InfoCision Stadium – Akron, OH
ESPN+
By Evan Meyer
After rallying for a 27-26 victory over MAC East rival last week, the Buffalo Bulls need to stay in the win column to keep any title hopes alive. They'll face Akron Saturday, with the Zips looking to bounce back from last week's 34-21 loss at Miami.
Saturday’s game marks the 20th lifetime meeting between the two schools, with Buffalo holding an 11-9 advantage. UB has won the last three games and six of the last seven, including last year’s tilt at UB Stadium, 56-7.
Saturday will mark the ninth played in Akron, where the Zips hold a 7-2 edge overall. It is the sixth at InfoCision Stadium, with UA winning four of the encounters. The last Akron victory over the Bulls (21-0) was on October 19, 2019.
Here's more on the two teams . . .
BUFFALO BULLS (3-4, 1-2):
>> The Bulls defeated the Ohio University 27-26 at UB Stadium last Saturday . Buffalo came back from a 21-0 first quarter deficit, ultimately winning the game on a 26-yard field goal by PK Alex McNulty.
>> Visiting Ohio opened the game by dominating the first quarters with three straight touchdowns. One was a 99-yard touchdown run by Ohio QB Armani Rogers -- the longest run by a quarterback in Division I-A/FBS history.
>> UB got back into the game in the second quarter, starting with a 43-yard field goal by McNulty. Junior RB Dylan McDuffie's four-yard run cut the deficit to 21-10 at intermission.
>> After the Bobcats added a field goal and a safety in the third quarter, extending their lead to 26-10, the final 15-minutes were all Buffalo.
The leader of the comeback was senior QB Kyle Vantrease, who threw for two touchdowns each to a pair of sophomore tight-ends -- Tyler Stevens and Trevor Borland. In addition, Vantrease converted a two-point conversion to McDuffie.
Down 26-24,
The Bulls defense forced a three-and-out, but Jack Wilson's 62-yard punt forced UB to start its drive from Bulls 22. Sixteen plays later, Buffalo reached the Bobcats 14 with just three seconds left. McNulty's field goal try was off, but when Ohio was called for offsides, he got another chance. This time, his kick was good and Buffalo escaped with a 27-26 win.
>> McDuffie had 23 carries for 143 yards and a touchdown. Vantrease was 22-of-30 passing for 261 yards, with two scores and two-point conversions. RB Ron Cook came out of the backfield to catch four passes for 62 yards.
>> The UB defense had a sack, four tackles for losses, a pass breakup, forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
>> LB James Patterson notched 15 total tackles (eight solo) -- his best numbers of the season -- and was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week.
>> Buffalo split its four non-conference games with wins over Wagner (FCS) and Old Dominion while losing to Nebraska and nationally ranked Coastal Carolina.
>> UB is coached by Maurice Lindquist, who is midway through his first season. He took over for Lance Leipold, who left after the Bulls win over Marshall in the Camellia Bowl to take the head coaching job at Kansas.
>> This is Lindquist’s first head coaching job. His first ever win was over Wagner and his first MAC victory came against Ohio.
>> Over seven games in 2021, the UB Offense has averaged 30.6 points (second best in the MAC) and 405.3 yards. The offensive line has allowed just four sacks (second best as well).
>> McDuffie leads the rushers with 492 yards on 83 carries with six touchdowns (ranking fourth).
>> Vantrease (who grew up just north of the UA campus in Stow, Ohio) is completing 61.3 percent of his passes (130-of-217) for 1,441 yards, with five touchdowns and four interceptions. He is fourth in total offense at 218.6 yards per game.
>> Graduate WR Quian Williams, a transfer from Eastern Michigan, leads the receivers with 41 catches for 579 yards and a touchdown third best in the MAC.
>> The Buffalo defense has allowed 27.9 ppg and 419.6 ypg.
>> Patterson leads defenders with 74 total tackles (30 solo) tops in the conference.
>> Senior LB Taylor Riggins has seven tackles for losses (30 yards), four sacks, and two forced fumbles. Riggins missed the entire pandemic 2020 season with an injury.
AKRON ZIPS (2-5, 1-2):
>> Last Saturday, the Zips failed to win consecutive games for the first time since 2018, losing to the Miami Redhawks in Oxford 34-21.
>> Akron fell behind early as the home team scored touchdowns on its first two possessions and built a 21-7 lead by halftime.
-- UA’s only in score in the first half came on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Redshirt sophomore QB Kyle Gibson to freshman TE Tristan Brank in the second quarter.
-- MU added two more touchdowns in the third quarter, making the score 34-7 before the Zips ended the scoring in the fourth quarter on a pair of touchdowns from Gibson. One was a 27-yarder to sophomore WR Michael Mathison and the final covered 50 yards to junior WR Andre Williams.
>> The ground game managed just 65 yards on the afternoon and was led by freshman RB Blake Hester with just 29 yards on 20 carries.
>> Gibson, making his first start since last season’s finale at Buffalo, had a career game passing, going 25-of-39 for 291 yards and the three scores.
>> Freshman WR Konata Mumpfield had 10 catches for 109 yards (second consecutive he has gone over the century mark in receiving yards).
>> The defense registered a sack, two tackles for losses, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.
>> Sophomore LB Jesford Boateng led defenders with nine total tackles (five solo).
>> Over seven games of 2021, UA’s offense is averaging 21.3 points and 338.1 yards per game.
>> Hester leads rushers with 255 yards on 57 carries and a pair of touchdowns.
>> Redshirt freshman DJ Irons, despite not playing since the second half of the Ohio game due to a lower body injury, is the leading passer among the QB’s. He has completed 69.2 percent of his throws (72-of-104) for 824 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions.
>> In just six quarters, entering the Bowling Green game at the start of the second half, Gibson has completed 39-of-54 passes (72.2 percent) for 468 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions.
>> Mumpfield leads the receivers with 38 catches for 459 yards and six scores.
>> The defense has allowed 38 points and 444.1 yards. Akron has missed the leadership of LB Bubba Arslanian, who has not played the since the Ohio State game due to an undisclosed injury.
>> Boateng leads in total tackles with 48 (21 solo), also has 4.5 tackles for losses and 1.5 sacks.
>> DB Charles Amanukaa has three interceptions, tied for the lead in the MAC.
>> Freshman P Ethan Slike is averaging 43.8 yards per punt, which is second in the conference.
>> Head Coach Tom Arth is 0-2 lifetime against Buffalo.