Call it a "MAC snack for the University at Buffalo football program. The Bulls, who enter the Mid-American Conference in football in the fall of 1999, will play their first Division I-A opponent since 1970 when they travel to future MAC opponent Ohio University on Sept. 20 for a showdown with the Bobcats, highlighting the 1997 football schedule. Ohio was 6-6 overall last season and 5-3 in the MAC, losing to eventual league champion and Las Vegas Bowl participant Ball State by three (30-27) in overtime. Ironically, in their last season of I-A competitiion in 1970, the Bulls played four future MAC opponents (Ball State, Toledo, Kent State and Northern Illinois) before disbanding football from 1971-76.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the return of UB football in 1977. The Bulls will also have some familiar I-AA opponents after their breakthrough 8-3 season last fall under third-year coach Craig Cirbus. The Bulls will once again play I-AA powers Illinois State (Sept. 6), Connecticut (Oct. 4), Youngstown State (Oct. 11) and Villanova (Nov. 15) all on the road. The Bulls will also host I-AA playoff contenders Massachusetts (Oct. 18), Hofstra (Oct. 25) and Maine (Nov. 8) at UB Stadium.

The Bulls will open their 84th season of football on Saturday, Aug. 30 when they play host to Lock Haven in a 7:00 p.m. start at UB Stadium. The Bulls will also host Delaware State (Sept. 13) and West Chester University (Sept. 27) at UB Stadium, where the Bulls finished 4-2 last season and drew 41% more fans than they did in 1995. The Bulls will play seven teams in 1997 that won six or more games last season.

"Once again this season we face a tremendous challenge on the field by playing the caliber of opponents on our schedule," said head coach Craig Cirbus. "We obviously will get a taste of our future in the MAC when we play Ohio University, one of the most improved teams in the country last season. In addition to that game we look forward to continuing what has become good rivalries with well-established I-AA teams like Illinois State, Hofstra, Youngstown, UMass and Maine. We feel that we have put together one of the toughest Independent I-AA schedules in the nation."