Buffalo Opponent - Bowling Green

Buffalo this week travels to Bowling Green for their second MAC game.  The Bulls next two games are on the road before a bye week.  Both teams come into this game with a record of 3-2.  Both teams had loses the fan base chalked up in the win column when the schedule was released.  Bowling Green started off the season with a lose to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.  Buffalo  in week two lost to an Army team that has struggled mightily in past seasons. Both teams had close matches last week to two teams that were slated to be the cellar dweller's in the MAC.  The Bulls kept Miami in the game and won 35-27 and Miami's losing streak is now up to 21.  The longest streak in college football.   Bowling Green beat an up and coming UMass team 47-42.

Bowling Green was to many the favorite to win the MAC East but Bowling Green is down and teams are up.  The coaches poll had BGSU with 11 out of 12 votes to win the division.  Akron may have things to say about BGSU wining the division. Akron also sits at 3-2 with a solid win over Pitt.  My good friend was quick to say how Pitt is the youngest team in football.  Akron's two losses were to Marshall and Penn State.  I still believe that Buffalo has enough weapons to win any game in the MAC. This division is open for anyone to win.

The Buffalo vs. BGSU game is the biggest in the division this weekend and will go a long way towards crowning the champion.  I see this game being very close but high scoring.  I am stealing this stat from the BRuWPEG article. Both teams have trouble stopping anyone.  Excluding FCS VMI, Bowling Green is averaging 52.75 points allowed. The Bulls, excluding FCS Norfolk, are yielding 41.25 points against.  Obviously BGSU has the worst statistical defense in football.  Why?  Serious injuries in the secondary.  Both teams went against their own buzz saws in Wisconsin and Baylor.  Both fan bases are trying to wipe the memory of those games.  Joe Licata may have a career day and that is what it may take to win this game.  The Bulls defense did show promise against Miami but was that a Miami weakness or the defense starting to make plays?  This is going to be a track meet with a race to see who scores last.  The weather looks to be perfect with 70 degrees and nothing but sun.

BGSU makes hay with running back Travis Greene.  BGSU glad to have Green back and had a tough loss to Matt Johnson who was slated to be the MAC offensive player of the year at the QB position. BGSU lost Johnson to injury for the season  James Knapke has stepped in completing well over 60% of his passes, that even includes the Wisconsin debacle.  Make no mistake Travis Greene will be asked to win this game and averaging, even with a 1.6 yard per carry average against Wisconsin, over five yards per carry.  This will be an interesting match up for the Bulls. With the exception of one really big run against Miami, Buffalo has done well containing the run.  Also helped Miami lost it's starting running back during the game.  Can we just move past Army. The Bulls struggle to put consistent pressure on the QB and that does hurt a very raw secondary.  The secondary did tighten up against Miami and Ross is starting to be a player in coverage.

For the Bulls, the offense is finding waves of talent.  Anthone Taylor has a career game against Miami and was 27 yards shy of Bo Oiver and a UB record with 222 yards on the day.  The Bulls have a great MAC offensive line.  Miami worked hard to take away Ron Willoughby but up steps Jacob Martinez.  A red shirt freshman who was always open and at the press conference could not wipe the smile off his face.  He should be happy because BGSU will really struggle to cover all the weapons that Licata has done a tremendous job spreading the ball to.  Buffalo offense is deeper and more potent than UMASS.   Licata has two TE's in Mason Schreck and Matt Weiser who can not only block and open holes for the running game but can get open and move the chains and score points.  I am unable to get a straight answer on the status of RB Jordan Johnson.  Heard everything from out for the season with a MCL injury to maybe available this week.  I believe that you will not see Johnson for the remainder of the season.  Hopefully that is not the case as Devin Campbell is a step down and the one two punch of Taylor and Johnson was tough to stop.  Who is the wide receiver that will step up this week?  It will be will one maybe two with the lack of depth in the secondary for BGSU. The wide receiver of the game seems to rotate between Willoughby, Hughes, and now Martinez.

As of right now I am leaning towards a solid win for the Bulls.  It will be a great game and so much depends (not on a red wheel barrow) on the outcome of this game.