Bulls Ready to “Play Some Football” at #5 Missouri

Tigers are the second highest ranked opponent the Bulls have ever faced

Naaman Roosevelt

BUFFALO, NYWhen the Bulls march onto Farout Field in Memorial Stadium on Saturday they will be facing the number five-ranked team in the nation. What will Buffalo do differently in order to overcome what may seem like such a formidable opponent?

Nothing.

They will “just go out there and play football,” as Naaman Roosevelt put it earlier this week. The junior receiver is coming off a last-second, game-winning touchdown catch over Temple last week. The reigning MAC East Player of the Week hauled in eight catches against the Owls for 132 yards receiving.

Those eight receptions all came from the steady hand of senior quarterback Drew Willy who continued an already record-breaking season with a career-high 348 yards passing. Willy is only the third UB quarterback to throw for over 300 yards in a game – and he’s done it four times.

Standing in the way of Roosevelt, Willy and the Bulls is #5 Missouri. The undefeated Tigers are coming off a 69-17 waxing of Nevada last week, and have scored an average of 58 points a game thus far this season. Heisman candidate Chase Daniel has been on a tear, throwing for a mind-blowing 973 yards and ten touchdowns in three games.

Almost on cue, head coach Turner Gill comments on his team’s focus throughout the week and heading into Saturday’s matchup.

“We’re going to focus on what WE need to do,” Gill stated. “Not on who our opponent is.”

With a win this weekend, the Bulls will be 3-1, marking the first such start since 1996 – when Buffalo was still an I-AA program. And don’t think a win is far-fetched, even against such a powerful offensive attack as Missouri. Over the past ten games dating back to last season, the Bulls have allowed one score or less in the second half six times. Two of those games came this season. The most points Buffalo has given up in a second half? Seventeen against powerhouse Pittsburgh.

Come-from-behind drives, Hail Marys, even third down pressure haven’t crippled the Bulls, who are second in the MAC on the decisive down at an impressive 55 percent.

A proven defense (two opponents held scoreless in the red zone this season) coupled with the balanced offensive attack the Bulls have shown each game could prove deadly – especially with the help of some key turnovers. Gill told reporters on Tuesday that his team will need some timely turnovers against the Tigers.

With everyone on the same page and running towards another win, it seems as though the Bulls are ready.

“We’ve shown we can handle adversity,” Gill went on to say. “That’s huge.”

Speaking of huge, the Buffalo Bulls are looking to shock the world this weekend and upset the #5 ranked Missouri Tigers at home. With big performances on both sides of the ball, there’s no limit to what these Bulls may be capable of until both sides put on their pads on Saturday.

Written by Sean Smiley