The Tailgate Preview: Buffalo at Liberty

For years The Pregame Meal was a staple of football week here at Bull Run. I can’t replicate that, so this is The Tailgate.

Jello Shots: 100 Words

This is the swing game in UB’s nonconference schedule, and last week’s results have us a little optimistic. The Flames lost by three scores to Louisiana-Lafayette, and their opponent from a Week 1 shut outloss got stomped. Liberty’s only offense this season has come on a pair of long plays, and they give up gobs and gobs of big-play yards, so there’s a real opportunity for the Bulls to grind the clock with some road-grader running. I don’t have much knowledge on Hugh Freeze’s in-game acumen, but it’s probably an obstacle for the hosts that he’s not on the sidelines.

Actual Analysis: Statistical Leaders

Passing: LU QB Stephen Calvert 41-76-3/446/1

UB QB Matt Myers 21-41-1/314/3

Receiving: LU WR Antonio Gandy-Golden 12/189/0 (long of 56)

UB WR Antonio Nunn 5/113/0

LU WR DJ Stubbs 10/99/1

UB TE Zac Lefebvre 4/76/2

Rushing: UB RB Jaret Patterson 35/165/1

LU RB Frankie Hickson 29/162/1 (long of 66)

UB RB Kevin Marks 30/152/0

Song of the Week

Beat What You Eat

If you do it, take video for me.

Drink!

Easy choice this week: 500 ccs of saline, delivered intravenously.

Three to Watch

Special Teams: We hit too many kicks in the first game and a half, and flew too close to the sun. I can honestly say this is the most interested in our kicking game I’ll be since the absolutely BANANAS first half of the International Bowl.

That was more than ten years ago, which is scary.

Julien Bourassa: The backup tight end from Quebec pulled in Buffalo’s lone score last week, and actually has a little more size than Zac Lefebvre, who we don’t expect to play regardless of the depth chart. Even if Bourassa is a step down from Lefebvre, it’s still critical he offer an effective release valve for Myers and the passing game to take some heat off Nunn, Marks, and Patterson.

Antonio Gandy-Golden: Liberty’s senior wideout has NFL size at 6-4, 220 and could be the weapon that keeps the Flames in the game even if UB is able to control the clock with their run game. He’s been remarkably consistent in Lynchburg, with almost identical 1000-yard, 10-touchdown seasons in 2017 and 2018, and was a big-play receiver in limited 2016 action as well. With respect to Buffalo’s pair of running backs, he’s the biggest playmaking threat in the game.