Edit Note: One of the most exciting games the Bulls played all season, too bad it was in Athens, OH. It was a game Buffalo should have won, and it may have been one of those games that set a tone to the rest of the season. UB did not win a game all season after beating Rutgers and could not seem to pull out those close games, much like this one.
Kevin Kerr's field goal with 10 seconds left in regulation gave his Ohio Bobcats a thrilling 34-32 victory over the UB Bulls Saturday night before 12,512 fans at Peden Stadium. The win snapped Ohio's 10-game losing streak and pushed the Bulls' losing streak to three.
The offensive showcase was out of character for both teams. Coming into the game Buffalo and Ohio ranked 13th and 14th in the MAC offensively and the Bobcats had the conference's best defense, yet both teams managed to put up some impressive offensive statistics. Consider the following:
- The Bobcats had 505 yards of total offense, 406 on the ground.
- UB picked up 435 yards of total offense, 350 through the air.
- Each team only punted once in the second half.
- Forde set some new career highs, catching 12 passes for 202 yards. His receiving yardage was the second most in school history as were his number of catches. Forde also caught two touchdown passes.
- Secky set career highs, throwing for 350 yards and three touchdowns.
- UB tight end Chad Bartoszek set a career high with eight catches.
Ohio had two 100-yard rushers, quarterback Dontrell Jackson (157 yards) and running back Chad Brinker (149 yards). Jackson had two rushing touchdowns and Brinker had one.
Questions arose over UB Head Coach Jim Hofher's time management decisions in the game's final minute. Hofher could have stopped the clock before the winning field goal after an Ohio third down play with 25 seconds left using one of his two timeouts. Instead he waited until there were 14 seconds remaining to call timeout.
Timeout management may have been a moot point after the game had UB kicker Dallas Pelz not missed an extra point after an earlier touchdown. Pelz's missed extra point early in the third quarter forced Buffalo to go for two the next time they got in the end zone. The two-point conversion failed after a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
UB could have avoided the heartbreaking defeat had they played 60 minutes of football instead of 30. Buffalo was outplayed in the first half and went into the locker room down 21-3.
