The University at Buffalo football team opened up its long-awaited 2020 campaign Wednesday night with an impressive 49-30 win over the Northern Illinois Huskies in DeKalb, Illinois. After a solid end to the 2019 season, with great finishes by the defense and running back Jaret Patterson specifically, there’s been a lot of anticipation to see UB back on the field.
Many believe the Bulls are the best team in the Mid-American Conference heading into this season. Buffalo was picked to win the East division by the media and to finish second by the coaches. All 12 MAC schools were in action Wednesday night to open up the conference’s shortened six-game season.
Buffalo was featured on ESPN2 and play-by-play man Anish Shroff gave the Bulls high praise. Shroff called UB “the best team in the MAC,” and referred to Patterson as the conference’s best player.
Following the decisive victory and Patterson’s 20 carry, 137-yard, two-touchdown performance (with 129 of those yards in the first half), it’s safe to say the Bulls and their star tailback lived up to the preseason hype on opening night. The junior also reached an impressive milestone with his pair of scores on Wednesday. Patterson became Buffalo’s all-time rushing touchdown leader with 35 career scores, passing James Starks (2006-08).
Patterson got Buffalo on the board less than three minutes into the game with a five-yard rushing score that capped-off a quick, three-play, 55-yard drive after the UB defense forced a Northern Illinois three-and-out to start the evening.
The Huskies kicked a field goal on the following possession, a 14-play drive that took nearly eight minutes of time off the clock.
Buffalo’s offense kept things rolling, however, despite the long break on the sideline. Kyle Vantrease made a beautiful throw to Antonio Nunn, who made an even better catch in the end zone for a 17-yard score, stretching the UB lead to 14-3 before the end of the opening quarter.
Nunn led all UB receivers with six catches for 102 yards to go with his touchdown. Vantrease completed 11-of-17 passes for 175 yards, along with a touchdown and an interception.
Buffalo’s offensive momentum suddenly came to screeching halt in the second quarter. Northern Illinois’ deficit was cut to 14-10 after Erin Collins ran for a six-yard Husky touchdown with 11:37 until halftime. Vantrease threw an interception on the ensuing drive, but was bailed out by the defense after the unit forced another NIU three-and-out.
While the Huskies didn’t catch the Bulls on the scoreboard, it seemed as though the home squad was gaining more and more momentum as the teams traded punts in the mid-to-late second quarter. However, Patterson (who else, right?) stepped up and gave UB a boost when it was much needed, breaking-off for a 56-yard touchdown run, his record-breaking score, to give the Bulls a 21-10 lead late in the quarter.
NIU quickly responded and scored a touchdown with 35 seconds on the clock, but questionably elected to go for two and failed to convert, leaving the Bulls lead at 21-16 at the midway point.
Buffalo’s offense was still shaky to start the second half. However, the UB defense, once again, came through.
NIU quarterback Ross Bowers lost the ball while pump faking and Bulls linebacker Tim Terry Jr. returned it 46 yards for a scoop-and-score touchdown.
The Bulls added to the lead 45 seconds later on another fumble return touchdown, this one a 42-yard run-back from cornerback Isaiah King following a fumble by the Huskies’ Collins. Vantrease stretched the lead to 42-16 later in the quarter with a four-yard rushing touchdown.
While the back-to-back fumble recovery touchdowns were likely enough to put the game away, the Buffalo defense was far from finished. After forcing a third fumble late in the third quarter, linebacker Kadofi Wright returned an interception 65 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth to make it 49-16.
Despite missing senior defensive end Taylor Riggins and starting cornerbacks Ali Abbas and Aapri Washington, the Buffalo defense played a spectacular game.
Northern Illinois added a few late touchdowns, but don’t let the final 49-30 score tell the story. The defense had just as much to do with this win for UB as the offense did, if not more. The unit forced five turnovers (four fumbles and one interception), with three of them returned for scores; forced five three-and-outs and held NIU to 5-for-14 on third downs.
Another important note, the defense was on the field for nearly two-thirds of the game. The Huskies finished with 37:11 of possession time.
“Those plays by the defense really turned the tide for us,” Bulls head coach Lance Leipold said following the win. “Momentum was probably in Northern [Illinois]’s favor in the end of the second quarter, and then they got a stop early in the third. For us to make those plays, I’m really proud of them.”
The win over the Huskies was the Bulls’ first since joining the MAC in 1999. Prior to Wednesday night, UB was 0-11 against NIU, and it was the only team in the conference Buffalo hadn’t beaten since becoming a part of the league. Dating back to last season, the Bulls have now won seven of their last eight games, including the last four in a row.
Buffalo will play next on Tuesday, Nov. 10, when they host Miami (OH) at UB Stadium in the first home contest for the Bulls in 2020. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on ESPN. You can also listen to the game, along with pregame and postgame coverage on ESPN 1520.