The Sports Xchange
NCAAF Team Report – Buffalo – INSIDE SLANT
Buffalo pulled out all stop against Ohio. The Bulls ran the Wildcat, a flea flicker, blocked a punt and converted a first down off a fake punt. The fourth string tailback and the starting quarterback each rushed for 100 yards.
But here’s the final result: Ohio 38, Buffalo 31.
In a contest that once again called attention to their promise along with their seemingly never-ending issues on deal closing, the Bulls built a 14-point lead, bounced back from a 10-point deficit and then turned to vapor down the stretch in a loss to unbeaten Ohio.
But this is how Buffalo lost: Turnovers which the Bobcats converted into points. A 100-yard kick return after stunning the Bobcats for a pair of early scores. The defense allowed touchdown drives of 65 and 55 yards in the final 20 minutes when they played as stout as ever prior to that point.
“It’s beyond frustrating,” Buffalo quarterback Alex Zordich told The Buffalo News. “We made plays. We made great plays. But we made plays that put us out of the game. We didn’t take care of the ball when we needed to. If you look at how many yards we had on offense, we should have won the game. But we didn’t.”
Said tight end Alex Dennison: “You just focus on the things you did right because we did a lot of good things. The way to stay positive is to know we did so many good things and we need to keep moving forward with those good things we did.”
Buffalo outgained Ohio, 501-333, and 313-161 on the ground. True freshman Devin Campbell, No. 4 on the running back depth chart a month ago, ran 30 times for 160 yards in his first career start. Zordich carried 19 times for 110. The Bulls held the ball for more than 35 minutes.
“We played well, that’s the frustrating thing,” Dennison said. “Everyone played so well. The offense line may have played their best game of the year.”
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NCAAF Team Report – Buffalo – NOTES, QUOTES
WHAT’S AHEAD: Buffalo is on the road for the third consecutive week, this time against Northern Illinois, which trails Toledo by a game in the West Division standings. After back-to-back losses to start conference play, the Bulls need to gain some kind of momentum against the Huskies. A loss would all but eliminate Buffalo from a shot at the East Division crown.
–Buffalo is now 1-7 at Peden Stadium.
–Buffalo entered the game as one of only four teams to have scored on every trip to the red zone (9-for-9).
–The Bulls are fourth in the nation in sacks with 17 after 16 all of last year.
–The captains for the Ohio game were Mack, Steven Means, Colby Way and Jimmy Gordon.
KEEP AN EYE ON: RB Devin Campbell became the first Buffalo true freshman since 2000 to rush for 100 yards in a game, gaining 160 on 30 carries. Campbell was fourth on the depth chart at the start of the season but was inserted into the starting lineup because of an ankle injury to Brandon Murie.
LOOKING GOOD: Buffalo rolled up over 500 yards of total offense, outgaining the Bobcats 501-333. The Bulls ran 92 plays, surpassing its previous season high of 70. The team reached the 500 yard plateau for the eighth time since 1999, and the fourth time under Quinn. Campbell rushed for a career-high 160 yards and as a team, the Bulls rushed for a season-high 313 yards against an Ohio defense that came into the game allowing just 94 yards per game on the ground. Along with Campbell, Alex Zordich ran 18 times for 108 yards, making him the first quarterback in Buffalo’s FBS era to crack the century mark.
STILL NEEDS WORK: Buffalo committed three turnovers, two of them resulting in points. The special teams yielded a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown after roaring to a 14-0 lead. They allowed touchdown drives of 65 and 55 yards inside the final 20 minutes when they had yielded no drives longer than 39 yards before that point.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “I just want to play my game, follow behind the linemen and just follow the game plan. Coach (Matt) Simon did a great job preparing us for this week so I just went out did what he coached us to do. At first I was a little nervous but once I got comfortable after the first drive, I just went in and did what I was supposed to do.” — Buffalo RB Devin Campbell.
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NCAAF Team Report – Buffalo – STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
PLAYER NOTES:
–LB Khalil Mack partially blocked a punt before the drive that led to Patrick Clarke’s field goal but for the first time this season Mack did not have a tackle for a loss.
–CB Najja Johnson intercepted Ohio’s Tyler Tettleton in the first quarter, ending a streak of 161 passes without a pick for the Bobcats QB. Johnson also thwarted an Ohio fake field goal on fourth and 3 in the second quarter.
–TE Alex Dennison ran four times for 13 yards out of the wildcat and threw a pass to Alex Neutz that went for 55 yards and a touchdown off a reverse. The play drew Buffalo within 24-21 early in the third quarter.
–P Tyler Grassman ran 13 yards for a first down on fourth and 10, keeping alive the third-quarter drive that resulted in Patrick Clarke’s tying 45-yard field goal.
–WR Alex Neutz fumbled after a second-quarter reception, leading to an Ohio touchdown which tied the score early in the second quarter. The Bobcats scored on the next play, a 14-yard run by Beau Blankenship. “It’s tough,” Neutz told The Buffalo News. “First turnover of my college career.”
ROSTER REPORT
–RB Brandon Murie (ankle) had been starting for Bo Oliver, who did not dress for the second straight game because of a knee injury. Oliver’s backup to start the season, James Potts, was lost for the season after suffering a knee injury in Week Two.
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