Two teams trying to reach .500 before heading into conference play will meet when Florida Atlantic (C-USA) visits Buffalo Saturday.
The Owls, operating under new head coach Lane Kiffin, fell to Navy, 42-19, before dropping a 31-14 decision at No. 9 Wisconsin. FAU then put it all together in a 45-0 blistering of Bethune-Cookman last week.
Lance Leipold’s . . .
The Owls, operating under new head coach Lane Kiffin, fell to Navy, 42-19, before dropping a 31-14 decision at No. 9 Wisconsin. FAU then put it all together in a 45-0 blistering of Bethune-Cookman last week.
Lance Leipold’s . . .
. . . Bulls, meanwhile, opened with a relatively close defeats at Minnesota (17-7) and Army (21-17). Their first action on home turf was both successful and productive as they posted a 33-10 victory over Colgate.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC AT BUFFALO
Saturday, Sept. 24 – 7 p.m. ET
UB Stadium
ESPN3
Saturday, Sept. 24 – 7 p.m. ET
UB Stadium
ESPN3
FLORIDA ATLANTIC (1-2)
● Head coach Lane Kiffin was a backup quarterback at Fresno State, but elected to forego his senior season sto become a student assistant coach for position coach Jeff Tedford. It was the start of a winding career as Kiffin has bounced around coaching jobs that have included positions with the NFL, Southern Cal, and most recently Alabama – among others.
● Florida Atlantic is located in Boca Raton, Florida, and the Owls are members of Conference USA. A preseason media poll predicted FAU would finish fifth in the seven-team East Division.
● Overall, the Owls are scoring 26.0 ppg and surrendering 24.3 ppg. Both figures were were enhanced by last week’s 45-0 blowout of Bethune-Cookman.
● Florida Atlantic rushed for a program record 439 yards against B-C and registered the program’s first shutout in 11 years. The 45-point differential tied FAU’a all-time margin of victory since joining the FBS.
● Senior RB Gregory (Buddy” Howell Jr. ran for 175 yards in the win over Bethune-Cookman. Nine ballcarriers were used in the onslaught.
● Redshirt sophomore Daniel Parr hs completed 43 of 75 pass attempts (57.3%) for 588 yards, with four TDs and two interceptions.
● Junior DeAndre McNeil leads the team with 11 receptions for 261 yards (long of 63) and two scores.
● FAU put up pretty good fight at Wisconsin, especially considering hurricane worries back home at the time. The Owls trailed 24-14 at intermission and Wisconsin added the game’s only second half score in the third period.
BUFFALO BULLS (1-2)
● UB won the only other between the two programs – a 33-15 decision at FAU in 2015.
● The Bulls have score touchdowns on their first drives in each of their last two games. UB tallied just once in the opening series all last year.
● The Bulls rank first in the MAC and fourth in the nation in pass defense, allowing ust one aerial TD and 104 passing yards per outing. They will be facing an opponent who also has some good pass defense stats. The Owls are 11th nationally (124.3 ypg) .
● Buffalo owned a 17-7 lead over Army through three quarters. However, the Black Knights got two 1-yard TD runs from Darnell Woolfolk to pull out a victory at West Point.
● Quarterback Tyree Jackson is a key offensive piece for the Bulls. He has completed 40 of 74 passes (54.1%) for 588 yards, with three TDs and one interception.
He also leads UB rushers, carrying 29 times for 189 yards (long of 75) and two rushing scores.
● Anthony Johnson has over twice as many receptions as any other Bulls player, pulling down 16 catches for 282 yards and a pair of TDs. Johnson has had a catch of at least 46 yards in each of the first three games.
● Emmanuel Reed registered a career-high 120 yards rushing with a TD on 22 carries against Colgate.
● Khalil Hodge leads the MAC and ranks fourth in the nation in tackles, averaging 12 tackles per game. He notched a career-high 20 stops against Minnesota in the 2017 opener.
● Hodge is part of a very strong unit for the Bulls, who returned all three starting linebackers for 2017.
● Head coach Lane Kiffin was a backup quarterback at Fresno State, but elected to forego his senior season sto become a student assistant coach for position coach Jeff Tedford. It was the start of a winding career as Kiffin has bounced around coaching jobs that have included positions with the NFL, Southern Cal, and most recently Alabama – among others.
● Florida Atlantic is located in Boca Raton, Florida, and the Owls are members of Conference USA. A preseason media poll predicted FAU would finish fifth in the seven-team East Division.
● Overall, the Owls are scoring 26.0 ppg and surrendering 24.3 ppg. Both figures were were enhanced by last week’s 45-0 blowout of Bethune-Cookman.
● Florida Atlantic rushed for a program record 439 yards against B-C and registered the program’s first shutout in 11 years. The 45-point differential tied FAU’a all-time margin of victory since joining the FBS.
● Senior RB Gregory (Buddy” Howell Jr. ran for 175 yards in the win over Bethune-Cookman. Nine ballcarriers were used in the onslaught.
● Redshirt sophomore Daniel Parr hs completed 43 of 75 pass attempts (57.3%) for 588 yards, with four TDs and two interceptions.
● Junior DeAndre McNeil leads the team with 11 receptions for 261 yards (long of 63) and two scores.
● FAU put up pretty good fight at Wisconsin, especially considering hurricane worries back home at the time. The Owls trailed 24-14 at intermission and Wisconsin added the game’s only second half score in the third period.
BUFFALO BULLS (1-2)
● UB won the only other between the two programs – a 33-15 decision at FAU in 2015.
● The Bulls have score touchdowns on their first drives in each of their last two games. UB tallied just once in the opening series all last year.
● The Bulls rank first in the MAC and fourth in the nation in pass defense, allowing ust one aerial TD and 104 passing yards per outing. They will be facing an opponent who also has some good pass defense stats. The Owls are 11th nationally (124.3 ypg) .
● Buffalo owned a 17-7 lead over Army through three quarters. However, the Black Knights got two 1-yard TD runs from Darnell Woolfolk to pull out a victory at West Point.
● Quarterback Tyree Jackson is a key offensive piece for the Bulls. He has completed 40 of 74 passes (54.1%) for 588 yards, with three TDs and one interception.
He also leads UB rushers, carrying 29 times for 189 yards (long of 75) and two rushing scores.
● Anthony Johnson has over twice as many receptions as any other Bulls player, pulling down 16 catches for 282 yards and a pair of TDs. Johnson has had a catch of at least 46 yards in each of the first three games.
● Emmanuel Reed registered a career-high 120 yards rushing with a TD on 22 carries against Colgate.
● Khalil Hodge leads the MAC and ranks fourth in the nation in tackles, averaging 12 tackles per game. He notched a career-high 20 stops against Minnesota in the 2017 opener.
● Hodge is part of a very strong unit for the Bulls, who returned all three starting linebackers for 2017.
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