Akron
Bulls Host Akron on Saturday Looking to Stay Perfect in MAC
10/21/2025 1:18:00 PM | Football
Buffalo (4-3, 3-0 MAC) vs. Akron (2-6, 1-3 MAC)
October 25, 2025
UB Stadium - 1:00 pm
Bulls on the Air
Buffalo - ESPN 1520
Rochester - Fox Sports 1280
Television
ESPN+
Storylines
• Buffalo is looking to start 4-0 in MAC play for just the fifth time in program history and first time since 2022.
• The Bulls have won the last seven meetings with Akron.
• Buffalo's last five games have been decided in the final minute of regulation.
• Victor Snow has scored five touchdowns in the last two games. His seven touchdown receptions on the season are tied for first in the MAC and tied for fifth in the country.
• The Bulls are averaging 331 passing yards per game in their three MAC games to lead the conference.
• The Bulls have blocked a punt in four of the last six games. Their four blocked punts are tied for the most in the country.
• With 335 career punt return yards, Victor Snow is four yards behind K.J. Osborn (2016-18) for fourth place and 25 yards behind Andy Hurley (1983-84) for third place in career punt return yardage in program history.
• Al-Jay Henderson (1,856) is 144 yards shy of 2,000 yards for his career. He'd become the 10th player in program history to rush for 2,000 yards.
• Kobe Stewart (13.5) is two sacks shy of cracking the Top 10 in program history in career sacks.
• Wide receiver Jasaiah Gathings spent his first three seasons at Akron.
Bulls Host Akron On Saturday Looking to Stay Perfect in the MAC
The University at Buffalo football team will host Akron on Saturday afternoon looking to win their fourth straight conference game.
Buffalo is 4-3 overall, 3-0 in the MAC and is coming off a 28-20 win at Massachusetts last Saturday. The Bulls were led by quarterback Ta'Quan Roberson who threw for a career-high 403 yards and two touchdowns in the game.
Akron is 2-6 overall, 1-3 in the MAC and is coming off a 42-28 loss at Ball State last Saturday. The Zips are led by quarterback Ben Finley who has thrown for 1,448 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season.
The Bulls lead the all-time series 13-11. Buffalo won the last meeting, 41-30, at Akron last season.
Close Calls
It has been a season filled with heart-pounding finishes for the UB football team. Each of their last five games have been decided in the final minute.
Trailing, 28-24, at Kent State, Victor Snow caught the game-winning touchdown pass with 1:03 left in the fourth quarter to help the Bulls win, 31-28.
UB dropped its next two contests to Troy, 21-17, on a touchdown with 45 seconds remaining, and to UConn on a walk-off field goal, 20-17, after the Bulls tied the game on a touchdown with 59 seconds left.
Jack Howes drilled a 50-yard field goal against Eastern Michigan, as time expired, to force overtime, where the Bulls won, 31-30.
Down, 21-20 at UMass, Ta'Quan Roberson connected with Victor Snow for a 16-yard touchdown with just 19 seconds left for the game-winning score.
Let it Snow
A season after being a third-team All-MAC wide receiver, Victor Snow has taken his game to new heights in 2025 and has been on a recent tear. Through seven games, Snow has 37 catches for 522 yards and seven touchdowns - all team highs.
He has 14 receptions for 248 yards and scored five touchdowns in the last two games (one rushing) and has been named to the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll following each of his last two games.
He has saved his best plays for clutch moments and is a big reason why the Bulls are 3-0 in the MAC. He caught the game-winning touchdown at Kent State with 1:03 left on the clock. He scored the game-winning touchdown on an end-around in overtime to help the Bulls beat Eastern Michigan. He caught the game-winning touchdown with 19 seconds left at UMass.
He was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week following his six-catch, 136-yard, two-touchdown performance in UB's win over Eastern Michigan. He added a nine-yard rushing touchdown against the Eagles.
The Webster, NY native led the Bulls in receiving a season ago with 55 catches for 651 yards and six touchdowns en route to earning All-MAC Third Team honors.
Ta'Quan Throwberson
Ta'Quan Roberson had his best game as a Buffalo Bull in UB's win over UMass. He finished the game 36-of-55 for 403 yards and two touchdowns.
The 36 completions tied a school record. Joe Licata also completed 36 passes against Toledo in 2013. 24 of his 36 completions went for first downs which was also a school record.
His 403 passing yards were the 11th most in program history for a single game and the second most ever by a UB quarterback in a MAC road game. The last Buffalo quarterback to throw for 400 yards in a game was Tyree Jackson against Bowling Green in 2017.
Passing the Test
Buffalo has utilized the passing game to win its first three Mid-American Conference contests. In their three conference games, the Bulls are averaging 331 yards per game through the air. The Bulls averaged only 129.5 yards passing in their four non-conference games.
In conference games only, the Bulls lead the league in passing yardage - 75 yards per game more than second place Toledo.
New York Nik
Nik McMillan was having a promising start to the 2024 campaign before suffering a season-ending injury in week two. Back healthy, McMillan has returned to form and is currently second on the team in receptions with 26.
He has especially stood out in conference games. In the Bulls' three MAC games, McMillan has averaged 6.3 receptions for 87.3 yards. He had seven catches for 117 yards at Kent State and a career-best 10 catches for 119 yards against UMass.
New Weapons
Tight ends have played a more prominent role in the UB offense in recent games. The Bulls only had one completion to a tight end (for zero yards) over the first five games of the season. However, over the last two games tight ends have combined for eight receptions for 77 yards.
Evan King has been the recipient of the majority of those passes. He had three catches for 21 yards against Eastern Michigan and then four catches for 37 yards against UMass.
Dylan Named National Punter of the Week
Dylan Drennan was named the Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week for his performance against Eastern Michigan.
The redshirt-freshman from Dallas, TX recorded five punts with a net average of 56.6 yards in Buffalo's 31-30 overtime victory over Eastern Michigan. Drennan had three punts downed inside the 20-yard line, including one at the one-yard line, one at the six and one at the eight. His longest punt of the day traveled 76-yards, a career-best.
Drennan ranks third in the Mid-American Conference in punting, averaging 45.6 yards per punt. Of his 36 punts, eight have sailed over 50 yards and 12 have been downed inside the 20-yard line.
Forcing the Issue
Red Murdock has forced four fumbles in the last four games to bring his career total to 15. He is currently tied for second in NCAA history in career forced fumbles. He is one shy of the all-time NCAA record of 16 career forced fumbles held by former UB great Khalil Mack.
After leading the nation in forced fumbles a season ago with seven, Murdock is again at the top of the rankings this season with four.
Block Party
The Bulls have blocked a punt in four of the last six games. Connor Henderson had a block against Saint Francis and Eastern Michigan, Miles Greer had a block at Kent State and Jonathan Capo had a block against UConn.
The four blocked punts are tied for first in the nation.
It is the most blocked punts by a UB team since joining the FBS ranks in 1999.
Howes it Going
Kicker Jack Howes joined the Bulls prior to the season after transferring from Maryland. He has been a consistent threat for UB, making eight of his 10 field goals and all 20 of his extra point attempts.
Howes has made a field goal in all seven games this season. His 50-yarder against Eastern Michigan, as time expired, forced overtime where the Bulls eventually won the game.
Sper of the Moment
Lamar Sperling had a breakout game for the Bulls against UConn last Saturday. The redshirt-sophomore running back had nine carries for 106 yards and a touchdown against the Huskies. He had a 63-yard touchdown run against UConn which was the longest by a Bull since Al-Jay Henderson's 68-yard TD run against Western Michigan on Oct. 19, 2024.
Sperling has rushed for 191 yards on 29 carries this season for a team-best 6.60 yards per carry average.
Al-Jay All Day
Not only is running back Al-Jay Henderson Buffalo's leading rusher, but he is third on the team with 22 receptions through seven games. He had a career-best eight receptions against Kent State in the MAC opener. It was the most receptions in a game by a running back since Mike Washington had eight catches against Akron in 2022.
Henderson ranks second on the team in all purpose yards, averaging 92.7 yards per game.
Murdock Named to Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
Linebacker Red Murdock is one of 11 FBS players named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, recognizing college football players from across the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) who exemplify community service, academic excellence and athletic achievement.
An All-MAC First Team selection, Murdock has been as impressive off the field as he has been on it. Along with volunteering at numerous community service events, he is the founder and director of the Virginia Homework Helpers branch - a free K-12 tutoring program for students back in his home state of Virginia. He founded this organization after seeing many of his peers struggle in school with no extra help resulting in getting in trouble outside of school or dropping out. He hopes this helps young men and women finish their education under the premise of it being a potential escape from the vicious cycle of becoming a product of high-risk environments.
He is just the second UB player named to the team, joining former wide receiver Fred Lee who earned the honor in 2013.
Gimme That!
The Bulls created at least one turnover in five of the first seven games of the season.
Linebacker Mitchell Gonser had an interception in the opener at Minnesota. Edge Kobe Stewart had a fumble recovery against Saint Francis, cornerback Keontez Bradley had a fumble recovery at Kent State and linebacker Red Murdock had a fumble recovery and safety Jalen McNair had an interception against Troy. Kobe Stewart pounced on a fumble in overtime to seal UB's victory over Eastern Michigan.
Running Down a Dream
Buffalo rushed for 370 yards in its victory over Saint Francis. It was the most rushing yards by a UB team since the Bulls rushed for 515 yards against Kent State in 2020.
Al-Jay Henderson led the way with 98 yards and two touchdowns and Ta'Quan Roberson rushed for 88 yards and two scores. Roberson scored on a 40-yard touchdown run in the game, the longest TD run by a UB quarterback since Tyree Jackson scored on a 75-yard run at Kent State in 2017.
All six running backs who saw action in the game rushed for at least 30 yards - James McNeil, Jr. (64), Lamar Sperling (48), Messiah Burch (39), Terrance Shelton (33).
Portal Friendly
The Bulls only lost one starter to the transfer portal following last season. Kicker Upton Bellenfant transferred to Texas Tech. In total, only four players who appeared on the depth chart for the 2024 Bahamas Bowl entered the transfer portal.
New Faces
Despite only losing a few players to the transfer portal, it didn't stop the UB coaching staff from dipping into the portal to strengthen the team. Eleven transfers joined the Bulls prior to the 2025 campaign.
All 11 of the transfers appear on the Bulls' depth chart for week one, including projected starters QB Ta'Quan Roberson (Kansas State), C Jake Timm (LIU), WR Jasaiah Gathings (UConn), CB Koentez Bradley (Arizona State), S Miles Greer (Shepard) and K Jack Howes (Maryland).
Others appearing on the depth chart include OL Jake Merritt (Michigan State), TE Marcus Velez (Bethune-Cookman), LB Mitchell Gonser (Harvard), LB Connor Henderson (North Texas) and P Ethan Stumpf (East Carolina).
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 26th year, and 18th 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.
