UB-Ohio Game Thread

Final: 4th: Maynard picked when perfect third-down pass bounces off Rivers hands and into arms of Shannon Ballard. That'll do it. Ohio 27-24. Bulls no longer have shot at bowl eligibility. If Ohio beats Northern Illinois at home next week it'll entertain Temple on final week of season with division title at stake.

1:25 4th: Ohio 27-24. Weller makes 47-yard FG into the wind. Kid's got leg. Can Bulls muster late magic in final home game of the year?

7:09 4th: Tied 24-24. A.J. Principe makes good on a 26-yard FG after Brett Hamlin can't corral third-down pass in end zone. That's 34 career FGs for Principe, one shy of Dallas Pelz's school mark.

10:24 4th: Richie Smith INT gives Bulls a first down at Ohio 40. Interception comes after Ohio picked Maynard and began to march.

7:58 3rd: Ohio 24, UB 21 -- Naaman Roosevelt's final home game has turned into a true encore performance. He hauls in his third TD pass, tying his career high, when Maynard hits him in stride on a 21-yard play. Bulls could pull this one out, especially with defense having steadied. Game should be over by, say, 2 a.m.

10:22 3rd: Ohio 24, UB 14 -- Bobcats convert Jeffvon Gill fumble into a 46-yard FG by Matt Weller that flies over crossbar with, oh, 20 yards to spare. Talk about a live leg.

The Half of It: Ohio QB Theo Scott was 11 for 11 for 128 yards . . . Davis went 3 for 5 for 86 yards for Bulls, Maynard 7 for 15 for 84 yards. Both threw for a TD . . . UB outrushed 93-43 net as Bulls D stiffened after early struggles. . . . Back-up LB Josh Copeland, starting in place of Winters, led Bulls with seven tackles. . . Roosevelt five catches for 132 yards and the two TDs.

 

Halftime: Ohio 21, UB 14: Maynard to Roosevelt TD pass covers 21 yards and gives UB the momentum heading into the locker room. Maynard has thrown a TD pass in all 10 games. Sweet drive for the Bulls, covering 93 yards. Bulls FINALLY get ball to Naaman on a regular basis.

14:51 1st: Did UB defense practice this week? Make it 21-7 Ohio. LaVon Brazil pass to Terrence McCrae off a reverse covers 48 yards for a score. Bulls were totally miffed. Maynard now in at QB. 

2:10 1st Ohio 14, UB 7: Do Bulls have any chance of stopping Bobcats tonight? Ohio answers with a two-play, 58-yard drive capped by a 10-yard finish Vince Davidson run. Bobcats have 184 yards, 101 on the ground. 

2:52 1st UB 7, Ohio 7: Jerry Davis fires a gorgeous 76-yard bomb that finds Naaman Roosevelt in stride at the Ohio 35 and he takes it in from there. The throw couldn't have been any more perfect. QB controversy?

3:10 1st, Ohio 7, UB 0: QB Tyler Tettleton goes in untouched from the 9 to complete a 69-yard drive. Ohio also gashed UB's defense on its first possession only to lose a scoring opportunity when Mike Newton forced a fumble by QB Theo Scott that Josh Thomas recovered in the end zone. Bulls did nothing on first possession. UB weakened by loss of LB Justin Winters, who didn't practice all week but was never placed on the injury report. Go figure.

-- Bob DiCesare

Comments

[dave, clarence]

UB loses again at home, but they're still head of the class. No big, they lose but they're not pushovers so they're big time. Unlike everyone else.

[Larry]

Don't think either Reggie or Gill are or will be on the hot seat. With that said the shine is definitely off the Gill star, especially if what HK writes has a shred of truth to it.

Bob DiCesare though, as always, hit the high light of last night's game, Naaman Roosevelt, in his column. The kid had a huge night and capped off just a tremendous career at UB. We should all be giving this young a standing ovation this morning.

[E]

Next year is a big year for Gill. This was his first season with his recruits in command of the team, and it's been a rough year.

I think he's on the hot seat next year, or should be. A bowl game is a must if this program is to move forward, and it must happen quickly. Next year.

THIS is the season for Reggie to be on the hot seat- time to deliver if he wants to show he deserves to be at this level in DI hoops. Next year is the hot seat season for Gill!

[David,Amherst]

There's got to be some other adjectives after two close losses on ESPN2. Snakebit?
Shot selves in foot? Roller-coaster ride? Need maturing?
Give credit to Ohio which had enough leg. Often special teams is the difference. So Ohio, Temple, and Central Michigan are the head of the MAC class this year. Shows how much more a program must grow at this level. But it's coming along.
The stellar plays, even the INT by Smith, were very worthwhile. Imagine if this was Syracuse football. If one thing, UB is not a pushover. They take a licking and keep on ticking.
It's the coaches, too. The record is a team effort.

[Bbburbs]

Where is the time management? Why on the final drive did the Coaches have Maynard spike the ball twice on first down when there were time outs available. I was not aware of the texting, etc on the sidelines, however there is a coaching problem on this team. I love Turner Gill and what he did for the program, however poor coaching decisions, discipline and stupid penalties have brought the magic to an end.
As for suspending Maynard for one quarter if the point was made , I hope it was worth the loss that resulted.

[H K]

Rivers? Bad game. Hamlin? Some clutch grabs among some bonehead drops. Others too. On a few plays you can see the receiver start looking downfield before the ball is caught. Dumb dumb dumb! Maynard was also hot and cold throwing behind receivers all night.

What really shocked me is seeing UB players texting and making phone calls on the sidelines. Where is the discipline? C'mon Coach Gill. The lack of focus is a bad reflection on you. This is not how to build a resume.

[zibby]

And Marcus Rivers blows it again. I know it's nice to say unkind things about college players, but he is TERRIBLE. He shouldn't have even been out on the field.