UB Bulls at midseason: Leading the MAC, on schedule for bowl trip

AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) — At midseason of University at Buffalo’s first football season playing for coach Pete Lembo, the Bulls are winning more often than not. And making progress toward goals few UB teams have reached before.

UB sits atop the Mid-American Conference standings having beaten two of the league’s better teams, and with a 4-2 overall record needs just two more wins to become bowl eligible.

Saturday’s 30-15 victory against a Toledo team that was favored by 10 points and received Top 25 votes after winning at Mississippi State earlier this season. That follows UB’s overtime triumph last month at Northern Illinois, which was ranked 23rd in the country coming off a win at Notre Dame.

In between those wins against top contenders for the MAC title, the Bulls were bludgeoned at UConn by 44 points. Using the bye week to regroup, UB followed Lembo’s steady lead in running over Toledo to surpass last season’s win total under predecessor Maurice Linguist, and remain unbeaten at home.

UB has been 4-2 or better just three times over the past 25 seasons. Each of those teams qualified for a bowl game. This is the fifth time UB has started 2-0 in MAC games since joining the league in 1999.

The Bulls defense, allowing an average of 13 points in its four wins, was at its best Saturday in a first half shutout against a Toledo team that had been averaging better than 24 points before halftime, and 36 per game.

Western New York native Shaun Dolac boosted his national leading tackle total to 87 with 15 more. The linebacker from West Seneca West became the 13th player in UB history to surpass 300 career tackles, and is within 14 of overtaking NFL star Khalil Mack for 10th on the program’s all-time list.

Al-Jay Henderson ahd 142 yards rushing as the Bulls ran for 233 on the ground. Quarterback CJ Ogbonna had two rushing scores and receiver Victor Snow ran for another. Ogbonna also connected with tight end Jake Orlando (Williamsville North) for a short touchdown, and finished 11 of 20 passing for 127 yards without a turnover.

UB hosts Western Michigan in its homecoming game next Saturday.

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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here .

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