National spotlight

On Tuesday, the quest for the White House won't be the only matchup Americans across the country will be watching.

There's also a football game in town.

On election night, the Buffalo Bulls (4-4, 2-2 Mid-American Conference) invite the Miami RedHawks (2-6, 1-3 MAC) to UB Stadium in the first nationally televised home game for the Bulls, as ESPN2 will feature the key MAC East division matchup.

"I'm excited for the City of Buffalo and college football," said Buffalo head coach Turner Gill. "...I know our players are excited. I'm excited"

The game is the only college football game in the country on Election Night, which Gill feels is a great thing for the university.

"People who want to watch to watch the election, that's fine," he said. "But people who want to watch some sports can turn on their TV and see the University at Buffalo play football. It's a great night and a great opportunity for our university to get exposed nationally."

The Bulls, deep in the hunt for first place in the MAC East division, are looking for their third straight victory after defeating Ohio last week 32-19 behind the efforts of junior running back James Starks. Starks ran for 185 yards and two touchdowns on the night. Miami (OH) is coming off a tough loss after being demolished by Kent State, 54-21.

"I think it's good to win two in a row," Gill said. "The more games you win in a row, the more confidence you build. We're feeling comfortable with our offense, and guys are making plays. That's what's starting to stand out. Guys are stepping up and making plays."

The Bulls are looking for their first victory over the RedHawks in school history. Miami has won each of their 10 meetings, including nine since the two teams have been in the MAC.

Last year, the Bulls lost to Miami 31-28 in Oxford, Ohio after nearly coming back from an 11-point deficit.

"It was a big game last year," Starks said. "We're getting ready and we're going to be fully ready to play them."

In Tuesday's game, the Bulls will be looking to cause fumble after fumble against the defense-oriented RedHawks. After their game against Ohio, the Bulls rank first in the MAC in turnovers, with a plus-nine margin. In their last two games, the Bulls have forced 12 fumbles, recovering five of them. This season, the Bulls have forced 21 fumbles.

Gill feels that the Bulls are doing so well in the turnover category because of an increased emphasis on forcing turnovers in practice.

"We have a five minute period where we have guys strip the football and punch it out," Gill said. "They do it constantly. It becomes a natural habit out in the football game where you go right for the football. That's something ingrained in our guys on a daily basis."

One major factor coming into Tuesday's game is the media attention.

"We let [the players] know what it's going to be like, seem like and feel like," Gill said. "I can't cover every single thing that's going to happen or not happen in that situation, but I try to cover as many things as possible so it's not something that's totally a surprise, per se. You're going to have a few more interviews, a few more commercial delays. We talk about all those things so they're aware of it."

As the RedHawks come into town, Gill believes that this team isn't really different than the teams they have seen in previous years, with the exception of the quarterback position. This will be the third game in which redshirt freshman quarterback Clay Belton will get the nod.

"They still got a strong defense, with eight or nine starters back," Gill said. "They just changed at quarterback, which makes things a little bit different than the past. I don't think there's much a difference from what they've done in the past two years."

While the theatrics of hosting a nationally televised event are in full swing, Gill looks at this game just like any other.

"It's just another step," Gill said. "It's not a do-or-die situation. It's the next step in our journey for our football program. We've set goals out for an opportunity to play in the MAC Championship game, to win the MAC Championship game and get to go to a bowl game. Miami is next on our schedule and we're focused on our opponent."

Kickoff at UB Stadium is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.