Buffalo starts their 2024 campaign looking to right several wrongs— but draw a tough assignment striaght out the gate.
Playing Patriot League teams is the closest that an FBS program can come to going to battle against the original knights in cracked leather of the sport’s early days, and like their Ivy-clad cousins, programs from this conference put up tougher fights than many other teams in the FCS.
2023 Patriot League winners Lafayette come to Buffalo to test their mettle in what could prove to be a bit of a war.
Game Info
- Date and time: Thursday, Aug. 29, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time
- Location: University of Buffalo Stadium in Amherst, New York
- Weather: High 70s Fahrenheit, mostly sunny with decreasing temps throughout.
- Gambling considerations: N/A
- Viewing options: The game will be available exclusively via ESPN+. A valid subscription is required for viewing.
- Radio options: Paul Peck (play-by-play) and Scott Wilson (color) providing the Buffalo call on The Varsity Network App
Getting to know the Leopards
William Bretzger-Delaware News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
John Troxell’s squad is looking to continue their winning ways after a 9-3 season which culminated with a Patriot League title— the program’s first in ten years. It was also the Leopards’ first winning season since 2013, the most wins in a season since 1981, their best conference record since 2006, and its first Top 25 appearance since 2009. All in all, not bad!
Troxell was Patriot League Coach of the Year, and the season finale win over Lehigh marked the program’s 700th all-time win.
Lafayette has some serious talent. Quarterback Dean DeNobile posted a 67 percent completion percentage and just shy of 2,000 yards, tossing 20 touchdowns to just five interceptions; the definition of getting your money’s worth. He broke his ankle in Lafayette’s 36-34 playoff loss to Delaware, but he’s back and healthy through camp. The Leopards averaged just under 190 yards a game rushing (17th in the FCS), and returning tailback Jamar Curtis ranked second in the FCS in yards per game (132.7) and third in total rushing (1,460). He also averaged 6.2 yards per carry, good for 20th among FCS rushers.
Think again if you discount Lafayette’s defense. Their 3.1 sacks per game and seven tackles-for-loss ranked fifth and 16th in the FCS respectively. In games against Princeton, Bucknell, and Monmouth, the Leopards piled seven sacks on opposing quarterbacks in each game. Patriot League Rookie of the Year end Jaylon Joseph returns, hoping to capitalize on his 2023 campaign. Joseph registered 4 sacks last year. Senior safety Saiku White is on the 2025 Senior Bowl watchlist; White led the Patriot League with four interceptions, and finished second on the team in tackles.
Getting to know the Bulls
Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It was not a good year for the Buffalo Bulls in 2023.
The program took a considerable slide backwards, winning only three games. The winds of change that hit in the offseason were more an Alberta clipper than a slight breeze. Head coach Maurice Linguist resigned his position late in the cycle to take a defensive assistant job with new Alabama head man Kalen DeBoer. As a result, the Bulls are the only MAC team fronting a new coaching staff this year.
One of many challenges to hurdle for new whistle-wearer Pete Lembo was filling a fresh vacancy at quarterback. The Bulls’ staff seems to have settled on CJ Ogbonna. With 214 rushing yards and three touchdowns, Ogbonna’s mobility vastly outpaced any and all other skills last year, but he’ll have some lingering questions to answer in a full-time starting capacity— though he’ll also have the necessary room for his arm to show its stuff as well now that Cole Snyder has tranferred to Ontario Sandwich rival Eastern Michigan.
Helping Ogbonna is a very solid offensive line, anchored by All-MACer Tyler Doty at right guard, the program’s sole honoree in 2023. Zero of Buffalo’s top five receivers return in 2024, so they’ll be placing hope in Nik McMillan to build on his 180-yard performance last season, as well as transfers Taji Johnson (Boston College) and JJ Jenkins (Columbia). Running back is a position similarly in flux, but returning RBs Al-Jay Henderson and Lamar Sperling have lots of potential to keep Ogbonna from having to make everything happen himself.
I picked safety Marcus Fuqua to be MAC Defensive Player of the Year last year, and while he didn’t materialize his 2022 numbers in 2023, you’d be a monkey’s uncle to bet against this guy, let alone throw against him. Buffalo’s secondary has objective All-American talent, and is by far their strongest position group, even after a slide in 2023 and an influx of fresh faces this year. Shaun Dolac, 2022’s second-best tackler in the country, and Red Murdock, the guy who filled in for Dolac after the latter sustained a season-ending injury last year, will occupy the middle of Buffalo’s 4-2-5 defense. This tandem has the potential to cause serious trouble.
This is the one FBS-FCS matchup this conference sees this week that I think the FCS team has a legitimate chance to win. Buffalo just has too many pieces to figure out, and Lafayette is returning an experienced, extremely talented core on both sides of the ball. Buffalo’s secondary might give DeNobile trouble, but Lafayette’s defense is extremely good, and might overwhelm the Bulls’ relatively inexperienced offense.