Bulls drop a close one to Western Michigan

After relinquishing a lead late in the fourth quarter, the Bulls (2-3, 0-1 MAC) dropped their first conference game, and the ending was as close as it gets. 

Facing a fourth down with two yards to the goal line, sophomore quarterback Jason Wright booted out to the left, and with no throwing lane open, made a dash for the goal line. He was ultimately stopped at the 1-yard line, barely short of getting the win.

Wright spoke postgame about how the team lacked consistency down the stretch.

“I feel like the defense was holding it down, against a really good team, and offense was off to a hot start,” Wright said. “I think it’s just about maintaining that the entire game; all 4 quarters.”

Buffalo and Western Michigan (3-2, 1-0 MAC) traded blows early in the first quarter: the Broncos striking with a nine-yard touchdown rush before the Bulls answered quickly with a 59-yard touchdown pass from Wright to junior wide receiver Patrick Clacks.

The Bulls then began a 13-play drive from the middle of the first quarter until the beginning of the second, punching in another touchdown with a one-yard run by senior running back Messiah Burch. It was UB’s final touchdown of the game.

Western Michigan would then tack on a field goal at the end of the first half to make the score 14-10. 

Neither team scored in the third quarter, with both defenses forcing punts throughout the quarter.

UB capped off another lengthy drive with points to begin the fourth quarter, tacking on a field goal from sophomore kicker Oliver Hautanen to make it 17-10 in the Bulls’ favor.

But the Bulls’ defense, which had held strong so far, began to crack.

Fifth-year nickelback Saveon Brown said it was the “little things; the fundamentals not showing up.”

“Plays that should be stopped for 1-2 yards was going for 6-8,” Brown said. “We just gave them too much.”

Western Michigan scored on a five-yard touchdown run at the 6:44 mark in the fourth, and after a short UB possession gave the ball back, the Broncos drove out most of the clock and took the lead with a field goal with 1:19 left.

The Bulls’ offense kept its momentum on its last drive, with Wright connecting with fifth-year receiver Chance Morrow five times in the final 10 plays on offense. 

That last drive had been planned throughout the week, said head coach Pete Lembo.

“We were not planning to go to overtime with these guys,” Lembo said. “Our thoughts were to treat it like three 2-point plays, and hope we got one of them.”

With five plays from the Broncos’ four-yard line, however, Buffalo could not finish the job to score.

After the loss, Buffalo will travel to Toledo on Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. matchup against the Rockets (4-1, 1-0 MAC). The game will stream on ESPN+.

The sports desk can be reached at sports@ubspectrum.com.