Campus Watch

UB-Miami game thread

Final: UB 42, Miami 17. Bulls break a three-game losing streak.

6:00 left in the fourth: Jerry Davis in at QB.

6:58 left in the fourth - FYI: Thermilus is going to be the player of the game in UB-Miami game analysis. He just scored his third TD.

9:51 left in the fourth - Domonic Cook just forced a fumble that was returned by Mike Newton to the UB 25.

7:30 left in the third - Miami finally scored its first TD on a 6-yard TD pass from Zac Dysert to Dustin Woods. 28-10 UB.

12:55 left in the third - UB pulled out an oldie but goodie: A double reverse from Terrell Jackson to Jesse Rack for a 30 yard touchdown. Rack was so wide open that he back peddled into the end zone. Last time UB tried that was the season opener at UTEP.

13:49 left in the third - Thermilus already has his career high with 114 yards

13.2 seconds left in the second quarter - I just got faked out. I thought Thermilus went in for his third TD, but Zach Maynard scored on a keeper and now the Bulls have a commanding 21-3 lead.

2:27 left in the second quarter - So far it's the Brandon Thermilus Show. He just scored on a 31-yard run, his season high and the Bulls lead 14-3. He has 93 yards on just five carries.

6:49 left in the second quarter - The Bulls take a 7-3 lead on a 3-yard run by tailback Brandon Thermilus. Thermilus, who started the season as the starter at tailback, set up the score with a 27-yard run to the Miami 3.

10:10 left in the second quarter - Miami's Trevor Cook hit a 37-yard field goal to give the RedHawks a 3-0 lead. Miami is going on long drives to start the game which could eventually tire out the UB defense. This scoring drive went 15 plays.

UB 0, Miami 0, end of first quarter - The Bulls have run exactly six plays from scrimmage and have 16 yards of total offense.

1:11 left in the first quarter - Mike Newton intercepted Zac Dysert in the end zone and returned it 30 yards to the UB 30.

5:25 - Both teams are going through their warm ups. It's rainy and considering both teams are playing for last place, they'll be lucky to get 2,000 people here tonight.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

West suspended for Miami game

Senior right tackle Andrew West will not play in UB's game next Wednesday at Miami (Ohio) for disciplinary reasons, coach Turner Gill said today.

West was ejected from the Ohio game following an unsportsman like conduct penalty for blocking below the knees. Gill added that the league could discipline West further.

"This is on our behalf," Gill said. "We're still waiting to hear from the Mid-American Conference, the commissioner is going to evaluate it and they're going to make a decision. If they have something that's more than one game then we'll have to (respond) according to what they do."

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

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

Bulls injury report

The Bulls' injury report is still quite lengthy leading up to next Tuesday's game against Ohio.

Junior defensive end Jerry Housey (knee) is out 2-4 weeks, while sophomore cornerback Joe Petit (concussion) doubtful. Senior tailback Mario Henry (ankle), true freshman tailback Jeffvon Gill (shoulder) and junior defensive end Bruno Lapointe (ankle, knee) are probable, while junior tailback Ike Nduka (ankle) is questionable.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Houston coming to Buffalo

UB recently received a verbal commitment from South Carolina cornerback Okoye Houston from Woodmont High.

Houston received offers from East Carolina, Marshall, Vandy and Western Kentucky among others, according to Rivals.com. The 6-foot, 185-pound Houston is a three-star recruit according to Rivals.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

UB-Bowling Green Game Thread

FINAL: Bowling Green 30, UB 29.

0:39 4th: Sheehan to Barnes for 18 yards and the go-ahead TD. BG 30-29. It's last year in reverse.

10:34 4th: BG QB Tyler Sheehan goes in from the 4 on a QB draw. UB 29-23.

13:30 4th: BG blocks another Rachuna punt, He's a tall kid who has to unfold but he has to get it off faster. Better blocking wouldn't hurt either, Falcons start on UB 17.

End of 3rd: Bulls 29, Falcons 16. Don't book it yet. Remember UB came from 20 down to win at BG last year.

9:07 3rd: Gill goes in from the 5. UB, 29-16 after Maynard runs for conversion.

9:17 3rd: Geter muffs booming Rachuna punt and UB recovers at BG 5.

3rd: Bowling Green 34-yard field goal early in quarter makes score 21-16, UB.

Halftime: Bulls 21-13. Say hello to freshman RB Jeffvon Gill, a 5-11, 220-pounder from Euclid, Ohio, outside of Cleveland. Gill takes over the running with Nduka on the shelf and amasses 98 yards on nine carries. Maynard finished half 9 of 14 for 137. Bowling Green getting nothing on ground, managing just 20 yards on 12 attempts. Real solid half for Maynard, especially with his decision-making. He ran six times for 33 gross yards and pulled back a screen throw for Roosevelt that would have been a probable pick.

ALERT: Nduka reinjures ankle and is questionable for rest of game. He's game 30 yards on eight carries.

2:34 2nd: UB, 21-13. Bulls answer Falcons TD march almost yard for yard, going 81 in nine plays, a drive capped by an 18-yard pass to tight end Jesse Rack. It's Rack's sixth TD catch of the season, tied for the team lead, and extends Maynard's streak of having thrown for a TD in every game this season. Drive included runs of 16 yards by Nduka and 24 yards by freshman Jeffvon Gill.

 

6:16 2nd: Dominated in time of possession until this point, BG goes 82 yards in 14 plays and scores on a 1-yard run by Willie Geter. A missed extra point leaves UB with a 14-13 lead. Freddie Barnes, the nation's leading receiver, broke out on the drive, catching three balls, including receptions of 19 and 21 yards.

13:26 2nd: UB moves ahead, 14-7, on 2-yard Mario Henry plunge. Drive stalled then continued when A.J. Principe was roughed while making a 36-yard FG. Bulls got a new set of down starting on the 9 and a pair of Henry runs put them in the end zone.

End of 1st: 7-7. UB looking at a 2nd and goal from the BG 8. Maynard 6 of 7 for 102 in quarter. Throws of 16 yards to Hamlin, 12 to Roosevelt and 20 to Rack on current drive.

4:58 1st: Willie Geter scores from a yard out and Bowling Green draws even, 7-7. Touchdown was set up by a Marquese Quiles block of a John Rachuna punt after he bobbled the snap. Falcons returned block from the 5 to the 1.

10:26 1st: Bulls go 80 yards in nine plays on game-opening possession and take 7-0 lead on Ike Nduka's 3-yard run. Zach Maynard's 30-yard pass to Brett Hamlin on first play puts the drive in rapid motion. Nduka had six carries for 20 yards on march.

Surprise change in UB lineup: Kendric Hawkins starts at corner in place of Domonic Cook. Not sure why. Flu?

Hello everybody and welcome to tonight's UB-Bowling Green game thread from UB Stadium. We're about 15 minutes from kickoff. Wind's blowing fairly hard out of what appears to be the WNW. Today's fast fact: Bowling Green's Tyler Sheehan and UB's Zach Maynard are the only two QBs in the MAC to have thrown a TD pass in each of their team's games this season, non-conference included. We'll deliver game updates as neccesary, and we anticipate a lot of scoring.

-- Bob DiCesare

Petit out for Bowling Green

---Sophomore cornerback Joe Petit (concussion) has been ruled out for Tuesday night’s game against Bowling Green, UB coach Turner Gill said during his weekly MAC conference call.

Petit and senior right tackle Andrew West (broken hand) were listed as doubtful for the game but Gill said Petit is the only one who has been ruled out at this point. Junior tailbacks Ike Nduka (ankle), Brandon Thermilus (ankle) and senior tailback Mario Henry (ankle) were listed as questionable late last week as were junior left guard Peter Bittner (ankle), junior tight end Kyle Brey (shoulder) and junior corner Josh Thomas (concussion).

“Everyone else should be available,’’ he said. “We’ll see on game day.’’

---The Bulls are 3-point favorites for the Bowling Green game. The Bulls are 3-5 against the spread this year.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Two verbals for UB football

The UB football team received commitments from two players recently: Devon Hughes, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound wide receiver from Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, Ga., and James Potts, a 5-11, 175-pound tailback from American Heritage School in Delray Beach, Fla.

Potts is a three-star recruit according to Rivals.com who received offers from Memphis, Michigan State, Indiana, Northern Illinois and Vanderbilt among others according to the recruiting website. Hughes is also a three-star recruit and scouts feel the Bulls got a sleeper.

“I committed to the University of Buffalo,’’ Hughes told Rivals. “Me and my family just feel like it’s a good situation for me. It’s a positive opportunity and I just feel that it's a good fit. They throw the ball, I'll have an opportunity to play as a freshman and academically it's a great school.”

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

UB's injury list adds more names

The ever-expanding UB injury list grew a little more on Friday. Redshirt freshman defensive end Willie Moseley and senior free safety Chris Storr are both done for the season.

Moseley suffered a fractured his hip during the Bulls' loss last week at Western Michigan and the injury required season-ending surgery. Storr suffered an MCL sprain during the Western Michigan game and his career is over.

Senior right tackle Andrew West (broken hand) and sophomore cornerback Joe Petit (concussion) are doubtful. Junior tailbacks Ike Nduka (ankle), Brandon Thermilus (ankle) and senior tailback Mario Henry (ankle) are questionable as are junior left guard Peter Bittner (ankle), junior tight end Kyle Brey (shoulder) and junior corner Josh Thomas (concussion).

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Manuel on Michigan short list?

Now that Bill Martin is retiring as the Michigan AD, UB Athletic Director Warde Manuel's name will be linked as a possible replacement. That shouldn't be a shock.

Manuel played for the legendary Bo Schembechler and was a high-ranking administrator in the athletics department before coming to UB. His prime objective was turning around the football program and in a short time — thanks to the hiring of Turner Gill — the program is no longer a national laughingstock and the objective is to win championships and play in bowl games. Few observers in Western New York dreamed that was possible before Manuel was hired in July 2005.

Of course Manuel isn't a shoo-in for the job. Potential replacements could include Domino's Pizza Inc. CEO David Brandon, Miami of Ohio athletic director Brad Bates — who were also on the football team at Michigan when Schembechler was coaching — and Arkansas' Jeff Long, who was hired by Schembechler when he began his athletic administration career.

What would be surprising is if Manuel's name isn't near the top of the list.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)