Buffalo Football Game Preview: Army Black Knights

After a slow start to the season, the Buffalo Bulls get to come back home and take on Army. While this season has had a disappointing start, 0-2 is not dead in the water. With a win in tonight's game, the Bulls will sit at 1-2 and only one game off of where we had them at this point in the season. The reigns have now been officially given to R-freshman QB Tyree Jackson and it is exciting to see where this team will go behind the young play caller.  The defense had a strong performance against Albany week 1 and followed it up with a poor performance against Nevada. I expect them to come back and play stronger this week and hopefully bottle up the dangerous Army triple option offense. Here's what to look for in the upcoming game.

Players to Watch

Andy Davidson - The leading rusher for the run heavy Black Knights, Davidson has been the big scoring threat this season. With 6 TD's in just 3 games, keeping Davidson from finding the end zone is very important to Buffalo success. The defense struggled to contain the run in Reno so hopefully they have learned from the film and can shut down this versatile player.

Ahmad Bradshaw - The starting QB for Army, don't expect to see Bradshaw airing it out down the field. With only 13 pass attempts on the season, Bradshaw becomes dangerous with his legs. He's gained the second most yards on the team only being beaten by aforementioned Davidson. If the Bulls can somehow force this team to pass, Bradshaw could have a tough day. If he's able to run wild, expect a long day for Buffalo fans.

Andrew King - This senior is a staple in the defense. Highlighted in an Army article, this linebacker has 16 tackles and 2 sacks in the teams first 3 games. The Buffalo read option can hopefully confuse Army's defensive leader but always be aware of where King is on the field. If Buffalo can limit his impact on the game this offense should be able to get rolling.

Final Thoughts

This seems like a game that I would have enjoyed more before the season started. Army, a usually weaker school, has come out with fire this season and has looked dangerous. Buffalo on the other hand hasn't come out energized this season yet. If the Buffalo defense continues to play like they did against Nevada, expect the Black Knights to run wild on this defense. I think Tyree Jackson performs much better today now that he's had a start under his belt. Overall though I think the triple option is too much to handle for this defense and Army wins 31-17.

Win Percentage

I'm going to be generous and give the Bulls a 25% chance to win tonight. Overall they have not shown me much to believe in so far but if there is ever a game to turn it around it's this. If the team can clamp down on the run, stay focused on their assignments and play with the energy I know they have in them, look for the Bulls to pull of the upset. I don't see all of those things coming together tonight however. I would love more than anything to be proven wrong and see Buffalo give the fans a nice win to restore hope in the season. Never forget, it's not over until it's over.