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Football

Senior wide receiver Ron Willoughby tries to make a catch in Buffalo’s 41-30 loss to Northern Illinois at Alumni Arena on Nov. 11. Willoughby, who finished the season with 62 catches for 813 yards and six touchdowns and the rest of the receivers received a ‘B’ in our season grades.
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UB Bulls gridiron season report card

The football team ended its first season of the Lance Leipold era 5-7 with a 3-5 Mid-American Conference record. A 5-7 record isn’t a bad start to the Leipold era, but losing three in a row to end the season, when just one more win was needed to make the team bowl eligible, left a sour taste in fans’ mouths.


Senior quarterback Joe Licata hugs freshman center James O'Hagan after a tough, season-ending 31-26 loss to Massachusetts at UB Stadium Friday. It was the final game of Licata's UB career. 
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UB quarterback Joe Licata plays for the name on the front - and the back

Joe Licata's played every single game of his college career with family in the stand, and they were there once again for his last game Friday despite wind, rain and a heart-breaking season-ending 31-26 loss to Massachusetts. His father Gil and mother Paula have never missed a game – home or away – while his three sisters have only missed a few.


Senior wide receiver Ron Willoughby had a season-high 11 catches for 105 yards in Buffalo's 41-21 loss to Akron Saturday. 
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Gridiron report card: Akron defeats UB Bulls 42-21

The football team (5-6, 3-4 Mid-American Conference) is still a win away from bowl eligibility after a 41-21 loss to Akron (6-5, 4-3 MAC) at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field Saturday. Buffalo will now need a win over Massachusetts (2-9, 1-6) in its season finale at UB Stadium on Friday for any chance at the program’s third bowl game since returning to Division I in 1999. Here’s how The Spectrum graded the Bulls’ performance Saturday.


Akron running back Conor Hundley runs into the end zone on a scoring drive. Akron and Buffalo are both one win away from Bowl eligibility.
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Who has the edge: UB Bulls vs. Akron

In a Mid-American Conference matchup between two teams vying for bowl eligibility, the Buffalo football team (5-5, 3-3 MAC) and Akron (5-5, 3-3) face off in the second-to-last game of the regular season Saturday. The Spectrum decided who has the edge at each position.


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UB Bulls’ comeback not enough against Northern Illinois

Despite a Bulls’ (5-5, 3-3 Mid-American Conference) comeback, Northern Illinois showed why it is the superior team and claimed a 41-30 victory at UB Stadium Wednesday night. The loss puts an end to Buffalo’s three-game winning streak, as the Bulls will have to wait another week to try for its sixth victory to make them bowl eligible for just the third time since rejoining Division I in 1999.


Junior tight end Mason Schreck gets tackled during Buffalo's 28-22 loss at UB Stadium Saturday. The Bulls' wide receivers and tight ends received a B+ in their 18-17 win over Kent State. 
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Gridiron Report Card: UB Bulls defeat Kent State 18-17

The football team (5-4, 3-2 Mid-American Conference) picked up its third straight conference victory with an 18-17 come-from-behind win over Kent State (3-6, 2-3 MAC). With the victory, the Bulls are just one win away from being bowl eligible for the third time since returning to Division I. Here is your report card of the Buffalo performances.


The Bulls kept Miami Ohio freshman quarterback Billy Bahl to completing less than 50 percent of his passes Thursday night in a 29-24 win.
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UB Bulls get back to .500, defeat Miami Ohio 29-24

The interception was one of the few errors Licata made all night as the Bulls (4-4, 2-2 Mid-American Conference) defeated Miami Ohio (1-8, 0-5 MAC) 29-24 on Thursday at Yager Stadium. The victory puts the Bulls at .500 with four games left and a chance to go to a Bowl game for the first time since the 2013 season.


Sophomore safety Ryan Williamson returns an interception 15 yards for a touchdown in Buffalo's 41-17 victory over Ohio at UB Stadium Saturday. We gave the secondary an 'B .' 
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Gridiron report card: UB Bulls defeat Ohio Bobcats

On a cold and rainy day, the football team (3-4, 1-2 Mid-American Conference) defeated Ohio (5-3, 2-2 MAC) 41-17 and captured their first conference win of the Leipold era. Things don’t get easier from here, as the Bulls play their next two games on the road before a date with Northern Illinois (5-3, 3-1 MAC).


Junior running back Jordan Johnson celebrates after his first touchdown of the day in the first quarter. Johnson finished with 147 yards and two scores in a 41-17 victory over Ohio. 
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UB Bulls get first MAC win, defeat Ohio 41-17

That maturity came through Saturday as the Bulls (3-4, 1-2 Mid-American Conference) grew up before everyone’s eyes and defeated Ohio (5-3, 2-2 MAC) 41-17 at UB Stadium for their fist MAC win of the season. Buffalo got the win – which gives it a little bit of life in the MAC East – with a big defensive performance full of takeaways and defensive scores.



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