranks.
• Buffalo has scored a touchdown on its opening possession in three straight games and have scored points on its opening possession in four straight.
• The Bulls have not allowed points in the fourth quarter in any of their last three games.
• This is Buffalo's fifth road game over the first seven to start the season.
• The Bulls are in search of their third straight road win for just the third time in their FBS era (2008, 2018).
• Linebacker Shaun Dolac leads the nation in solo tackles with 51 and ranks fifth in total tackles with 67.
• Linebacker James Patterson's (33.5) next tackle for loss will move him into sixth in program history in career tackles for loss.
• Ron Cook (1,157) is 38 yards of passing Dahnel Singfield (1998-02) for seventh place in program history in career kick return yards.
Bulls Travel to UMass for Non-Conference Tilt
The University at Buffalo football team travels to Massachusetts for a non-conference tilt on Saturday..
Buffalo is 3-3 overall, 3-0 in the MAC and is coming off a 38-7 win at Bowling Green last Saturday. The Bulls were led by running back Mike Washington who rushed for a career-high 155 yards and two touchdowns against the Falcons.
An independent, UMass is 1-5 on the season and is coming off a 42-24 loss to Liberty. The Minutemen are led by quarterback Gino Campiotti who has throw for 257 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 374 yards and two scores on the season.
Buffalo leads the all-time series, 7-6. The Minutemen won the last meeting, 31-26, at UB Stadium in 2015.
On the Road Again
This will be the fifth road game for the Bulls over the first seven to start the season. Buffalo is 2-2 during the road stretch, including two straight wins. The Bulls are in search of their third straight road win for just the third time as an FBS program (since 1999). UB won four straight road games in 2018 and three straight road games in 2008 - advancing to the MAC Championship game both seasons. Including Saturday's game at UMass, the Bulls will have traveled 4,448 total miles so far this season.
Mike Check
Running back Mike Washington is coming off the best game of his career, rushing for 155 yards and two touchdowns at Bowling Green. His day included a 92-yard touchdown run which tied James Starks for the second longest run in program history.
Washington is tied for the MAC lead in rushing touchdowns with six, including five over the last three games.
The Bulls' redshirt-freshman leads the team in rushing with 409 yards and has added seven receptions for 43 yards.
Dolac Dominance
Junior linebacker Shaun Dolac has put on a tackling clinic in recent weeks. He has registered double-digit tackles in three straight games.
In his last game against Bowling Green, all of his 14 tackles were solo and in the previous game against Miami (OH), 12 of his 14 tackles were solo. He currently leads the nation in solo tackles with 51 and ranks fifth in the nation in total tackles with 67. He has five more solo tackles than any other player in the FBS.
He was named the MAC East Division Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 3.
Originally a walk-on, Dolac entered the starting lineup late last season. In his eight total games as a starter, he has averaged 11.4 tackles per game and totaled eight tackles for loss.
Creating Turnovers
Buffalo has created four turnovers in two of the last four games with four at Coastal Carolina and four at Bowling Green. It's the first time since the opener of the 2020 season that the Bulls have force four turnovers in a game.
UB has created 11 turnovers through the first six games of the season. This is a vast improvement from a season ago when the Bulls created 12 turnovers the entire season.
Long Way Home
Buffalo has taken the long way to the endzone in each of their first six games.
The Bulls offense has scored 19 touchdowns on the season and 15 drives have been 69 yards or longer. UB has had touchdown drives of 99, 92, 85, 82, 81, 75, 75, 75, 75, 75, 75, 71, 70, 70 and 69 yards.
Dynamic Duo
The Bulls feature two of the best wide receivers in the Mid-American Conference in Quian Williams and Justin Marshall. Williams has 33 receptions for 404 yards and three touchdowns. Marshall has 29 receptions for 396 yards and four touchdowns.
Williams and Marshall each had eight catches against Coastal Carolina, marking the first time since 2015, two UB players had eight or more receptions in the same game. Matt Weiser, Marcus McGill and Ron Willoughby each had eight catches against Bowling Green on Oct. 3, 2015.
Against Holy Cross, both players (Williams 105/Marshall 116) went over 100 yards receiving in the same game for the first time since Antonio Nunn (182) and Trevor Wilson (118) each had 100-yard games against Ball State in the 2020 MAC Championship Game.
Nifty 50
Buffalo scored 50 points in its win at Eastern Michigan on Sept. 24. It was the most points the Bulls ever scored in a MAC road game, besting the mark of 49 previously set at Northern Illinois in 2020. It marked the seventh time UB scored 50 points against a MAC opponent.
50-point performances in MAC games
70 vs. Kent State, 2020
68 vs. Western Michigan, 2017
56 vs. Akron, 2020
55 vs. Akron, 2014
51 vs. Akron 2011
51 vs. Miami (OH), 2018
50 at Eastern Michigan, 2022
McNulty Showing off Big Leg
After missing his first field goal of the season, Alex McNulty has made 11 straight field goals, including nine over the last four games. He currently leads the MAC and ranks fourth in the nation in field goals made.
Against Coastal Carolina, he was a perfect 4-of-4 on field goal attempts, becoming the first UB kicker since A.J. Principe in 2007 to make four field goals in a game.
He followed up that performance by making three more field goals at Eastern Michigan. He was named the MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week following both games.
McNulty kicked a 52-yard field goal against Holy Cross, it was his third career 50-yarder. He also kicked a 50-yard field against Bowling Green last season and a school-record 55-yarder against Northern Illinois last year as well.
He is the first Buffalo kicker in its FBS era (since 1999) to make three 50-yard field goals in a career. Gerald Carlson made four 50-yarders in the mid-90s when the Bulls were an FCS program.
McNulty currently ranks third in program history in career field goals (37), first in extra points (142) and third in career points scored by a kicker (250).
Big Game James
Back for a fifth season, linebacker James Patterson continues to cement himself as one of the best linebackers in program history.
He had six tackles at Maryland in the opener to bring his career total to 303. He's the 12th player in program history to reach the 300 tackle mark and currently ranks 7th in school history in career tackles with 345. He moved passed all-time great Khalil Mack on UB's career tackle list and is currently seventh all-time.
A team captain since his sophomore season, Patterson was named All-MAC First Team in 2020 and 2021.
Snyder Settling in at QB
Quarterback Cole Snyder seems to be getting more and more comfortable each week. Against Eastern Michigan, the junior signal-caller finished 20-of-29 for 297 yards and two touchdowns and added two rushing scores.
He ranks seventh in the MAC in passing yards per game (230.83) and fifth in passing efficiency (128.87).
Snyder threw for a season-high 305 yards and three touchdowns against Holy Cross, becoming the first UB quarterback to throw for 300 yards since Kyle Vantrease threw for 365 yards against Ball State in the 2020 MAC Championship game. He also became the first UB quarterback to throw for three touchdowns in a game since Vantrease threw for three touchdowns against Miami (OH) in 2020.
New Faces
Looking to bolster the roster, the Bulls welcomed 25 transfers this offseason, including 11 from power five programs.
UB's power five program transfers include WR Justin Marshall (Louisville), CB Elijah Blades (Florida), WR Boobie Curry (Arizona), CB Caleb Offord (Notre Dame), S Solomon Brown (Minnesota), S Jahmin Muse (Boston College), QB Cole Snyder (Rutgers), DE Ibrahim Kante (NC State), DE Damian Jackson (Nebraska), S James Ziglor (Vanderbilt) and OL Isaiah Wright (Rutgers).
Of the 60 players on the depth chart, 24 are in their first year with the program.
Cooking with Gas
Two-time All-MAC kick returner Ron Cook continues to climb the record books. Against Holy Cross, Cook became just the ninth player in program history to surpass 1,000 career kick return yards. He has 1,157 kick return yards, good for eighth in program history. He is 38 yards of passing Dahnel Singfield (1998-02) for seventh in school history.
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 at least one linebacker named All-MAC each of the last 11 seasons. James Patterson was named to the first team in 2020 and 2021.
Rounding out the list are Kadofi Wright (2019), Khalil Hodge (2018, 2017, 2016), Brandon Berry (2015), Okezie Alozie (2015), Lee Skinner (2014), Adam Redden (2014) and Khalil Mack (2013, 2012, 2011).
International Flavor
The Bulls have four international players on this year's roster.
Buffalo has two players who hail from Canada, including Gabe Wallace (BC) and Anthony Venneri (Ontario). In addition, the Bulls have two players from Europe, Fabian Weitz (Germany) and Alain Schaerer (Switzerland).
McNulty Named Campbell Trophy Semifinalist
Senior kicker Alex McNulty 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.
McNulty is a double major in biology for pre-veterinary science and physics. He carries a 3.8 grade point average and is a three-time Academic All-MAC selection.
Bulls Picked Third in MAC East
Buffalo was picked to finish third in the Mid-American Conference East Division according to the MAC media.
Miami (OH) was picked first with 139 points, followed by Kent State (116), Buffalo (78), Ohio (72), Bowling Green (71) and Akron (28).
Northern Illinois was picked to win the West Division, followed by Toledo, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Ball State.
Northern Illinois was selected as the preseason favorite to win the MAC Championship.
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 23rd year, and 15th consecutive, will be Paul Peck. Scott Wilson is back for his sixth season as analyst. Brad Riter also returns as game host.
The UB Football postgame show will once again take place at The Anchor Bar on Maple Road with host Bob Gaughan.
