UMass
Bulls Home to Host UMass on Saturday
9/10/2024 2:08:00 PM | Football
Buffalo (1-1, 0-0 MAC) vs. UMass (0-2)
September 14, 2024
UB Stadium - 1:00 pm
Bulls on the Air
Buffalo - ESPN 1520
Rochester - Fox Sports 1280
Television
CBS Sports Network
Storylines
• The Bulls lead the all-time series, 8-6, and have won four of the five meetings since the Minutemen joined the FBS ranks in 2012.
• This will be the last meeting with UMass as a non-conference opponent. The Minutemen are scheduled to become full members of the Mid-American Conference beginning in 2025.
• This will be UMass' first trip to UB Stadium since the 2015 season.
• Linebacker Shaun Dolac leads the MAC and ranks third in the nation with 27 tackles through two games.
• The Bulls defense has recorded three interceptions on the season to lead the MAC.
• Tight End Jake Orlando spent the first four years of his career at UMass (2019-22).
• UMass offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery was Buffalo's offensive coordinator in 2021 and 2022.
• The Bulls are looking to start 2-0 at home for the first time since 2020.
• The UB defense has only allowed two plays of 30+ yards on the season.
• This will be Buffalo's first day game of the season.
Bulls Home to Host UMass on Saturday
The University at Buffalo football team will host UMass on Saturday afternoon at UB Stadium.
Buffalo is 1-1 on the season and is coming off a 38-0 loss at ninth-ranked Missouri last Saturday. For the second straight game, the Bulls were led by linebacker Shaun Dolac who finished with a career-high 16 tackles.
UMass is 0-2 on the season following a 38-23 loss to Toledo last Saturday. The Minutemen are led by quarterback Taisun Phommachanh who has thrown for 436 yards and a touchdown on the season.
Buffalo leads the all-time series, 8-6. The Bulls won the last meeting, 34-7, at McGuirk Stadium in 2022.
Dolac is Back
After suffering an injury in the fourth game of the 2023 season, forcing him to miss the rest of the year, All-MAC linebacker Shaun Dolac is back healthy and ready to go for 2024.
If the first two games of the season are any indication, another big season is likely in store for the graduate linebacker.
Through two games, Dolac has 27 tackles to lead the Mid-American Conference and rank third in the nation. He had a career-high 16 tackles at Missouri, the most by a UB player since James Patterson had 16 stops at Ohio in 2022.
He was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week following his 11, tackle, two tackle for loss, sack and interception performance against Lafayette in the opener.
Dolac had a record-breaking season for the Bulls in 2022. A first-team All-MAC selection, he 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. He was a 2022 semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, given annually to the best player in the country who started their career as a walk-on.
Bark the Spark
Running back Jacqez Barksdale has proven to be a spark in the Bulls running game early in the season. Though he hasn't started, Barksdale has led the Bulls in rushing in each of the first two games.
In Buffalo's win over Lafayette, he was inserted in the lineup in the third quarter and plowed over Lafayette defenders to the tune of 99 yards on 14 carries (7.1 ypc). His 19-yard touchdown run, in the fourth quarter, iced the game for the Bulls.
At Missouri, he came off the bench to lead UB in rushing with 67 yards on 15 carries (4.5 ypc).
Barksdale ranks fourth in the MAC in rushing, averaging 83.0 yards per game.
It is Barksdale's second season with the program. Last year, he rushed for 248 yards and two touchdowns on 52 carries for a team-best 4.8 yards per carry.
Hanging with Mr. Cooper
Former walk-on Marquis Cooper earned the starting cornerback job out of camp and has been impressive through two games. The Colgate transfer had his best game of the young season at Missouri when he registered a career-high 12 tackles, including eight solo stops and added a TFL.
Cooper was awarded a scholarship prior to the start of the season.
Let it Snow
Wide receiver Victor Snow has become a reliable target for the Bulls so far this season. He has eight of Buffalo's 20 receptions on the year, with four grabs in each of the first two games. In 12 games a season ago, Snow only registered one catch for 12 yards.
Snow is a native of Webster, NY and transferred to Buffalo from Nevada prior to the 2023 campaign.
Taji Johnson Wins 1-MAC Award
Wide receiver Taji Johnson has won the Mid-American Conference's 1-MAC Award - given annually to those that have shown tremendous impact & excellence in inclusion efforts.
Johnson, who joined the Bulls in Spring 2024 for his final year of eligibility, quickly made a lasting impact by organizing the "A Day in the Life" event for at-risk middle school students. Through his partnership with TheTeam.org, a nonprofit focused on civic engagement and voter participation in college athletics, Johnson helped provide critical resources and support to students and their families. His efforts included arranging school supplies and connecting families with local services, addressing the diverse needs of the community.
In addition to organizing the event, Johnson fostered collaboration among student-athletes from various sports, creating a network that shared strategies and experiences to collectively support at-risk students. By emphasizing unity and teamwork, Johnson and his fellow student-athletes inspired resilience, leadership, and academic excellence among the students they mentored.
Johnson has also been nominated for the 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
Dominant Defensive Debut
It was a strong debut for the Buffalo defense in the Bulls' 30-13 season-opening victory over Lafayette. The Bulls were especially stout against the run, holding the Leopards to just 43 yards rushing on 29 carries for a 1.5 yard-per-carry average.
The Bulls held All-American running back Jamar Charles to only 12 yards on 14 carries a season after he ranked second in the nation in rushing.
UB won the line-of-scrimmage battle as it registered 11 tackles for loss, the most in a game since tallying 11 against Akron on Dec. 2, 2022.
7 Up
C.J. Ogbonna has been tabbed the Bulls' starting quarterback and made his first career start for the Bulls against Lafayette in the opener. He threw for 195 yards and two touchdowns against the Leopards.
Now in his second year with the program, the senior signal-caller appeared in eight games in 2023, but was used primarily in running situations. He rushed for 214 yards and three touchdowns on the season. He passed for 87 yards and a touchdown.
Obgonna began his career at Hutchinson Community College where he helped lead the Blue Dragons to a national title in 2020. From there, he transferred to Southeast Missouri State where he was a two-year starter for the Redhawks. His best season came in 2021 when he threw for 1,521 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for 357 yards and another three scores en route to being named to the Ohio Valley Conference All-Newcomer Team.
New Faces
Looking to bolster the roster, the Bulls welcomed 18 transfers this offseason. In addition, 35 freshman joined the team.
Of the 18 transfers, 16 were on the Bulls' depth chart for week one, including projected starters WR Taji Johnson, (Boston College), Edge Kobe Stewart (Samford), DT Tristan Souza (Washington State), K Upton Bellenfant (Alabama), P Ethan Duane (Old Dominion) and long snapper Byron Floyd (Pitt).
In addition, three true freshmen are on the week-one depth chart - Patrick Clacks III (WR), Kobi Blackwell (CB) and Dylan Drennan (P).
Nine Bulls Named to Athlon Preseason All-MAC Team
Athlon Sports released its preseason All-Mid-American Conference football team and nine University at Buffalo players were named to the squad. The list was headlined by two first-team selections, linebackers Shaun Dolac and Red Murdock.
The second team included offensive lineman Tyler Doty, defensive tackle George Wolo, cornerback Charles McCartherens and safety Marcus Fuqua.
The third team included running back Jacqez Barksdale, while offensive lineman Caelan Shepard and edge C.J. Bazile were on the fourth team.
Experience on the Offensive Line
While the Bulls will have many new faces in the lineup entering this season, one area they do return experience is the offensive line. UB returns four offensive linemen who have seen time in the starting lineup.
Guard Tyler Doty started 22 games over the last two seasons and was an All-MAC Third Team selection in 2023.
Trevor Brock will start at the other guard spot after starting the final seven games of last season.
Caelan Shepard started all 12 games at right tackle last season.
In his sixth year with the program, Dom Polizzi has made four starts at center for the Bulls.
Seeing Red
Linebacker Red Murdock continues to develop into a top-tier linebacker in the Mid-American Conference. The redshirt-sophomore is coming off his best season in 2023. He appeared in 12 games and started the final six a season ago. He ranked third on the team in tackles with 60 and added 9.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and four forced fumbles. His four forced fumbles were two shy of the single-season school record.
He is equally impressive in the classroom as he was named Academic All-MAC and Academic All-District last season.
International Flavor
The Bulls have five international players on this year's roster.
Buffalo has three players who hail from Canada, including offensive lineman Jackson Bellamy (Ontario), defensive tackle Jordan Poyser (Ontario) and edge Nick Roy (Quebec). In addition, punter Ethan Duane is from Australia and edge Luke Yau Gayle hails from England.
New Look MAC
2024 will mark the first time the Mid-American Conference will not be divided into divisions for football. In years past, the 12 teams were divided into two six-team divisions, with the Bulls playing in the East Division. Moving forward, the top two overall teams in the standings will play for the MAC title as opposed to division winners.
Miami (OH) 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 25th year, and 17th consecutive, will be Paul Peck. Scott Wilson is back for his eighth 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.
