Oct. 6, 2007
Final Stats | Notes
AMHERST, N.Y. - Buffalo had not previously won a Homecoming game at UB Stadium since 1998, but the Bulls snapped that eight year losing streak when they shocked the Bobcats with a 31-10 upset, handing Ohio it's fourth straight loss.
The Bulls (2-4, 2-1 MAC) controlled the line of scrimmage throughout the contest en route to the victory. Buffalo finished with a 397-276 advantage in total offense. On the ground the Bulls rolled up 251 yards to Ohio (2-4, 0-2 MAC) managed just 90.
Bobcat tailback Kalvin McRae (Decatur, Ga.) finished with 96 yards on the ground while quarterbacks Brad Bower (Burr Ridge, Ill.) and Theo Scott (Long Beach, Calif.) each had 93 yards through the air.
James Starks paced the Buffalo offense with a career-high 183 yards on the ground while Drew Willy passed for 118.
On the opening drive of the game the Bulls were able to reach the Ohio 19-yard line. The Bobcats defense forced Buffalo to attempt what would have been a 36-yard field goal, but the Bulls called a fake and Ohio safety Todd Koenig (Nanty Glo, Pa.) caught kicker A.J. Principe short of the first down marker to end the threat.
After the two teams traded a pair of punts apiece, the homestanding Bulls then put together a 10-play drive that consumed 5:04 on the game clock and ended with a one-yard plunge by James Starks to give Buffalo the first score of the game at 7-0 with 2:23 remaining in the first quarter.
Ohio's third possession of the game, which stretched across the end of the first quarter and into the second, resulted in the first score of the day for the Bobcats. Bower engineered a 12-play, 64-yard drive that resulted in a four-yard touchdown run by McRae that tied the score with 12:01 remaining in the half.
The Bulls were able to provide an immediate answer, however. Quarterback Drew Willy led Buffalo on an eight-play drive that ate up 6:10 of the clock and was concluded by a Brandon Thermilus one-yard carry to put the Bulls ahead 14-7 with 5:45 left.
As the two teams went to the locker room at halftime, Buffalo had a decided advantage in offensive statistics as it had out-gained the Bobcats 251-101 and held a 14-7 advantage in first downs gained.
Out of the break the two teams traded field goals to open scoring in the second half. Buffalo's Principe nailed a career-long 43-yarder to put the Bulls up 17-7, but with Scott under center, the Bobcats answered with a nine-play drive that was capped off by a 26-yard field goal by Michael Braunstein (Gilbert, Ariz.), which made it 17-10 with 7:11 left in the period.
The Bobcat defense was unable to keep Buffalo from once again extending the lead, however. The Bulls went on a 10-play drive that carried over to the beginning of the fourth quarter that was concluded with a Willy quarterback sneak on fourth-and-goal to put them ahead 24-10 with 14:53 remaining.
Midway through the final period the Ohio offense put together an 11-play drive that nearly resulted in a score that would have brought the `Cats to within a score, but Scott's shuttle pass to Joshua Abrams (Dunwoody, Ga.) was stopped short of the goal line on fourth down and the Bulls took over the ball.
Buffalo added one last touchdown on a 72 yard run with just more than two minutes remaining to push the score to 31-10.
The Bobcats never seriously threatened again and the Bulls ran out the clock to seal the victory.
The win marked the first time the Bulls have ever defeated a defending Mid-American Conference divisional champion.
The Bobcats will host Eastern Michigan next Saturday for Homecoming. Kick-off is set for noon and the game will be part of the ESPN Plus package.
