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UB Men's Soccer Release 2006 Schedule

Missing out on a bid to the NCAA Tournament a season ago, the Bulls looked to bulk up and improve their RPI rankings by scheduling five opponents who participated in the tournament and finished the 2005 season atop the top 100 national rankings poll.

Playing in their first August game since 2003, the Bulls kick off the 2006 campaign against Pittsburgh and West Virginia in the West Virginia University Tournament on Aug. 25-27. West Virginia, which finished the 2005 season ranked 37th in the nation, last defeated UB by a count of 4-1 in 1998.

Buffalo next hosts the annual Bulls Fall Classic Sept. 1-3, where it will defend its title against Detroit, ranked 75th in the nation, and an opponent to be named later. Detroit, the Horizon League Championship runner-up, faced three Mid-American Conference opponents last season, going 2-1-0 in those games. A trio of away games against Loyola-Chicago, Valparaiso and Cornell prepare the Bulls for their home matchup versus Big 4 rival St. Bonaventure on Sept. 15.

A week later, UB welcomes Duquesne ranked 41st in the nation, who finished the season with a share of the Atlantic 10 regular season title. The Bulls last faced the Dukes in 2003. The MAC schedule begins with IPFW on Sept. 29. Unlike last season, the MAC schedule will be broken up with games outside the conference. UB visits 19th-ranked Penn State Oct. 8 then travels to WNY-foe Niagara on Oct. 15. Penn State advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament last season after receiving an automatic bid, defeating perennial favorite Indiana in the Big Ten Championship game.

Senior Day and the Bulls' home finale happens on Oct. 20 when they meet Northern Illinois under the lights at UB Stadium. The regular season's finale revisits last season's MAC Championship game with third-ranked Akron on Oct. 27.

Buffalo, who finished the season ranked 60th in the nation, welcomes a tougher schedule with post-season implications in its sights.

Click here to see the Bulls' complete 2006 schedule