BUFFALO, NY - A home date with four-time Mid-AmericanConference champion Marshall on Homecoming and a season-opening clash with the BIG EAST's Rutgers University highlight the 2001 University at Buffalo football schedule.

Buffalo will play six road dates and five home games in Jim Hofher's first season at the helm of the Bulls. UB will open the 2001 campaign on Thursday, August 30th against Rutgers in the first-ever Western New York appearance by a BIG EAST program. Game time is set for 7:30 pm at UB Stadium and the game will also feature a retro halftime spectacular, with special guests The Village People performing some of their greatest hits.

The Bulls than hit the road for three straight road games, starting with a MAC East Division battle at Bowling Green on Sept. 8. Buffalo beat Bowling Green, 20-17, last season at UB Stadium for the Bulls' first-ever MAC victory. Following that, Buffalo plays its final two non-conference games on the 2001 slate, starting with a road date (Sept. 15) at West Point to battle the Black Knights of Army.

UB will also travel to Connecticut on Sept. 22 for a rematch with the Huskies, who defeated Buffalo, 24-21, last season before returning home to face Central Michigan in a MAC crossover game on Sept. 29th.

Buffalo's remaining road dates are at Miami (Oct. 6), at Kent State (Oct. 20) and a visit to Ypsilanti, MI to take on Eastern Michigan (Oct. 27) for the first time in school history. Buffalo's other home dates are all against MAC East Division rivals beginning with a visit by the Thundering Herd of Marshall.

The four-time MAC champions and three-time Motor City Bowl victors will visit Buffalo on Oct. 13 during Homecoming weekend. Marshall will bring in the MAC's top returning passer in junior Byron Leftwich.

Buffalo's last two dates are against Ohio (Nov. 3) and Akron (Nov. 10) as the Bulls finish the season with a pair of home games. Ohio has never visited UB Stadium since the Bulls joined the MAC, while Akron christened UB's entrance in the league with its first-ever conference game, a 17-10 Zips' victory in 1999.

It all gets started with Rockin' Rally 2001 on Friday night Aug. 24 when classic rockers Loverboy kickoff the season with a giant pep rally, concert and fireworks. For football season ticket information call 716-645-6666. Tickets to Rockin' Rally 2001 are free with the purchase of season tickets.

"We are very excited about this schedule," said Hofher. "It has both a regional and national flavor to it in our non-conference games and a very challenging Mid-American schedule which has the favorites from the East Division of the conference - Marshall, Ohio and Akron - all coming to Buffalo.

"I am most excited, however, at the opportunity to host a BIG EAST program like Rutgers in our first game of the season. I hope that the community rallies around that event and gives us the support that we will need as we continue to build this program to a championship caliber level," said Hofher.

The Bulls will open spring practice this Saturday at the Buffalo Bills' Fieldhouse at 1 pm and will contest the annual Blue-White scrimmage on Wednesday, April 11th at 7 pm at UB Stadium.

2001 BUFFALO FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

DATE	OPPONENT	SITE	TIME
Aug. 30	Rutgers	UB Stadium (31,000)	7:30 pm
Sept. 8	at Bowling Green*	Doyt L. Perry Stadium (30,599)	TBA
Sept. 15	at Army	Michie Stadium (39,929)	1 pm
Sept. 22	at Connecticut	Memorial Stadium (16,200)	TBA
Sept. 29	Central Michigan*	UB Stadium (31,000)	7 pm
Oct. 6	at Miami*	Yager Stadium (30,012)	TBA
Oct. 13	Marshall*#	UB Stadium (31,000)	1 pm
Oct. 20	at Kent State*	Dix Stadium (30,520)	TBA
Oct. 27	at Eastern Michigan*	Rynearson Stadium (30,200)	1 pm
Nov. 3	Ohio*	UB Stadium (31,000)	1 pm
Nov. 10	Akron*	UB Stadium (31,000)	1 pm

Home games in bold italics
*Mid-American Conference games
#Homecoming Weekend