BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo football team rallied to beat UMass in overtime, 25-18, at Broadview Stadium on Saturday afternoon to retain the Flagship Cup.
After UMass kicked a go-ahead field goal with 1:57 left in the fourth quarter to take an 18-15 lead, the Bulls marched 65 yards on their ensuing possession and Oliver Hautanen drilled a 29-yard field goal, as time expired, to send the game into overtime.
The Bulls got the ball first in OT and Jason Wright connected with Clint Walker on a 15-yard touchdown to put the Bulls up, 25-18. The Buffalo defense, which stepped up all day, kept the Minutemen out of the endzone to earn its second straight win and improve to 2-1 in Mid-American Conference play.
UMass struck first in the game, scoring a touchdown on its first drive to take a 7-0 lead. UB kick returner Phillip Folmar sparked the Bulls with a 71-yard kick return to set up UB right outside the redzone on their first possession. Hautanen made his first of three field goals in the game to cut the deficit to 7-3.
Early in the second quarter, the defense got points for the Bulls when Sedrick Vessah sacked the UMass quarterback in the endzone to make the score 7-5.
Hautanen’s 33-yard field goal, with 4:40 remaining in the second quarter, gave UB an 8-7 lead.
UMass scored late in the half to take a 15-8 lead at the break.
The Bulls came out of the locker room in the second half and marched right down the field to tie the game on a two-yard pass from Wright to Walker.
The game would remain tied, 15-15, until late in the fourth quarter.
Messiah Burch had another standout game at running back. He rushed for a career-high 172 yards for his fourth straight 100-yard game.
Wright threw for 134 yards and two touchdowns. His favorite target was Walker who finished with a career-high seven catches for 45 yards and two scores.
SaVeon Brown led the defense with a game-high 10 tackles. He was one of many Bulls who stepped up and made key plays. Jordan Owens, John Keough and Miles Greer each added seven stops. Kobi Blackwell had his first interception of the season in the third quarter.
With the win, the Bulls were able to hoist the Flagship Cup – one of college football’s newest rivalry trophies. It is named in recognition of both universities’ standing as the flagship institution of their respective states.
Buffalo is back in action next Saturday when it hosts Bowling Green at 3:30 pm at Broadview Stadium.
