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BUFFALO, NY - Following a late-season bye week, the Bulls close out their 2003 season on Saturday at Kent State in search of their second victory of the year. UB will also be trying to earn its first-ever Mid-American Conference road win since joining the conference in 1999.

The Golden Flashes are led by junior quarterback Josh Cribbs - one of the most exciting players in the conference. In his last three games, Cribbs has averaged 385 yards of total offense (279 passing, 106 rushing).

Coach Jim Hofher

"Josh Cribbs is an absolutely dynamic, electric, highly-talented and ultra-competitive football player," said Bulls' head coach Jim Hofher at UB's weekly Tuesday press conference. "He has a hand in virtually everything Kent State does that is good. He's an excellent thrower and makes the guys around him better. Because his hands are on the ball every play, he is very dangerous."

Cribbs is just one of two quarterbacks in NCAA history to have recorded a pair of seasons with both 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards passing.

Lamar Wilcher

"When you play against a quarterback like Josh Cribbs, you have to be very open-minded," said UB linebacker Lamar Wilcher (Ossining, NY/Ossining). "He's capable of doing a lot things - he can throw it and run it. You obviously have a better chance to win if you can control or contain him."

However, Cribbs injured his ankle on the final play of last Saturday's Kent State 42-33 loss at Bowling Green. Golden Flashes' head coach Dean Pees termed Cribbs' playing status as "questionable to probable," during Monday's MAC Teleconference.

Kent State's offense as a whole has been dominant all season. The Golden Flashes have compiled 30-plus points in seven of their 11 games - including each of their last five contests.

"This game is going to be a terrific challenge for us," Hofher said. "We are looking forward to it very much - we really had some outstanding work during our off week and we are continuing that this week. As a coach, that is really gratifying. These guys in our football program have really worked and have accepted the challenges that exist."

Buffalo has an all-time mark of 5-6 against Kent State and has dropped the last two match-ups in the all-time series. UB's only win in the last six games between the two schools came during the 2000 campaign, when the Bulls earned a 20-17 overtime victory at UB Stadium.

"I know Jim will have his guys ready to go and ready to play," said Pees. "He's got two quarterbacks - one runs the ball extremely well and one throws the ball extremely well. He's also got a slew of running backs and they all run the ball very effectively."

Hofher stated earlier in the week that it will be a game-time decision as to who gets the starting nod at quarterback, either sophomore P.J. Piskorik (Swoyersville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) or junior Randall Secky (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove).

Dave Dawson

Buffalo ranks seventh in the MAC with 160.4 rushing yards per game. UB's largest individual contributor in that category is sophomore tailback Dave Dawson (Camp Hill, PA/Bishop McDevitt), who averages 55.6 rushing yards per game.

Saturday will be the final collegiate game for 12 UB seniors, including Wilcher - who is just the second two-year captain in Buffalo's Division I history.

"It's unbelievable," Wilcher said. "It hasn't hit me yet - it probably will in the locker room after the game. I've been here for five years, and I can remember walking into training camp in the summer of '99 and thinking, 'Wow, I've got a long time here.' But it just flew by. This game is real important to me - it's the last time I'll play with the Blue and White."