Buffalo dominated from start-to-finish in a future conference matchup.
The UMass Minutemen (0-3) had to beat the Buffalo Bulls (1-2) to keep their bowl hopes realistic. However, the Minutemen offense sputtered and regressed after a solid performance against Toledo, allowing the hosting Bulls to pull off a dominant 34-3 win.
While the offensive line protected Taisunn Phommachanh better, only allowing three sacks, the run game struggled mightily. The trio of Jalen John, Brandon Campbell, and C.J. Hester combined for 25 carries for 73 yards. Without Campbell’s 21-yard run in the third quarter, that total drops to 24 carries for 52 yards. No feature back has emerged for the Minutemen as of yet, and Taisun Phommachanh has had a lighter workload on the ground with only six carries, likely to limit the hits he takes. If Phommachanh continues to have a reduced workload running the ball, one of the running backs must step up and fill the role Kay’ron Lynch-Adams had last year.
Ther ground wasn’t the only concern for UMass on this day; the Minutemen could only muster 193 total yards and three points, mustering just two trips into Buffalo’s redzone and going 1-of-2 on field goals from the area.
Buffalo was the better team in all phases. CJ Ogbonna, hounded the previous two weeks by Wisconsin and Missouri, looked comfortable throwing the football, completing 14 of his 22 passes for 185 yards (only eight less than UMass’ offense had as a unit) and a touchdown. Lamar Spurling (14 rushes, 86 yards, one touchdown) also had a great afternoon, while JJ Jenkins led the receiving effort with 44 yards and a score on two receptions.
The defense also came through with a stout performance for the Bulls. In addition to holding the Minutemen to 72 rushing yards, the Bulls forced incompletions on more than half of Taisun Phommachanh’s 29 passes and sealed the game on Marquis Cooper’s 100-yard interception return.
Linebacker Shaun Dolac looks returned to his 2022 form after 16 tackles on Saturday. Fellow linebacker Red Murdock was not too far behind with 13 tackles. Dolac showed he is a legitimate All-American candidate.
A bowl looks unrealistic for UMass after the loss. The Minutemen have Missouri, Mississippi State, and Georgia on the schedule, along with Group of Five playoff contenders Liberty and NIU. With two FCS schools on the schedule, UMass can only lose two of these games. As long as C.J. Ogbonna continues improving, the Bulls have a reasonable shot at a bowl. The Bulls’ defense is much like Eastern Michigan’s last year, keeping a less-than-stellar offense in games.
UMass should notch their first win against Central Connecticut State next week, while Buffalo looks to spoil NIU’s first game as a ranked team since 2013.