For two quarters, Buffalo was competitive, fighting the sweltering heat and sixth-ranked Georgia on Friday and cutting the lead to 24-16 at halftime. The Bulls took it to the Bulldogs, as Buffalo's offense had no trouble moving the ball against a unit that likely featured multiple future NFL players.
Mistakes on special teams hurt Buffalo, as a missed PAT and a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown hurt the Bulls' chances. The Bulldogs made adjustments at halftime, as their defense eventually smothered the Bulls and their offense was able to finally move the ball more effectively, opening the game up.
Player of the Game
Junior defensive lineman Colby Way stepped up big time against a team filled with offensive weapons. He finished the afternoon with six tackles and two sacks. He was part of a unit that put more than occasional pressure on Heisman hopeful Aaron Murray.
Unsung hero
Senior linebacker Willie Moseley filled in more than admirably in place of star junior linebacker Khalil Mack, who missed the game due to suspension. Moseley finished with six tackles and a sack, as he seemed to always be around the football.
Bull Killer
Freshman running back Todd Gurley had a breakout first game of his career. The rookie phenom started off in style with a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown, helping swing momentum Georgia's way early. He later added a 55-yard touchdown run to put the game away for good. The Buffalo defense had no answer for the speedster out of Tarboro, N.C.
He finished with 227 all-purpose yards and three total touchdowns.
Turning Point of the Game
After halftime, the Georgia defense showed why it finished last year ranked fifth in the country, forcing the Bulls into multiple three-and-outs. In the second half, Georgia forced the Bulls into five consecutive punts, as only one of the Bulls' drives in the second half surpassed 19 yards.
Bulls honored:
Way received Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors after his performance Saturday. Also, junior quarterback Alex Zordich received UB Athlete of the Week honors after an impressive outing. He went 14-for-24 with 148 yards and a touchdown. He was also able to move the ball on the ground, as he ran for 83 yards and a score.
He said what?
"I mean, it was a lot more talk than anything else. We felt like we were really well matched with them up front and we just kept on working. It was a good experience to come down here and play, but we are going to learn from this."
- Way on the Georgia offensive line
Looking ahead
Buffalo will look forward to the comforts of home as the Bulls take on FCS team Morgan State (1-0). The Bears beat Sacred Heart (0-1) last Saturday in a four-overtime thriller, 30-27. Leading the way was running back Travis Robinson, who rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns.
Kickoff for the game on Saturday will be at 6 p.m.
Photo: Paul Hokanson/UB Athletics
