BUFFALO, NY – Behind a career-best 184 yards rushing and three touchdowns by running back Messiah Burch, the University at Buffalo football team defeated Bowling Green, 31-24, at Broadview Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Bulls scored 10 points in the fourth quarter to pull away for their third straight victory.
It was Burch’s fifth straight 100-yard rushing game – becoming the first UB running back since All-American Jaret Patterson in 2019 to rush for 100 yards in five straight games. Burch scored on touchdown runs of 11, 2 and 73 yards.
Burch’s first touchdown, an 11-yarder, gave the Bulls a 7-0 lead on their second possession of the game. The Falcons responded with 14 unanswered points and held a seven-point advantage until late in the first half.
As they have done throughout the season, Buffalo continued to excel during the two-minute drill and were able to score just before halftime. Jason Wright connected with tight end Clint Walker on a 14-yard touchdown with just 29 seconds left in the second quarter to tie the game at the break.
Bowling Green scored first in the second half to take a 21-14 lead early in the third quarter. However, the Bulls needed just six plays to march down the field and tie the game on a two-yard run by Burch.
Oliver Hautanen connected on a 31-yard field goal to give the Bulls their first lead since early in the game, 24-21.
Burch changed the complexion of the game early in the fourth quarter when he ripped off a 73-yard touchdown run to extend the UB lead to 31-21 with 12:18 left in the game.
The Falcons battled back and, after cutting the UB lead 31-24, had one last possession in the final minute to try to tie or win the game. However, following a pass completion, linebacker Bradley Ilunga-Bisselele was able to tackle the BG receiver in bounds and the clock expired.
Wright threw for 127 yards and a touchdown and added a 39-yard run in the second quarter that set up the tying touchdown.
Chance Morrow had four receptions and Jaylen Andrews added three catches in the game.
Miles Greer had a game-high nine tackles on the day and added his first interception as a Bull. Sedrick Vessah also picked off his first pass. SaVeon Brown had eight tackles and a tackle for loss and Will Clark had a career-high 1.5 sacks for the Bulls.
The win improved UB to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the MAC. The Bulls will next play at Miami (OH) on Nov. 3.
