Saturday December 12 -- 2:30 p.m. ET
UB Stadium – Amherst, New York
CBSSN
One week after breaking a 21-game losing streak, the Akron Zips will face this year's MAC East champion Buffalo Bulls Saturday at UB Stadium. With cancellations impacting schedules, the league earlier this week announced UB would represent the East Division at the MAC championship game. Buffalo, at 4-0, is the MAC's only undefeated team.
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BUFFALO BULLS (4-0)
>> The Bulls game last Saturday at Ohio was canceled due to Covid-19 issues within the Bobcats program.
>> In their last game (November 28), the Bulls defeated Kent State at home 70-41 to take sole possession of the MAC Eastern Division. The game was close, with the home team holding just a four point lead midway through the third quarter, before UB pulled away to secure its victory.
>> Junior RB Jaret Patterson was the star of the game, with 409 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. UB rushed for a school record 515 yards.
>> Despite the cancellation, the Bulls are ranked 24th in this week’s Associated Press College Football poll.
>> UB opened this abbreviated 2020 campaign with a road win at Northern Illinois 49-30 then followed with a home wins over Miami 42-10 in a battle of two preseason MAC East favorites The Bulls followed with wins over Bowling Green (42-17) and KSU.
>> Buffalo is 4-0 in MAC play for just the third time in program history.
>> In their four victories, the Bulls have averaged 50.8 points and 324.5 yards offensively
>> The Blue and White defense has allowed 24.5 points and 408 yards
>> Head Coach Lance Leipold is in his sixth season at UB and has a 35-32 record with the Bulls. He is 145-38 overall record after a stellar coaching career at Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater
>> Over the past two-plus seasons, the Bulls running game has been the best in the MAC. They have continued this season as Jaret Patterson leads the conference with 920 total yards. He has scored 15 touchdowns on the ground and 16 overall (leading the MAC)
>> Patterson needs just 80 yards to reach the 1,000 yard mark. He is among the leaders in the Football Bowl Subdivision, averaging 230 yards. The 409 rushing yards against KSU was second best in FBS history.
>> Kyle Van Trease is 10-2 overall as a starter and has completed 46-of-77 passes for 750 yards with five touchdowns an only one INT.
>> Antonio Nunn leads the receiving corps with 19 catches for 348 yards and two touchdowns
>> The offensive line has not allowed a sack in the four games and has helped the bulls succeed in 11-of-12 chances inside the red zone.
>> The defense is led by junior LB James Patterson leads in total tackles with 37 (22 solo)
AKRON ZIPS (1-4)
>> The Zips were able to play Saturday afternoon and defeated Bowling Green in the home finale at InfoCision Stadium, 31-3. After the two teams exchanged field goals the Akron scored the final 28 points.
>> The victory ended UA’s 21-game overall losing streak and eight-game skid at home. Head Coach Tom Arth his first victory as head coach of the Akron Blue and Gold.
>> On a day that included wind and snow, the ground game was particularly useful. Junior RB Teon Dollard rushed 26 times for 185 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Zach Gibson connected on only 9-of-17 passes for 87 yards. However, one of them resulted in a touchdown to Junior WR George Qualls, had four catches on the day for 23 yards.
>> The Akron defense was led by Junior LB Bubba Arslanian. He had 16 total tackles (11 solo) with a sack, a forced fumble and two tackles for losses.
>> The Zips 2020 offense has averaged 19.2 point and 296.6 total yards per game.
>> Dollard is second in MAC rushing with 641 yards with six touchdowns.
>> Kyle Gibson has completed 70-of-119 passes for 725 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions.
>> Defensively UA in their five games has allowed 38.4 points and 450.4 yards
>> Bubba Arslanian leads the MAC in tackle with 61 total stops (37 solo).
>> Freshman P Kyle Romanick is sixth in punting averaging 41.2 yards per kick.