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Bulls Open Conference Play at Akron on Saturday
9/26/2023 1:03:00 PM | Football
Buffalo (0-4, 0-0 MAC) at Akron (1-3, 0-0 MAC)
September 30, 2023
InfoCision Stadium - 12:00 pm
Bulls on the Air
Buffalo - ESPN 1520
Rochester - Fox Sports 1280
Television
ESPN+
Storylines
• This will be the Mid-American Conference opener for both schools.
• Buffalo is 10-14 all-time in MAC openers.
• The Bulls have won 8 of the last 10 meetings with Akron, including five straight.
• After losing their first three games at InfoCision Stadium, the Bulls have come out victorious their last two trips there, outscoring the Zips, 66-10, in those two wins.
• 2003 was the last time Buffalo opened MAC play against Akron. This will be the first time the Bulls will open MAC play at Akron.
• Marlyn Johnson has caught a touchdown pass in three straight games. The last UB player to catch a touchdown pass in four straight games was Ron Willoughby who had five straight games with a TD grab during the 2014 campaign.
• Cole Snyder is 37 yards shy of passing for 4,000 yards in his career. He'd become the 10th quarterback in program history to throw for 4,000 yards.
• Ron Cook has surpassed Andre Forde for third in program history in career kick return yardage (1,510). He is 110 yards shy of catching Terrell Jackson for second place.
• 11 of Buffalo's 16 touchdowns on the season have come on scoring drives of at least 65 yards.
• Both Buffalo and Akron have a MAC-best 97 pass completions on the season.
Bulls Open Conference Play at Akron on Saturday
The University at Buffalo football team will travel to Akron to open Mid-American Conference play on Saturday.
Buffalo is 0-4 on the season and is coming off a 45-38 loss at Louisiana last Saturday. Trailing, 31-7, in the third quarter, UB nearly pulled off a miraculous comeback before losing by one score.
Akron, is 1-3 on the season and is coming off a 29-27 overtime loss at Indiana last Saturday. The Zips are led by quarterback DJ Irons who has thrown for 586 yards and two TDs and rushed for 138 yards and two scores.
The all-time series is tied 11-11. The Bulls won the last meeting, 23-22, at UB Stadium last season.
PickCartherens
Freshman cornerback Charles McCartherens had the best game of his young career at Louisiana last week. He had two interceptions in the game, making him the first true freshman in the program's 25-year history as an FBS program to have multiple interceptions in a game. Mike Newton (2 vs. Kent State in 2006) and John Syty (2 vs. UTEP in 2008) had two picks as redshirt-freshmen.
McCartherens has started the last two games and has totaled 13 tackles, two interceptions and a pass breakup since being inserted into the starting lineup.
Sterling Marlyn
Wide receiver Marlyn Johnson is having breakout season for the Bulls. Through four games, he has 15 receptions for 175 yards and four touchdowns. Over his first four seasons combined, he totaled 23 catches for 234 yards and a touchdown.
He had the best game of his UB career against Fordham, finishing with seven receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns - all career highs.
Johnson has a touchdown catch in three straight games. The last Bull to catch a TD pass in three straight games was Quian Williams just last year.
Take the Long Way Home
The Bulls have utilized long scoring drives to get into the endzone this season. Of the Bulls' 16 touchdown drives on the year, 11 have been 65 yards or longer. Their average touchdown drive has been 64 yards. Buffalo has scored six touchdowns on drives of 75 yards or longer.
Cole Powered
In his second season as the Bulls' starter, quarterback Cole Snyder is off to a tremendous start. The graduate signal-caller leads the MAC in passing yards per game (233.2), touchdown passes (10) and total offense (236.0).
Snyder became the first quarterback in program history to complete 24 or more passes in each of the first three games of the season. In addition, he became the first UB quarterback since Tyree Jackson in 2018 to throw multiple touchdown passes in each of the first three games of the season.
He had a career-best four touchdown passes against Fordham.
With 3,963 career passing yards, Snyder is 37 yards shy of becoming just the 10th quarterback in program history to throw for 4,000 yards.
Spreading the Wealth
A number of different receivers have recorder receptions over the first three games of the season - 12 to be exact. An average of nearly 10 different receivers per game have made a catch this year.
A program-record 12 different Bulls caught passes in the opener at Wisconsin. 10 different players registered a catch against Liberty.
10 players have at least four receptions on the season, led by Cole Harrity (19), Marlyn Johnson (15) and Boobie Curry (11).
Agent Zero
Cole Harrity is becoming a favorite target of quarterback Cole Snyder. Over the first four games, he has a team-best 19 catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns. He made the most of his first career start at Wisconsin. The UB grad had five catches for 47 yards and two touchdowns against the Badgers.
In his second year with the program, the New Mexico State transfer appeared in all 13 games last season and finished with 13 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown.
Hinesight
A season ago, Clevester Hines was playing wide receiver. In fact, he remained at that position until a week before the Bulls played George Southern in the Camellia Bowl and Coach Linguist asked him to move to cornerback due to injuries at the position.
Hines started in the Camellia Bowl and, in his first game at the position, totaled seven tackles and three pass breakups. He has remained at cornerback for 2023 and started the first two games of the season. He has 14 tackles and two tackles for loss on the year
Silver Season
2023 marks the 25th season of FBS football for the Bulls. UB entered the FBS ranks in 1999 as members of the Mid-American Conference. The Bulls were previously an FCS program from 1993-1998.
Doling Out the Hits
Linebacker Shaun Dolac had a record-breaking season for the Bulls last year. A 2022 first-team All-MAC selection, the UB senior ranked second in the nation in tackles with 147 which were the third-most in program history for a single season. Even more impressive was that he led the nation in solo tackles with 97 - 17 more than any UB player in program history.
A local product, Dolac came to UB as a walk-on in 2019. Last season, he was named a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, given annually to the best player in the country who started their career as a walk-on.
Perfect 10
Graduate safety Marcus Fuqua tied for the national lead with seven interceptions in 2022. It was the most by a UB player in the program's FBS era (since 1999).
Along with being an All-MAC First Team selection, Fuqua was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press. He joined Khalil Mack (2013) and Jaret Patterson (2020) as just the third UB player ever named an AP All-American.
Max Michel Earns 1-MAC Award
University at Buffalo defensive end Max Michel earned The Mid-American Conference (MAC) 1-MAC Award - given annually to the student-athlete who has a tremendous impact and excellence in inclusion efforts.
A native of New Jersey, Michel quickly embraced the Queen City. Last December, he held his second annual coat drive. Through his efforts, he was able to collect numerous coats, jackets, gloves and hats and donate them to the Buffalo City Mission.
He also donates his time volunteering at the Buffalo City Mission's kitchen, helping prepare and serve food, emptying the garbage and whatever else he can do to help.
In addition, Michel volunteers his time with Harrison's Playmakers, a non-profit organization that promotes social inclusion and kindness with year-round sports programs and activities for kids with developmental differences and special needs.
Among his numerous other volunteer ventures, Michel organized a group of teammates to work with WNY Peacemakers to distribute free groceries in East Buffalo.
In addition, Michel is on the watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy.
Depth at Running Back
Buffalo returns three running backs that made at least one start in 2022 and added some talented newcomers to that should make the running back unit one of the deepest and most talented on the team.
Leading the way is fifth-year back Ron Cook, who made 10 starts last season and rushed for 600 yards and four touchdowns.
Sophomore Mike Washington was the Bulls leading rusher in 2022, finishing with 625 yards and a team-best eight rushing touchdowns.
Fellow sophomore Al-Jay Henderson appeared in 10 games last season and had a team-best 5.1 yards per carry average.
In addition, a trio of impressive newcomers should also see action this season.
JUCO transfer Dylan Kedzior was an All-American at Hutchinson Community College where he rushed for 1,090 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022.
Jacqez Barksdale averaged over six yards per carry in his two seasons at Coffeyville Community College.
Lamar Sperling was the USA Today Offensive Football Player of the Year after he broke the Ohio state rushing record, totalling 3,984 yards and 59 touchdowns his senior season at Archbishop Hoban High School.
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 12 seasons. Shaun Dolac was named to the first team in 2022.
Rounding out the list are James Patterson (2022, 2021, 2020), 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).
McNulty Named Campbell Trophy Nominee
Graduate kicker Alex McNulty 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.
McNulty graduated with degrees in biology for pre-veterinary science and physics. He carries a 3.7 grade point average and is a four-time Academic All-MAC selection.
McNulty is a two-time All-MAC selection and was the 2022 MAC Special Teams Player of the Year. He is the program record holder in career field goals (51), extra points (176) and points scored (329).
He has made five 50+ yard field goals over his career and is the first kicker in program history to make 100 consecutive extra points.
Bulls Picked Third in MAC East
Buffalo was picked to finish third in the Mid-American Conference East Division according to the MAC head coaches.
Ohio was picked first with 63 points, followed by Miami (OH) (52), Buffalo (51), Bowling Green (35), Akron (26) and Kent State (19).
Toledo was picked to win the West Division, followed by Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Central Michigan, Ball State and Western Michigan.
Toledo 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 24th year, and 16th consecutive, will be Paul Peck. Scott Wilson is back for his seventh 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.
