Bulls football (1-2, 0-0 MAC) was overmatched by No.14 Penn State Nittany Lions (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten) in a 55-13 loss Saturday afternoon at Beaver Stadium. The loss is the second straight for the Bulls after winning their first game of the season against Albany.
The Bulls struggled to move the ball throughout the game, finishing with just 173 total yards compared to Penn State’s 573. UB also converted just one of 15 third-down attempts and stagnated just 60 passing yards.
“I think we’re capable of playing better than we did today, and that starts with me,” head coach Pete Lembo said. “I’ve got to do a better job of getting them prepared and putting our guys in a better position to be successful.”
Penn State jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter after sophomore quarterback Jason Wright, making his first collegiate start, fumbled deep in Bulls territory. But by the end, Wright finished 10-of-25 for 60 yards in his first start.
It was a “tall order” for the young quarterback to face one of the nation’s top teams for his first game, Lembo said.
“I’m proud of how he handled himself,” Lembo said.
UB sought to catch up with sophomore Oliver Hautanen’s 21-yard field goal but Penn State steamrolled ahead in the second quarter. Penn State would score 17 more points, bringing the lead to 34-3.
Hautanen sent the Bulls into halftime trailing 34-6 with a 38-year field just as time expired in the first half.Penn State added 14 unanswered points in the third quarter and another touchdown early in the fourth to extend its lead to 55-6.
Junior running back James McNeil Jr. provided one of the few bright spots for the Bulls, rushing for a team-high 80 yards. McNeil scored UB’s only touchdown on a 1-yard run with 5:01 remaining.
The Bulls return home Saturday to face the Robert Morris Colonials (2-1, 0-0 Northeast). Kickoff is set for 3:30 PM and the game will be broadcasted on ESPN+.
Will Meyer is the senior sports editor and can be reached at will.meyer@ubspectrum.com.
Photo: Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
