BUFFALO, NY - Kent State University capitalized on huge first-half turnovers and held off a furious rally to score a 16-12 Mid-American Conference victory over Buffalo at UB Stadium.

The Bulls' defense allowed just 250 yards of total offense and three points in the game but the difference was two first-half miscues by Buffalo. With the game scoreless in the second quarter and the Bulls on a drive to the Kent State 19, UB quarterback Randall Secky (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) had his pass tipped and returned 75 yards by Shawn Armstead for the game's first score.

Later in the quarter, the Golden Flashes capitalized again on a UB mistake, this time on special teams. Punter Scott McMahan (Huntington Beach, CA/Oceanview) had his punt blocked in the end zone by Lucas Bowen and recovered by Scott Booker for a touchdown. UB redshirt freshman Bill Meholif (Parma, OH/St. Ignatius) blocked the extra point and Kent led 13-0 at halftime.

While Buffalo continued to struggle offensively, Kent State built its lead to 16-0 on a 39-yard field goal by Travis Mayle to cap a 14-play drive early in the fourth quarter.

The Bulls, out of sync through three quarters thanks in part to the absence of three of its wide receivers due to injury, came to

Tim Dance

life in the fourth quarter behind Secky's scrambling and passing. Secky hit 7-of-10 passes on the ensuing drive, including an 11-yard pass to freshman Tim Dance (Erie, PA/Cathedral Prep) to get UB on the board. UB went for two but tailback Aaron Leeper (Jamestown, NY/Jamestown) was stopped a foot short of the goal line, leaving the score 16-6 in favor of the Golden Flashes.

Secky and Dance, however, weren't finished. After the Bulls forced Kent State into a three-and-out punt, Buffalo moved 72 yards in nine plays, with Secky scrambling three times and Buffalo overcoming a 2nd-and-17 situation. After a five-yard scramble, Secky hit Dance for 17 yards with 3:42 remaining and Buffalo was within striking distance. However, placekicker Dallas Pelz (Holland, NY/St. Francis) missed the extra point that could have brought UB to within a field goal.

The Golden Flashes were able to bleed the clock to :49 by virtue of one first down and the Bulls were not able to convert a first down in the waning seconds.

"It was a very hard-fought game by both sides," said Buffalo head coach Jim Hofher. "I think our defense did a terrific job in holding Kent State to a field goal. They played very hard.

"Two big plays in the first half - the deflection intercept return and the blocked punt - were very costly plays and made the difference in the outcome of the game," Hofher noted. "It was a valiant effort all the way around in the second half -in particular the fourth quarter. The kids did a terrific job this week in getting ready for this ballgame and it showed today."

The UB defense excelled throughout the game, led by the play of junior free safety

Mark Graham

Mark Graham (Monroe, MI/Monroe). Graham had 12 tackles, 10 of them solo stops, his sixth interception of the season, a sack and two pass breakups. Junior linebacker Lamar Wilcher (Ossining, NY/Ossining) added six tackles and a pass breakup for Buffalo. Senior corner Dahnel Singfield (Baltimore, MD/Dunbar) had his first career interception in the first half.

Offensively, Secky finished 19-of-39 for 160 yards with two touchdowns. Dance had career-best numbers of nine catches for 92 yards and a pair of scores. Tight end Chad Bartoszek (Salamanca, NY/Salamanca) added three catches for 29 yards while senior Dan Lindsay (Henrietta, NY/Rush-Henrietta) had three catches for 26 yards.

Bull-etins: Aaron Leeper became the most productive freshman running back in UB history with his team-high 50 yards on 18 carries. Leeper now has 691 yards rushing on the season, topping the 670 yards Sunnil Motley gained in 1993. Leeper has also matched Motley's six touchdowns...free safety Mark Graham moved into a tie for sixth place in career interceptions with his sixth of the season in the first half. Graham now has 11 career picks and a UB record 33 passes defended. His sack was the second of his career...Redshirt frosh Tim Dance kept Buffalo's freshman TD streak alive. In each game Buffalo has scored a touchdown this season, a freshman has found his way to paydirt. Previously Aaron Leeper (six), Dave Dawson (Camp Hill, PA/Bishop McDevitt) (two) and Ramon Guzman (one) had all tallied touchdowns. Dance caught his first two career touchdowns Saturday. His nine receptions were second-most this season in a game, behind Andre Forde's 12 grabs at Ohio...senior tight end Chad Bartoszek came into the game as the nation's leading pass-catcher among tight ends. He ran his season totals to 36 receptions for 280 yards, including a season-best 22 yard catch. Bartoszek moved into tenth place by himself with 86 career receptions, two behind UB's career tight end leader (Chris Behan with 88)...with a pass breakup on Saturday, Mike Lambert (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-DeWitt) moved into fourth place by himself in career passes defended (26)...senior cornerback Dahnel Singfield (Baltimore, MD/Dunbar) had his first career interception...sophomore quarterback Randall Secky's two touchdown passes brings his season total to 11, tying him for eighth place for a single season (with Ken Hyer and Mark Taylor)...the Bulls played without wide receivers Andre Forde (foot), Gabe McClover (concussion) and Matt Knueven (back).