Home openers are always important, and this one highlighted some new players' potential, as well as the fact that the Bulls dropped the game to a D-I AA team. Also frustrating was the fact that UB played so well for the first quarter and half of the second before falling apart.
The UB Bulls came storming out of the gates against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks on Thursday night in front of 21,103 fans at UB Stadium, the second largest crowd to see a game in the modern Division I-A era. Buffalo recovered a fumble and scored two touchdowns - one on a punt return - prior to the fans' traditional pilgrimage to the bars at halftime.
Unfortunately for the Bulls, the game was decided in the second half in front of a half-empty stadium, and the Mountain Hawks soundly defeated Buffalo 37-26.
Redshirt freshman Kevin Concepcion was able to force and recover a fumble by Mountain Hawk running back Jermaine Pugh within the first minute of the game to give the Bulls possession at the Lehigh 20-yard line. Minutes later Aaron Leeper, also a redshirt freshman, punched into the end zone from the 2-yard line giving UB a 7-0 advantage on his first carry of his collegiate career.
The Mountain Hawks punted the ball away after going three and out and became the victims of the first Bulls punt return for touchdown since 1998. Senior wide receiver Andre Forde blew down the left sideline for an 83-yard touchdown. After a botched two-point conversion, the Bulls led 13-0.
After the Bulls took the early lead, the tone of the game changed for good. Lehigh imposed their will on the UB defense and scored two straight touchdowns to tie the game at 13 while Buffalo failed to get a single first down on offense.
The Mountain Hawks tallied on a 1-yard touchdown run by Dave Wilson, and a 24-yard flea flicker where flanker Dave Crockett lofted a pass to tight end Adam Bergin. Lehigh fullback Justin Barrasso, who rumbled in for the touchdown after receiving a 6-yard pass from quarterback Chad Schwenk, gave Lehigh a 20-13 lead.
