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Buffalo Blows Past Akron To Retain First Place

Drew Willy

Buffalo remained unbeaten and in first place in the Mid-American Conference East Division with a 26-10 win over visiting Akron. UB moved to 3-0 in divisional play and 4-5 overall with the victory, the most wins by a Bulls team since moving up to Division I-A in 1999.

Willy completed 11-of-14 passes for 125 yards and the Bulls’ defense allowed just three points after intermission in the win. Buffalo shut down the MAC’s leading receiver – Jabari Arthur – limiting him to three catches for 39 yards and recorded three turnovers.

The Bulls also won for the first time this season after giving up the first score. The Zips started fast, taking the opening kickoff, and with a mixture of running and passing, drove 80 yards for the first score of the game. The final one yard was covered by Alex Allen to give the Zips a 7-0 lead with 9:32 remaining in the first quarter.

Buffalo, however, had a quick response. Buffalo drove 55 yards, after a short kickoff into a 30 mile per hour wind, in just 3:05. Tailback James Starks (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls) rushed for 28 yards on five carries on the drive to set the Bulls up in scoring position. Willy threw his eighth touchdown of the season on an 11-yard hookup with flanker Ernest Jackson (Rochester, NY/Gates-Chili). It was Jackson’s fourth touchdown of the season. The Bulls still trailed, however, as the UB PAT was blocked.

Trevor Scott

The Bulls’ defense then made their first big stop of the game as junior defensive tackle Ronald Hilaire (Laval, Quebec/Vieux) stopped the Zips for no gain on third and one. Buffalo’s offense took over and drove 71 yards for the go-ahead score.

The big play on the drive was a 34-yard run – the longest of his career – by flanker Naaman Roosevelt (Buffalo, NY/St. Joseph’s) who lined up under center on the play. Willy capped the drive with his second scoring toss, a nine-yarder to Roosevelt on a slant pattern with 1:50 remaining in the first quarter. After the PAT by freshman A.J. Principe (Columbus, OH/St. Francis DeSales), the Bulls led 13-7.

Buffalo’s defense averted another Akron scoring opportunity in the second quarter. Senior linebacker Larry Hutchinson (Seattle, WA/Franklin) threw tailback Bryan Williams for a four-yard loss and the Zips had to settle for a 35-yard field goal which missed wide left.

After an exchange of punts, the Zips got great field position at the Buffalo 47-yard line. However, Buffalo put a stop to that drive on an interception by sophomore free safety Mike Newton (Pasadena, MD/Calvert Hall). It was Newton’s fourth interception of the season and the ninth of his career.

The Bulls, however, could not move the ball and Akron put together a late second quarter drive which finished with a 26-yard field goal on the final play of the first half. Buffalo went to halftime with a 13-10 lead.

The Bulls were able to flip the field position early in the second half. After being stopped on downs, senior punter Ben Woods (Hermitage, PA/Hickory) got off a 50-yard kick that the Bulls were able to stop at the five-yard line on a tackle by Adekunle Akingba (Brooklyn, NY/Sheepshead Bay). The Bulls defense forced a Zips’ punt on a sack by senior Trevor Scott (Potsdam, NY/Potsdam) to set up another scoring drive by UB.

Buffalo drove 44 yards in 12 plays, including 26 yards on the ground by sophomore tailback Mario Henry (Erie, PA/Strong Vincent), before Principe booted a 35-yard field goal. It was Principe’s fifth straight made field goal and it gave Buffalo a 16-10 lead with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter.

The Bulls defense was tremendous throughout the second half, stopping Akron on four fourth down conversion opportunities and limiting the Akron offense to 6-of-20 passing for just 62 yards after intermission.

Mike Newton

Buffalo’s defense recorded another big stop when freshman Domonic Cook (Buffalo, NY/St. Joseph’s) broke up a third down pass. With Buffalo back on offense, Willy got the chains moving with a 23-yard pass completion to sophomore tight end Jesse Rack (Maspeth, NY/Christ the King). Willy also converted a second-and-12 with a 16-yard strike to Roosevelt and found Roosevelt again for nine yards on third-and-four. Willy then threw his third touchdown of the game to fullback Chris Scharon (Salem, New Hampshire/Salem) from three yards out. It was Scharon’s first touchdown of his career and Willy tied his career-high with three touchdown passes.

The Zips rallied behind a 41-yard kickoff return by Andre Jones. However, the Bulls’ defense stiffened as on third-and-one, senior linebacker Kareem Byrom (New Brunswick, NJ/New Brunswick) threw Williams for a two-yard loss and on fourth down the Bulls forced an incompletion.

Buffalo was stopped on downs, and with a howling wind forcing a short punt, the Zips took over at the Buffalo 49-yard line. However, Scott and fellow senior James Judges (Pickering, Ontario/St. Marys Secondary) had quarterback hurries and Buffalo forced four straight incompletions.

The Bulls added their final points of the day on a 35-yard field goal by Principe after Buffalo stopped Akron on fourth down yet again.

Buffalo closed the game in style as freshman Josh Copeland (Fairborn, OH/Fairborn) intercepted Chris Jacquemain in the end zone. It was the fourth straight game that the Bulls have recorded two interceptions.

The stars were plenty for the Bulls. Starks finished with 91 yards on 24 carries. Roosevelt had 34 yards receiving and 39 yards rushing in the game, while Jesse Rack finished with three catches for 48 yards.

Defensively, Davonte Shannon (Jeanette, PA/Jeanette) again led the Bulls’ defense with 13 tackles while Newton had nine tackles and an interception. Byrom added eight tackles, a pass breakup, a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery, while Domonic Cook had seven tackles and a breakup. On the edges, Scott and Hutchinson stood out again. Hutchinson had six tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, while Scott had six tackles, a sack and three quarterback hurries.

Buffalo travels to Oxford, OH next weekend for a game with the Miami RedHawks. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 pm.

Naaman Roosevelt

 BULL-etins: Today’s game was the first time UB has allowed points on their opponents opening drive since allowing a touchdown at Ball State...it was the first time that UB had come back to win the game after allowing the first score. Buffalo had been 0-3 prior to the victory against the Zips...the Bulls have won three home games for the first time since the 1998 season. UB has won three straight home games for the first time since 1998 as well...for the fourth straight game UB has recorded two interceptions in game...UB has allowed just 13 points in its last six quarters...with 13 points in the first quarter, UB has now scored 75 points in the first quarter this season...with two more drives of 10 plays or more, the Bulls have now had 18 on the year, surpassing their total of 17 in the 2002 season...UB was 5-for-5 in the red zone adding to their season total. UB is now 27-of-30 in the red zone and 19 of those scores have come by touchdown...sophomore Kendric Hawkins (Upper Marlboro, MD/DeMatha Catholic) made his first start since UB’s home opener against Baylor...with his third touchdown pass of the game Drew Willy now has 22 for his career, seventh best in school history...with his second punt in the second quarter, Ben Woods became UB’s all-time leader in total punts with 261...Mike Newton recorded his ninth interception of his career in the second quarter. He moved into a tie for ninth all-time in school history and has recorded an interception in three of the last four games...Woods’ 50-yard punt in the third quarter gave him 10,336 punting yards for his career, moving into fifth place in Mid-American Conference history...with two more field goals against Akron, freshman A.J. Principe has now converted on six straight field goal attempts and his nine field goals for the season is tied for seventh all-time...Principe’s 52 points on the season ranks sixth-best in school history...Namaan Roosevelt’s 34-yard run from the quarterback position was a career long rush for the sophomore.