College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Buffalo Bulls season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Buffalo Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2019 Record: 8-5 overall, 5-3 in MAC
Head Coach: Lance Leipold, 6th year, 31-32
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 92
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 39
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 101
No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: Buffalo Bulls Offense 3 Things To Know
– The offense that took a step back after a huge 2018 – averaging 389 yards and 32 points per game – is loaded with enough talent and experience to be among the MAC’s best attacks with eight starters expected back.
It starts with junior QB Kyle Vantrease, who wasn’t quite accurate enough on a regular basis, and he didn’t bomb away – he hit just 59% of his passes for 1,193 yards and eight scores with two interceptions – but that’s because he took over for sophomore Matt Myers, who connected on 47% of his throws for 602 yards and six scores with four picks before getting knocked out for the year.
They’re both big, they’re both experienced, and they both have live arms. And they can both run the attack. And …
CFN in 60 Video: Kansas State Preview
Buffalo at Kansas State, Sept. 5
– All of the top receivers are back. Including TE Zac Lefebvre – who caught 21 passes for 235 yards and two scores – the five pass catchers return. It starts with Antonio Nunn, an all-star who led the way with 49 catches and six scores, but senior Daniel Lee has the upside to be the team’s most dangerous target. This is a deep, talented group.
– Jaret Patterson and Kevin Marks is among the nation’s best 1-2 rushing punches. Patterson pounded out almost 1,800 yards and 19 scores, and the 200-pound Marks ran for 1,025 yards and eight touchdowns. Sophomores Dylan McDuffie and Ron Cook are back to be a part of the rotation, too.
The pass protection was second in the nation, and the line was amazing for the MAC’s top ground attack. In time, it’ll be solid again, but it loses three starters. Kayode Awosika is a 6-5, 305-pound all-star at one tackle spot, and Mike Novitsky is a good center to work around with nice athleticism for the position.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Buffalo Bulls Defense 3 Things To Know
4. College Football News Preview 2020: Buffalo Bulls Defense 3 Things To Know
– The defense that was the best in the MAC – allowing 292 yards and 21 points per game – loses its top two tackles, but eight of the top 12 tacklers are expected back. It starts with a killer pass rush that was the best in the conference, and should be close to that good again.
Senior Malcolm Koonce and Taylor Riggins combined for 17.5 sacks, but Ledarius Mack is gone after leading the way in tackles for loss.
The ends are terrific, and the line has bulk around 320-pound junior Eddie Wilson, but all-star Chibueze Onwuka is gone to Boston College. Even with the key losses, the nation’s fourth-best run D will be strong again.
– Second-leading tackler Matt Otwinowski is gone from the linebacking corps, but getting back James Patterson as the veteran leader and star is a huge plus. He was banged up last year on the outside, but the 230-pounder will likely work in the middle.
All-MAC performer Kadofi Wright is a good-sized all-around tackler on the outside, and junior Tim Terry should play a bigger role. Bringing in Colorado transfer Brendan Pyne for the outside adds more athleticism to the mix.
– The pass defense led the MAC, too. It was helped by the great pass rush, but the defensive backs did their part. Leading tackler Joey Banks and top corner Devon Russell are done, but Tyrone Hill is a good-hitting All-MAC performer at one safety job after finishing third on the team with 70 stops.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Top Buffalo Bulls Players
College Football News Preview 2020: Top Buffalo Bulls Players
Best Buffalo Bulls Offensive Player
RB Jaret Patterson, Jr.
Good as a breakout star as a freshman, the 5-9, 195-pounder was able to handle the work with 1,013 yards and 14 scores. He followed it up by carrying the ball over 300 times with 1,799 yards and 19 scores, highlighted by a 298-yard, six touchdown day against Bowling Green.
He can catch, he’s lightning-quick through the hole, and he’ll combine with Kevin Marks to give UB one of the nation’s best running games again.
2. OT Kayode Awosika, Sr.
3. RB Kevin Marks, Jr.
4. WR Antonio Nunn, Sr.
5. C Mike Novitsky, Soph.
Best Buffalo Bulls Defensive Player
DE Malcolm Koonce, Sr.
There are five Bulls – at least – who’ll be in the running to be the team’s best defensive player. The 6-3, 250-pound Koonce will once again combine with Taylor Riggins to be a nightmare in opposing backfields.
Koonce led the MAC with nine sacks to go along with 34 tackles and 11 tackles for loss, with a great burst off the ball and terrific closing ability.
2. DE Taylor Riggins, Jr.
3. LB James Patterson, Jr.
4. LB Kadofi Wright, Sr.
5. S Tyrone Hill, Sr.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Buffalo Bulls Keys To The Season
College Football News Preview 2020: Buffalo Bulls Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Buffalo Bulls Offense
The passing game has to carry its share of the load. Why throw the ball when you have a running back combination of Jaret Patterson and Kevin Marks? However, the passing game at least has to be more effective when defenses are loading up to stop the star running backs.
It’s going to be about passing efficiency. The receiving corps will be among the MAC’s best, the opportunities will be there, and Kyle Vantrease and Matt Myers will have to hit their shots.
There was a 21-20 loss to Ohio when the passing attack clicked, and there was a bowl win over Charlotte when it didn’t, but the two quarterbacks combined to connect on just 35% of their passes in the loss to Miami University, and Vantrease was awful in the loss to Kent State. The team was 0-3 in the regular season when it failed to get to 46% completion rate.
Biggest Key To The Buffalo Bulls Defense
Get that D off the field. UB was fifth in the nation and first in the MAC in time of possession, but it couldn’t get by Ohio in a loss after the defense kept getting hit on third down play and third down play.
Liberty converted 56% of its third down tries, Kent State was able to convert on half of its chances, and Ohio was right on 62% of its tries – and Buffalo lost all three games.
Over the last four years, the Bulls are 0-11 when they allow offenses to covert on more than 50% of their chances.
Key Buffalo Bulls Player To A Successful Season
PK Alex McNulty, Soph.
McNulty and Jackson Baltar combined to hit 11-of-19 field goals, with McNulty getting stronger as the season went on by making his last six kicks. However, the Bulls missed both of their field goal attempts and an extra point in the one-point loss to Ohio.
There were too many misses that mattered, but to go along with the nation’s worst punting game, UB has to turn the kicking game into more of a plus.
Key Game To The Buffalo Bulls Season
at Ohio, Nov. 18
The loss to Miami University was a big deal in the East race last season, but the loss to Ohio didn’t help. The 52-14 thumping to the Bobcats in 2018 wasn’t pretty as UB lost three of its last four games in the series.
This year, with the regular season final at Western Michigan, and with this coming off the date against MU, winning in Athens is a must.
– Buffalo Bulls Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Buffalo Fun Stats
– 2nd Quarter Scoring: Buffalo 164 – Opponents 70
– Red Zone Scores: Buffalo 50-of-55 (91%) – Opponents 28-of-41 (68%)
– Onside Kicks: Opponents 3-of-5 – Buffalo 0-of-0
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Buffalo Bulls Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
1. College Football News Preview 2020: Buffalo Bulls Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
If the kicking game is a bit better, and the quarterback play is more consistently efficient and solid, this will be the MAC’s best team, and it’s possible that it won’t even be close.
But Buffalo has had a strange way of imploding over the last few years when it’s had the best team on the field.
The inability to stop the Northern Illinois pass rush in the 2018 MAC Championship was a killer – the Bulls should’ve rolled through that game – and that year’s team got dunked on badly in a few losses.
Last season, it was good enough to have beaten Liberty, and it got doubled up. It was good enough to play for and win the MAC title, but it totally collapsed in the loss to Kent State.
This year’s team has the talent, experience, and depth to avoid the clunkers. However …
Set The Buffalo Bulls Regular Season Win Total At … 8
Bet at BetMGM Win Total Line: 7.5
As good as Buffalo is, assume losses to Kent State and Ohio State on the road. Road games at Army, Northern Illinois, Ohio and Western Michigan account for four of the last five games – expect two losses in that bunch.
It won’t be a perfect season, and it’ll be a fight, but be disappointed if head coach Lance Leipold doesn’t lead the program to its first MAC championship since 2008.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
