Mack attack

Miami Ohio had the ball at Buffalo's 25-yard line with the opportunity to pull the game within two scores heading into halftime. Khalil Mack ended this with one hit.

Mack's hit was not only his third sack of the evening, but it jarred out his third forced fumble. Buffalo senior safety Okoye Houston scooped up the ball and took it 60 yards to expand the lead to 28-0 and change the momentum of the game.

Mack, a senior linebacker, entered the game one forced fumble away from tying the NCAA all-time record. Thirty minutes into the game, he held the record by two.

"It was an early Christmas gift," Mack said.

The Bulls (8-3, 6-1 MAC) rolled over the RedHawks (0-11, 0-7 MAC), 44-7 on Tuesday evening at Yager Stadium in Oxford, Ohio. Nearly every Buffalo victory has come in dominating fashion as the Bulls have outscored opponents 289-83 in their wins.

The offense totaled 517 yards - its third time over 490 yards in the last four games.

Miami Ohio finished the game with 200 yards. Buffalo had 245 at halftime.

Buffalo opened the game throwing underneath routes - leaving sophomore quarterback Joe Licata 6 of 9 for 27 yards in the first quarter.

Following two run stops by the Miami Ohio 'D' at the one-yard line, Licata found senior tight end Alex Dennison in the end zone for Dennison's first touchdown of the season and Licata's 21st - just days after his 21st birthday. Licata has thrown for at least one score in every game this season.

"We've worked on that play for a couple of weeks now, and [Dennison] was in [offensive coordinator Alex Wood's] ear to let us run that play and he wanted to score," Licata said.

The offense had gained momentum and scored on the following two possessions. Both scores came courtesy of senior running back Branden Oliver.

Buffalo's second score came after a 10-play, 71-yard drive in which Licata found senior wide receiver Fred Lee and sophomore running back Devin Campbell two times apiece.

The ensuing Bulls score came after Mack's second forced fumble of the game. Buffalo faced a third and 13 after a personal foul, and Licata kept the drive alive, finding freshman wide receiver Boise Ross for 37 yards down the right sideline. Oliver capped the drive the next play with a 10-yard touchdown run and the 32nd of his career.

"We came down here with a purpose and we accomplished what we came down here to accomplish," said head coach Jeff Quinn.

Licata went 20 of 32 for 172 yards and found eight different receivers in the first half. Oliver finished the game with 150 yards, including all 21 Buffalo carries for 120 yards and two scores in the first 30 minutes.

Sophomore running back Anthone Taylor surpassed Oliver's total in the second half with 17 carries for 154 yards.

"You saw a glimpse of what's going to happen when [Oliver] does leave," Quinn said.

Miami Ohio quarterback Austin Gearing couldn't find success passing or rushing. He finished the game 5 of 19 for 65 yards while carrying the ball 21 times for 40 yards.

The rest of the RedHawks' rushing attack combined for 13 carries and 95 yards - one coming on a 47-yard scamper with less than five minutes remaining in the game.

Junior kicker Pat Clarke had three field goals and a long of 38 yards.

Sophomore quarterback Tony Daniel played the majority of the fourth quarter and threw his first career touchdown, finding junior wide receiver Devon Hughes with 4:36 remaining in the game.

The Bulls had more third-down conversions (11) than the RedHawks had total first downs (nine). Miami Ohio converted only 1 of 10 third downs.

The blowout victory sets up the Bulls for a showdown a week from Friday at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Buffalo meets Bowling Green (7-3, 5-1 MAC) in a 'winner take all' situation to advance to the MAC Championship game.

The Bulls haven't played in a MAC title game since 2008, when they defeated Ball State, 42-24.

"We are not content with where we are right now," Licata said. "We have a big game next week."

The game is scheduled for Nov. 29. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. and the game will air on ESPNU.

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