Highpoint.com Stadium -- Piscataway, NJ
Buffalo fans hope to keep the good times rolling Saturday when the two programs battle on the Scarlet Knights’ turf. Rutgers, now a Big Ten member, leads the all-time series 5-1. That one victory came in 2002 -- before Rutgers joined the Big Ten.
While the Knights opened with a 35-7 victory at home against Texas State, there have been some tough times since that opener. First, an early date against Ohio State resulted in a 52-2 beating. Last week, Kansas rolled Rutgers 56-14. Among the Knights problems were turnovers, as Kansas was plus-6 in turnover margin for the day.
Buffalo, meanwhile, is 3-0 for the first time since 1983 and is seeking to go to 4-0 for t981. So far, the Bulls are doing many things well.
Much of the credit goes to an offense which is averaging 39.7 ppg.
BUFFALO BULLS (3-0)
➤➤ Winning at Rutgers would give the bulls two non-conference road wins for the first time since UB joined the FBS ranks 91999)
➤➤ Quarterback Tyree Jackson leads the MAC in passing yards (263.0 ypg). He is sixth in pass efficiency. His 12 touchdown passes over the first three games are the most in school history to start a season. The junior is tied for second in the nation in passing TDs.
➤➤ Jackson’s six TD passis in just over two quarters of work against Delaware State was a career high.
➤➤ Jackson completed 21 of 25 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns in his last action (against EMU).
➤➤ No small part of the Bulls passing success goes to the offensive line. UB is one of only three teams in the nation not to have allowed a sack this season.
➤➤ The Bulls have won six straight games, dating back to last season.
➤➤ Buffalo has scored 35+ points over the first three games of the season for the first time in school history.
➤➤ UB got an early start on conference play, facing Eastern Michigan at home last week. The Bulls prevailed 35-28.
Buffalo got an early lead with 14 first quarter points and kept the Eagles at bay the rest of the way. EMU scored its final touchdown with 42 seconds left, but it could not recover an onside kick.
➤➤ Junior receiver K.J. Osborn had one of the best games of his career again Eastern Michigan. The junior receiver had seven receptions for 188 yards and three touchdowns in the game. Two of Osborn’s three scores were 70+ yards (70, 75 yards).
Both Osborn and Anthony Johnson have a team-high 16 receptions on the season and have combined for seven of Buffalo’s 12 receiving TDs.
➤➤ Redshirt freshman Kevin Marks picked up 138 yards and two touchdowns against Temple. He leads the Bulls rushing attack with 219 yards and four touchdowns.
➤➤ Kicker Adam Mitcheson has just one field goal attempt, which he converted from 46 yards. He’s been good on 14 of 16 PAT attempts.
➤➤ Senior linebacker Khalil Hodge led Buffalo’s defense against EMU with 14 tackles. Senior defensive end Chuck Harris counted 2.5 sacks among his eight stops.
➤➤ Senior corner Cameron Lewis had a career-best two interceptions in the Bulls win over Temple.
➤➤ Buffalo had tried 11 fourth down conversions and converted seven.
RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (1-2, 1-0 MAC)
➤➤ Rutgers cornerback Blessuan Austin could miss the remainder of the season due to a knee injury. He missed all but four games the previous campaign.
➤➤ Freshman quarterback Artur Sitkowski (49.3%) has completed 33 of 67 passes for 290 yards with one TD and seven interceptions. Another option is senior Giovanni Rescigno, who is 12 of 24 for 104 yards with one interception.
➤➤ Raheem Blackshear (40 carries, 195 yards, 1 TD) and Jonathan Hilliman 33 carries, 134 yards, 3 TDs) lead the Knight’s ground attack and have provided all four rushing TDs.
➤➤ Raheem Blackshear, the Knghts’ leading rusher, also has the most catches -- 12 for 68 yards -- and the team’s lone receiving touchdown. Jerome Washington has six catches for a team-high 85 yards.
➤➤ Deonte Roberts and Jon Bateky both blocked field goals in the loss to Kansas. Roberts returned his block 64 yards for a TD.
➤➤ The Knight’s 52 blocked kicks since 2009 is the most in the nation over that span (and 10 more than any other program).