Building True Blue --- A Buffalo Bulls NCAA 14 Dynasty

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2020 Week 6 - Buffalo @ Boston College

Game Recap: Comeback City!!
Final Score: 45 - 31 (3 - 1)

Buffalo Bulls at Boston College Eagles
Oct 3, 2020	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Buffalo Bulls (3-1)	7	14	10	14	45
Boston College Eagles (1-3)	14	10	0	7	31

Team Stats Comparison
	BUFF	BC
Total Offense	279	454
Rushing Yards	79	180
Passing Yards	200	274
First Downs	14	20
Punt Return Yards	37	11
Kick Return Yards	156	135
Total Yards	472	600
Turnovers	2	3
3rd Down Conversion	6-13 (46%)	7-14 (50%)
4th Down Conversion	-	0-1 (0%)
2-Point Conversion	-	-
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	3-2-1 (100%)	4-2-1 (75%)
Penalties	3-15	6-45
Possession Time	26:28	33:32

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		BUFF	BC
8:51	(BC) TD: R. Hackett, 5 yard run (J. Crooks kick)	0	7
6:30	(BC) TD: B. Roberts, 29 yard pass from C. McConnell (J. Crooks kick)	0	14
2:43	(BUFF) TD: M. Jolly, 23 yard pass from D. Murphy (J. Carr kick)	7	14
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		BUFF	BC
13:48	(BC) TD: B. Roberts, 44 yard pass from C. McConnell (J. Crooks kick)	7	21
8:26	(BC) FG: J. Crooks, 19 yards	7	24
8:00	(BUFF) TD: M. Jolly, 37 yard pass from D. Murphy (J. Carr kick)	14	24
0:49	(BUFF) TD: M. Jolly, 13 yard pass from D. Murphy (J. Carr kick)	21	24
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		BUFF	BC
7:49	(BUFF) FG: J. Carr, 34 yards	24	24
0:40	(BUFF) TD: M. Jolly, 3 yard pass from D. Murphy (J. Carr kick)	31	24
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		BUFF	BC
12:14	(BC) TD: T. Ham, 3 yard pass from C. McConnell (J. Crooks kick)	31	31
8:42	(BUFF) TD: D. Burley, returned fumble 10 yards (J. Carr kick)	38	31
1:30	(BUFF) TD: A. Dawson, 21 yard pass from D. Murphy (J. Carr kick)	45	31

For the second week in a row sophomore WR Maurice Jolly wins MAC Offensive Player of the Week for his 131 yard and four-touchdown performance in Buffalo's wild comeback victory over conference rival Boston College. It didn't look like Buffalo would be winning in the 2nd quarter when the score was 24-7 in favor of the Eagles but the Bulls defense clamped down on QB Charles McConnell after BC's second long touchdown to Brandon Roberts, not allowing another touchdown until the beginning of the 4th. They clearly weren't satisfied with having given up 31 points as BC running back Richard Hackett fumbled in the 4th, a mishap Demetrius Burley capitalized on with a scoop and score. Another fumble by McConnell and an interception snagged by CB Joel Cary - who also had a 53 yard kick return to set up Andy Dawson's touchdown late in the 4th - was enough to top this first conference test.

The offense was cooking this week as Dan Murphy had his best game all season as he put up 200 yards and 5 TDs with only 1 interception, his lowest turnover count since week two against Wyoming, on 18 completions in 36 attempts. Murphy's most complete performance came as Buffalo's option run game was mostly stuffed, with the Bulls only gaining 79 yards rushing all day. The shift towards passing gave Murphy a better opportunity to spread the ball around today, as the attempts to better cover Maurice Jolly by the Eagles left Andy Dawson open for a 4 reception, 41 yard, and 1 score day. Oh, and speaking of Jolly - he was double covered on 80% of Buffalo's offensive snaps, and still caught 11 passes for 131 yards.

Damien Woody began his press conference after the game with a big smile on his face, saying "That was something special, huh?" He applauded Murphy for bouncing back, saying that he took the bye week "extremely seriously" and worked on his ball placement. He called the Murphy-Jolly connection an "unreal duo" and said, "wait until you see the plays we haven't called yet." The win catapults the Bulls to third in the MAC standings, behind Syracuse and Old Dominion, and first in the Middle division.

The Bulls road trip comes to an end now as they host the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers next week in Buffalo.

Injury Report:
No new injuries this week. Coach Welter said CB Brian George would be probable for next week's game coming back from a PCL strain he sustained against Hawai'i.

News from 'Round the Nation: Demon Deacs top #3 Seminoles
In an ACC cross-division game, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons welcomed the #3 Florida State Seminoles with open arms, defeating them 40-35. Wake's QB Colby Ridley was 22-44 for 201 yards and 3 TDs. 124 yards and two more touchdowns were put up by the tandem of backs. Three sacks and a John Richardson fumble forced by Dustin Rodriguez as well as a Reggie Scott safety helped Wake Forest climb to 4-1 on the season and 2-0 in conference play.

Recruiting Spotlight: Brandon Darby
T, 6'3, 327, from Baltimore, MD, ★★★, #53 T
Brandon Darby was one of six recruits who visited Buffalo last week during the bye. The 3★ tackle from Baltimore is regarded as a quick and versatile run blocker and has ties to Buffalo as his mother used to live in Amherst just a few miles away. He's narrowed his decision down between the Bulls, Ohio, and Western Kentucky, with visits to both in the upcoming weeks. Woody spoke briefly on the visits with Darby and other prospects along the offensive line this week, citing his excitement for the future of the line should the guys commit to Buffalo.

A whole host of defensive prospects are visiting this week, including 3★ defensive end Oliver Richardson, 3★ defensive tackle Brent Royal, 3★ outside linebacker Quentin Smith, 3★ cornerback Elton Brown, 2★ athlete Nate Russell, and 1★ JUCO transfer middle linebacker P.J. Hooper.

Week 7 Preview - Coastal Carolina @ Buffalo

Matchup Preview *|* October 10, 2020
	@
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (2-3, 0-1 Away)		Buffalo Bulls (3-1, 1-0 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 35.6 Points Per Game 34.5 405.2 Total Offensive Yards 312.3 207.6 Rushing Yards 146.3 197.6 Passing Yards 166 Defensive Stats Comparison 343.6 Total Yards Allowed 403.3 205.8 Rushing Yards Allowed 223.5 137.8 Passing Yards Allowed 179.8 Injury Report FS Ryan Hicks Probable (Strained quadricep) CB Brain George Probable (PCL sprain) FB Jon Hurd Questionable (Torn pectoral) LT Ken Howard Broken fibula (4 weeks) Game Notes While they may only be 2-3, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers are on paper the better team. Quarterback James Smith has led this team for three years and is poised to have his best one yet; through five games he has thrown 854 yards, 15 touchdowns, and only 1 interception. Senior runningback Anthony McDonald runs the backfield, having rushed for 508 yards on 78 attempts and WR Glenn Hicks has 9 touchdowns on the year. Defensively, CB Andrew Harwell and OLB Michael Ferguson are turnover machines, responsible for the Chant's #6 in the nation passing defense. Harwell will have the luxury of facing up against Buffalo's Maurice Jolly, an outside favorite for the 2020 Biletnikof Award.

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2020 Week 7 - Coastal Carolina @ Buffalo

Game Recap: Buffalo chickens out to Chanticleers
Final Score: 17 - 42 (3 - 2)

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at Buffalo Bulls
Oct 10, 2020	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (3-3)	7	21	14	0	42
Buffalo Bulls (3-2)	7	0	0	10	17

Team Stats Comparison
	CCAR	BUFF
Total Offense	461	323
Rushing Yards	274	139
Passing Yards	187	184
First Downs	28	18
Punt Return Yards	15	12
Kick Return Yards	97	89
Total Yards	573	424
Turnovers	0	1
3rd Down Conversion	8-14 (57%)	7-14 (50%)
4th Down Conversion	3-3 (100%)	0-1 (0%)
2-Point Conversion	-	-
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	5-5-0 (100%)	2-1-1 (100%)
Penalties	8-80	5-35
Possession Time	33:58	25:58

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		CCAR	BUFF
12:29	(BUFF) TD: J. Concepcion, 5 yard run (J. Carr kick)	0	7
4:14	(CCAR) TD: J. Noel, 23 yard pass from (P. Booth kick)	7	7
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		CCAR	BUFF
15:00	(CCAR) TD: G. Hicks, 2 yard pass from J. Smith (P. Booth kick)	14	7
7:04	(CCAR) TD: H. Howard, 18 yard pass from J. Smith (P. Booth kick)	21	7
1:34	(CCAR) TD: J. Smith, 2 yard run (P. Booth kick)	28	7
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		CCAR	BUFF
9:55	(CCAR) TD: J. Noel, 4 yard pass from J. Smith (P. Booth kick)	35	7
0:47	(CCAR) TD: A. McDonald, 3 yard run (P. Booth kick)	42	7
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		CCAR	BUFF
12:25	(BUFF) TD: M. Jolly, 28 yard pass from D. Murphy (J. Carr kick)	42	14
0:57	(BUFF) FG: J. Carr, 23 yards	42	17

Despite the home turf, the Chanticleers were far too much for the Buffalo Bulls in week 7. In the worst offensive showing all season, the Bulls put up just 17 points off Dan Murphy's 13 of 25 completions and 184 yards, 115 of which went to Andy Dawson as he had his best performance of the year. A total of 36 combined rushing attempts produced only 139 yards for the Bulls, a testament to Coastal's well-rounded defense.

"The stat lines aren't flashy, but they get the job done," Woody said of the Chant defense. "They've got guys you can't count out. I'm glad Dan was able to take care of the ball this week and limit the turnovers like he's been working on." The one turnover on the day came from FB Willie Gardner on one of his two rushing attempts. He also caught 3 passes for 41 yards during the game. CB Andrew Harwell was able to hold Maurice Jolly to only 1 catch on 5 targets, although Jolly did capitalize with 28 yards - 16 of which came after the catch - and a TD.

Coastal Carolina's underrated offensive line outmatched Buffalo's rushers, as the Bulls ended with only 1 TFL and zero sacks on the day. It gave QB James Smith all day to throw, allowing him to convert 1 in every 4 passes into a touchdown. Anthony McDonald continued his dominance, rushing for 125 yards on 18 attempts and a touchdown. Smith had another touchdown on one of his 12 runs for 76 yards. The story of the afternoon was the defense couldn't get off the field, and the offense couldn't capitalize when they did.

"I know we have a lot to work on, there's always stuff to work on. But the DBs are putting in work out there." That's DC Brandon Mebane, who coaches the #34 pass defense in the nation. The Bulls are allowing only an average of 181.2 yards per game which will no doubt be put to the test this week against the NCAA's Offensive Player of the Week, Toledo's Tyrell Johnson, who threw for 227 yards on 16 completions and had 4 total touchdowns last week against Syracuse.

Injury Report:
Despite playing this week, Brian George is still listed on the injury report for next week's game. "He tweaked his knee again, but we're optimistic for him coming back. I know he wants to play, he's going to try for sure," Welter said of the junior cornerback.

News from 'Round the Nation: Big matchup in the Swamp
Jeff Monken's #4 LSU Tigers travel to Gainesville, FL this week to face the #2 Florida Gators in ESPN's College Gameday. The Tigers are averaging 30.7 points a game on the shoulders of senior HB Terrence Kearney and WR Shawn West. LSU touts the #1 rushing offense in the nation along with the #7 rushing defense, so you know those lines will come to play. Florida, on the other hand, has used three quarterbacks this year as with preseason starter sophomore Paul Scott is out for the year with a broken hand, backups Zach Graves and Eric Hayes have been sharing time from behind center. Florida's RB duo of Clay Ross and Brad Dickson will be tested this week as they face LSU's stacked run D; the duo have combined for over 900 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season thus far. ESPN's picking LSU to win this one - who ya got?

Recruiting Spotlight: P.J. Hooper
MLB, 6'0, 249, from Atlantic City, NJ, ★, #102 MLB
Buffalo got their first commit this week from 1-star JUCO prospect P.J. Hooper. Despite the loss, Hooper said he enjoyed the conversations he had with HC Welter and DC Mebane and loved the plans the duo has for the team. He said: "I'm thankful for my time in Dodge City and today I announce my commitment to Buffalo. I'm ready to get to work and bring this team to new heights. Let's get it!"

Week 8 Preview - Buffalo @ Toledo

Matchup Preview *|* October 17, 2020
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Buffalo Bulls (3-2, 2-1 Away)		Toledo Rockets (4-2, 2-1 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 31 Points Per Game 25.7 314.4 Total Offensive Yards 390.8 144.8 Rushing Yards 181.8 169.6 Passing Yards 209 Defensive Stats Comparison 414.8 Total Yards Allowed 426.2 233.6 Rushing Yards Allowed 215.3 181.2 Passing Yards Allowed 210.8 Injury Report CB Brain George Probable (PCL sprain) QB Tyrell Johnson Probable (Foot stress fracture) LT Ken Howard Broken fibula (3 weeks) Game Notes Tyrell Johnson may be listed as probable, but he's going to play through his stress fracture if he has any say in it. The redshirt senior from Harper Woods, MI was the NCAA Offensive Player of the Week last week and has 7 TDs to 2 INTs on the season. He's putting up 187.3 yards per game, an interesting matchup for Buffalo's #34 passing defense. The Bulls ought to turn things around along the defensive line this week as well since Toledo's offensive line has surrendered 16 sacks so far on the season; C Perry Wallace is responsible for 8 of those. Offensively, the Bulls need to watch out for OLB Brad Sykes who has 6 sacks and 16 tackles for loss on the year. If the Rockets win this week, they might find themselves squeak into a top 25 ranking.

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2020 Week 8 - Buffalo @ Toledo

Game Recap: Maurice the Unstoppable!!
Final Score: 34 - 21 (4 - 2)

Buffalo Bulls at Toledo Rockets
Oct 17, 2020	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Buffalo Bulls (4-2)	10	7	14	3	34
Toledo Rockets (4-3)	0	7	7	7	21

Team Stats Comparison
	BUFF	TOL
Total Offense	435	350
Rushing Yards	133	141
Passing Yards	302	209
First Downs	22	21
Punt Return Yards	20	29
Kick Return Yards	115	154
Total Yards	570	533
Turnovers	2	3
3rd Down Conversion	5-15 (33%)	1-9 (11%)
4th Down Conversion	1-1 (100%)	1-1 (100%)
2-Point Conversion	-	-
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	3-1-2 (100%)	7-3-0 (42%)
Penalties	10-110	9-60
Possession Time	34:32	25:28

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		BUFF	TOL
9:31	(BUFF) FG: J. Carr, 33 yards	3	0
2:39	(BUFF) TD: D. Murphy, 6 yard run (J. Carr kick)	10	0
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		BUFF	TOL
6:52	(TOL) TD: E. Sanders, 7 yard pass from T. Johnson (S. Washington kick)	10	7
5:02	(BUFF) TD: M. Jolly, 29 yard pass from D. Murphy (J. Carr kick)	17	7
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		BUFF	TOL
6:22	(BUFF) TD: M. Jolly, 21 yard pass from D. Murphy (J. Carr kick)	24	7
2:31	(TOL) TD: J. Morris, 4 yard run (S. Washington kick)	24	14
1:10	(BUFF) TD: M. Jolly, 22 yard pass from D. Murphy (J. Carr kick)	31	14
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		BUFF	TOL
13:45	(TOL) TD: M. Austin, 2 yard run (S. Washington kick)	31	21
3:16	(BUFF) FG: J. Carr, 35 yards	34	21

"Just give Maurice all the awards already!"

Those were Dan Murphy's closing words to the media today after Buffalo's upset victory over Toledo, 34-21. He's referencing Maurice Jolly, who had yet another career day, catching 20 passes for 239 yards and 3 touchdowns. Jolly's total of 753 yards and 12 TDs puts him second in the nation, only behind Kansas State RS senior wideout Jared Wright, who has 770 yards and 7 touchdowns on 48 catches. Oh, and don't look away - Jolly has a chance to break Buffalo's season receiving touchdown record next week, currently held by 2017 Anthony Johnson's 14 TD campaign.

Brandon Johnson caught two interceptions off of Tyrell Johnson, who was clearly not 100% today, coming off a stress fracture in his foot sustained last week against Syracuse. Johnson completed 42% of his passes for 209 yards, 1 TD, and two picks, in what might be his worst game of the season. However, the Rockets' Erik Sanders caught all of Johnson's passes. earning himself a nod from Bulls DC Brandon Mebane.

"Sanders is one of those guys who is hard to scheme against. He catches everything that comes his way." Noting the lack of production from Toledo's number 1, Adrian Harris, he said, "I was happy to see the safeties shut down their other receivers, though, especially that big guy, #88." The Bulls are still looking for a big game from the guys up front, as sack production has been slow all season. Curtis Brown was able to sack Johnson today, and Bruce Meyer and Carl McFadden combined for another against Toledo's poor starting o-line.

The win puts Buffalo at 2-0 in conference play, behind only the #22 Old Dominion Monarchs, who are 6-1 on the season. The Syracuse Orangemen travel to Norfolk, VA next week to face ODU who cracked the top 25 this week for the first time this season, sporting the 23rd best passing offense in the nation.

Injury Report:
Donte Lloyd, freshman starting right-side linebacker, suffered a torn pectoral in today's game is going to be out for two to three weeks. Larry Bass will be filling in for him in the time being. CB Brian George was full go this week and has been medically cleared from the injury report.

News from 'Round the Nation: LSU drains the Swamp
If you had the Tigers beating the undefeated Florida Gators last week, you picked correctly. LSU won 48 to 31 in a game dominated by rushing performances. Zach Graves got the start for the Gators and completed just 9 of 20 for 129 yards, 1 passing touchdown, 1 rushing touchdown, and a pick. Clay Ross had 100 yards on the ground and a TD. LSU's Alan Green threw three touchdowns, ran one in, and one interception as well, along with two more Tiger touchdowns from Eric Hill and 135 rushing yards from Glen Bryant. Shawn West caught 8 of Green's passes for 136 yards and 2 TDs. Despite only 5 carries for 26 yards, LSU's Terrence Kearney remains at the top of the Heisman Watch.

News from 'Round the Nation: USC keeps it rolling
#1 USC hosted the 0-5 San Diego State University Aztecs, beating them handily 42-7 to show once again why they're ranked first in the nation. The Trojans earned 488 yards on offense thanks to four rushing touchdowns from four different players and two thrown by QB Kevin Rouse. On ten completions, SDSU's Jacob Floyd passed for only 76 yards and no touchdowns, finishing with a 27% completion percentage and a 45.5 QBR.

Recruiting Spotlight: Elton Brown
CB, 6'0, 174, from East Cleveland, OH, ★★★, #123 CB
One of two recruits Buffalo received today, 2-star athlete Nate Russell being the other, CB Elton Brown was known in high school for his speed, and it pops on tape. He ran a 4.48 40 and benched 220, playing mostly man coverage during his time with the Shaw High School Cardinals. Welter was excited about the commit, saying Brown's speed and versatility around the field will be a huge boost to an already over-performing Bulls pass defense.

Visitors this week include 3★ wide receiver Dan Corbett, 3★ defensive tackle John Frazier, 3★ defensive tackle Allan Weber, 3★ cornerback Jon Broussard, and 3★ cornerback Terrell Rutledge.

Week 9 Preview - Ohio @ Buffalo

Matchup Preview *|* October 24, 2020
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Ohio Bobcats (3-4, 1-3 Away)		Buffalo Bulls (4-2, 1-1 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 26.1 Points Per Game 31.5 346.7 Total Offensive Yards 334.5 182.4 Rushing Yards 142.8 164.3 Passing Yards 191.7 Defensive Stats Comparison 414.1 Total Yards Allowed 404 169.1 Rushing Yards Allowed 218.2 244.1 Passing Yards Allowed 185.8 Injury Report ROLB Donte Lloyd Torn pectoral (2 weeks) LT Ken Howard Broken fibula (2 weeks) Game Notes With Brian George medically cleared, Buffalo will look for an improvement in an already surprisingly good pass defense. Ohio's QB Kellen Williamson and top receiver TE Brett Dotson have been cooking up big games all year long, and this will be Buffalo's first real test against a high performing tight end. Murphy and Jolly on the other hand have been causing havoc all over the MAC and look to keep that up next week against the Bobcats.

[Careless Whisper]

Maurice Jolly is insane! 20 catches and three scores in a single game is ridiculous, regardless of what offense you're running or who the opponent is. Big comeback against Boston College as well - despite the loss to the Chants, it seems like Buffalo has put together a really solid season so far!

[moose141]

Crazy how Jolly has turned into such a focal point for the offense when he wasn't even the receiver that you were spotlighting in the season preview! Really clean update style, I like the information and the single recruit spotlight is a cool way to provide more personal recruiting updates. Keep it up!

[groupb]

got a chance to watch buffalo when they had James Starks. interesting read.

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Quote: Originally Posted by moose141

Crazy how Jolly has turned into such a focal point for the offense when he wasn't even the receiver that you were spotlighting in the season preview! Really clean update style, I like the information and the single recruit spotlight is a cool way to provide more personal recruiting updates. Keep it up!

Quote: Originally Posted by Careless Whisper

Maurice Jolly is insane! 20 catches and three scores in a single game is ridiculous, regardless of what offense you're running or who the opponent is. Big comeback against Boston College as well - despite the loss to the Chants, it seems like Buffalo has put together a really solid season so far!

Quote: Originally Posted by groupb

got a chance to watch buffalo when they had James Starks. interesting read.

Thanks all! I had no idea Jolly was going to go so crazy this year. He was 3rd on the depth chart behind Andy Dawson and Paul Brown he just has broken out completely! The season has definitely surpassed my expectations and I can't wait to see what Maurice might do later on in this season or next year.

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2020 Week 9 - Ohio @ Buffalo

Game Recap: Nailbiter win for Buffalo leaves Murphy injured
Final Score: 35 - 31 (5 - 2)

Ohio Bobcats at Buffalo Bulls
Oct 24, 2020	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Ohio Bobcats (3-5)	7	10	7	7	31
Buffalo Bulls (5-2)	7	14	7	7	35

Team Stats Comparison
	OHIO	BUFF
Total Offense	449	318
Rushing Yards	204	105
Passing Yards	245	213
First Downs	24	18
Punt Return Yards	29	8
Kick Return Yards	108	141
Total Yards	586	467
Turnovers	3	1
3rd Down Conversion	3-8 (37%)	8-16 (50%)
4th Down Conversion	-	1-1 (100%)
2-Point Conversion	-	-
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	5-3-1 (80%)	6-3-0 (50%)
Penalties	7-67	6-48
Possession Time	29:09	30:51

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		OHIO	BUFF
13:10	(BUFF) TD: J. Douglas, 4 yard run (J. Carr kick)	0	7
1:56	(OHIO) TD: R. Wilson, 17 yard pass from K. Williamson (I. Butler kick)	7	7
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		OHIO	BUFF
13:29	(OHIO) FG: I. Butler, 21 yards	10	7
6:47	(BUFF) TD: P. Brown, 3 yard pass from D. Murphy (J. Carr kick)	10	14
3:00	(OHIO) TD: B. Dotson, 5 yard pass from K. Williamson (I. Butler kick)	17	14
0:26	(BUFF) TD: J. Concepcion, 5 yard run (J. Carr kick)	17	21
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		OHIO	BUFF
12:43	(BUFF) TD: B. George, returned interception 48 yards (J. Carr kick)	17	28
7:06	(OHIO) TD: W. Scott, 9 yard pass from K. Williamson (I. Butler kick)	24	28
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		OHIO	BUFF
12:10	(OHIO) TD: W. Scott, 54 yard pass from K. Williamson (I. Butler kick)	31	28
7:27	(BUFF) TD: A. Dawson, 24 yard pass from J. Brown (J. Carr kick)	31	35

This one was a bit too close for comfort for Bull and Bobcat fans alike, but Buffalo narrowly escapes with a win over Ohio, albeit not unscathed. QB Dan Murphy will be out for 2 to 3 weeks with an elbow injury suffered while throwing the ball away mid-sack early in the fourth quarter. The two sacks earned by Ohio on the day, one on Justin Brown and the other which injured Murphy, both came from Franklin Flores who lined up against right tackle Jerry Taylor this afternoon.

"Dan's a fighter. He's going to be back sooner rather than later," Coach Welter said of the senior quarterback from Marion, NC. "He's already started his physical therapy." Although Dan's day ended after a 10 of 19, 129 yard and 1 TD campaign, backup Justin Brown played valiantly while he was out there, completing 7 of 11 for 84 yards and the game-winning touchdown to Andy Dawson with just over 7 minutes left in the 4th. He threw one interception to Ohio's Cedrick Evans, but the defense was able to come up big in more ways than one throughout the game.

In his first full game back from injury, CB Brian George showed everyone what he can do when healthy. He picked off Ohio QB Kellen Williamson twice, returning an interception early in the 3rd quarter for a touchdown. George also had 7 total tackles and a pass breakup on the day which saw FS Brandon Johnson also intercepting Williamson once. "Brian was everywhere out there today, huh?" Mebane joked with reporters. "I guess that knee's not bothering him much anymore." Brian and company were able to hold Ohio's leading receiver, tight end Brett Dotson to just 3 catches for 19 yards, his lowest all season. Two of Ohio's four touchdowns went to William Scott, who snuck by Daron Gray for both. "We've got some stuff to work on with Daron, for sure," was all Mebane had to say on the redshirt senior safety, his tone more serious there.

Maurice Jolly was relatively quiet today, catching three passes for 48 yards. He still needs only two touchdowns to tie Anthony Johnson's 2017 single-season school receiving touchdown record, and three to break it. It seems almost a given at this point, considering Buffalo still has five games to play. All the focus on Jolly gave sophomore Paul Brown a chance to catch his first touchdown on the year on one of four catches for 59 yards and junior Andy Dawson his second on one of five, a more balanced attack as OC Woody has been looking for all year.

"I'm glad Brown had his number called this week. We're always looking for ways to get him and the guys involved, the line blocked a great game, he was open - boom. We're gonna take that chance, let him make the plays because we know he can."

With yet another in-conference win under their belt, the Buffalo Bulls keep their place second in the MAC rankings under only the 7-1 #21 Old Dominion Monarchs.

Injury Report:
The news from Welter on QB Dan Murphy's sprained elbow is unfortunate, as he was looking better and better with each week of play. He'll likely be out for two weeks, putting him back for the game against Akron. OLB Donte Lloyd (torn pectoral) and T Ken Howard (broken fibula) are both scheduled to return to the lineup next week against Temple, but time will tell on their timelines this week.

News from 'Round the Nation: Seminoles lose Top 25 Ranking
After a preseason ranking of #6 and climbing up to #3 in week five, the Florida State Seminoles have fallen completely out of the top 25 rankings. Their season began 3-1 with wins over Boise State, ECU, and Maryland, their one loss coming to Wake Forest in week 6. However, FSU has since lost two straight to #9 Miami last week and #3 Clemson, knocking them completely out of the polls. They face UCF next, with the majority of their remaining opponents unranked as well - except for #7 Florida slated for week 14. The Seminoles' 14 point performance came off of only a 45% completion percentage from SR Bill Sullivan, and an ugly defensive showing against the nation's top QB by passing yards, Clemson's Corey Hall.

Recruiting Spotlight: Nate Russell
ATH, 6'1, 198, from Apex, NC, ★★, #68 ATH
One of two commits Buffalo has received over the last few weeks is 2-star athlete Nate Russell from Apex, NC. Russell played all over the secondary in high school for the Cougars and was their primary kick and punt return man. He had nearly 2,000 return yards in his varsity career including three touchdowns and a nasty spin move he's ready to deploy at Buffalo. "I was interested in them from the start," he told reporters. "Khalil Mack is one of my favorites. I want to play where he did."

3★ cornerback Dane Edwards and 1★ JUCO transfer cornerback Shaun Tidwell are visiting next week against Temple.

Week 10 Preview - Temple @ Buffalo

Matchup Preview *|* October 31, 2020
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Temple Owls (6-1, 3-0 Away)		Buffalo Bulls (5-2, 2-1 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 33.9 Points Per Game 31.1 392.1 Total Offensive Yards 332.1 223.3 Rushing Yards 137.4 168.9 Passing Yards 194.7 Defensive Stats Comparison 357.4 Total Yards Allowed 410.4 186.9 Rushing Yards Allowed 216.1 170.6 Passing Yards Allowed 194.3 Injury Report C Matt Porter Dislocated elbow (2 weeks) QB Dan Murphy Strained elbow (2 weeks) FS Andy Morrow Probable (Strained Achilles) LT Ken Howard Broken fibula (1 week) ROLB Donte Lloyd Torn pectoral (1 week) Game Notes They're calling it a rivalry renewed, and for good reason. This Temple team is good, like 26th in offensive points per game scored and 27th in total defense allowed good. Their turnover differential of 9 is tied for fifth in the country, behind only big names like #11 Oklahoma State, #13 Southern Miss, Arkansas, and Coastal Carolina. These Owls are no joke, and will look to fly into Buffalo for their third win in as many weeks. Senior cornerback Alex Williams won NCAA Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against Boston College this week, in which he racked up 6 total tackles, a forced fumble, and an interception. This game will be played on Halloween night, and it looks to be nothing less than scary.