The Bulls (2-4, 1-2 Mid-American Conference) play their first game since the firing of head coach Jeff Quinn Oct. 13. Buffalo’s first test under interim head coach Alex Wood is Central Michigan (3-3, 2-2 MAC), the team with the No. 1 defense in the MAC, Saturday. If Buffalo plans to make a second half surge this season, its offense will have to overcome the stout Chippewas’ defense. The Bulls’ defense will have to contain Central Michigan’s balanced offensive attack.
Here are some players and matchups to watch out for in Saturday’s game.
Thomas Rawls, senior running backs
After gaining just 333 rushing yards and five touchdowns in three seasons with Michigan, Rawls has ran for 1,007 yards and 10 touchdowns in six games with the Chippewas.
Rawls transferred to Central Michigan in January and has made an instant impact in his first season at the school. Rawls looks to take advantage of a Buffalo run defense that allowed 337 rushing yards to Eastern Michigan in its last game.
Rawls may have less distractions Saturday, now that his misdemeanor larceny charges are settled. Rawls was sentenced to one-year probation Tuesday for an April 8 incident, for which he was suspended one game.
Cooper Rush, sophomore quarterback
After throwing 15 touchdowns and 15 interceptions as a freshman, Rush has improved in his second season as a starter. He has already thrown for 13 touchdowns and has only tossed six picks so far this season. Rush has also increased his completion percentage to 64.1 percent this season, after completing 56.7 percent of his passes in 2013.
Rush leads a passing offense that averages 218 yards per game. After Rush failed to throw for more than 200 yards in the Chippewas’ first four games, Rush has passed for at least 233 yards in Central Michigan’s last four contests.
The sophomore quarterback has a completed a pass of at least 29 yards in each game this season. Rush looks to continue making big plays down field against Buffalo Saturday, as the Bulls’ defense has consistently given up big passing plays all season.
Tony Annese, sophomore defensive back
Buffalo junior quarterback Joe Licata has already thrown seven inceptions this season after throwing just eight all of last season. Licata should be wary of throwing in the direction of Annese, who has the most interceptions (three) on a defense with the most picks in the MAC.
Annese also leads the Chippewas in pass deflections (seven) this season.
Matchup to watch: Chippewas’ pass defense vs. Buffalo’s pass offense
Buffalo is third in the MAC in pass offense. Central Michigan is first in pass defense.
The game may come down to the Bulls’ ability to continue their success in the passing game against a stout Chippewas’ secondary.
Licata, who has thrown three inceptions in his past two games, will have to cut down on his mistakes against a ball-hawking Central Michigan defense. Licata and his receivers must perform better Saturday than they did in last week’s game against Eastern Michigan, in which they failed to move the ball effectively the first three quarters.
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