BUFFALO FACES CHARLOTTE IN MAKERS WANTED BAHAMAS BOWL
2019 MAKERS WANTED BAHAMAS BOWL
Buffalo (7-5, 5-3 MAC) vs. Charlotte (7-5, 5-3 Conference USA)
Friday, December 20, 2019 • 2:00 pm ET • Nassau, Bahamas • Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium (15,000)
ESPN Announcers: Steve Levy (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst), Dianna Russini (sideline)
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Buffalo Notes:
• Buffalo is playing in its fourth bowl game in program history (and second straight) and is in search of its first bowl win.
• This will be the first meeting between Buffalo and Charlotte.
• After winning 10 games a year ago, the Bulls have won seven or more games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1958 and 1959.
• Buffalo leads the MAC and ranks fourth in the nation in rush defense, allowing 95.3 yards per game.
• Buffalo running back Jaret Patterson has rushed for 490 yards and 10 touchdowns in the last two games.
• With Jaret Patterson (1,626) and Kevin Marks (1,008), the Bulls have two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season for the first time in school history.
• The Bulls rank second in the nation in sacks allowed (8).
• Buffalo has shattered its single-season rushing total with 3,241 yards. Its previous high was 2,648 yards set last season over 14 games.
• Buffalo’s defense has only allowed one 100-yard rusher on the season.
• With 38 sacks, Buffalo has tied the school record for sacks in a season. The Bulls also had 38 sacks in 2013.
• With 1,626 yards rushing, Jaret Patterson has set a new single-season school record and ranks fifth in the nation in rushing.
• The Bulls scored 43 or more points in four of their last five games of the regular season.
• This will be the third different country in which Buffalo will play a bowl game. The Bulls played in the 2009 International Bowl in Toronto.
Patterson Ends Regular Season In Historic Fashion:
Jaret Patterson had the best game by a running back in school history against Bowling Green in the regular season finale. The sophomore running back had a school-record 298 rushing yards and a school and MAC-record six touchdowns in a win over Bowling Green. His performance came on the heels of a 192-yard, four-touchdown performance a week earlier against Toledo. Patterson added a receiving score for a total of five touchdowns against the Rockets. In the last two games, Patterson has rushed for 490 yards and 11 total touchdowns (10 rushing). For his performance against Bowling Green, he became the first UB player ever named the Walter Camp Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week.
Dynamic Duo:
Jaret Patterson and Kevin Marks have been a dynamic duo in the Bulls’ backfield. Patterson has rushed for 1,626 yards and 17 touchdowns while Marks has accounted for 1,008 yards and eight scores on the year. It marks the first time in school history the Bulls have had two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season. It also marks the first time since 2012 a MAC team has had two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season (Kent State). While splitting carries, one of the two have posted 100-yard games in eight of the last nine outings. Patterson has seven 100-yard games and Marks has four. They have both gone over 100 yards in the same game three times this season. Both sophomores, Patterson and Marks are already in the top ten in school history in career rushing. Patterson ranks sixth with 2,447 yards and Marks is ninth with 1,853 yards.
Sack Lunch:
The Bulls had 27 sacks over the last seven games, including a season- best five in their last three road games at Akron, Eastern Michigan and Kent State. Buffalo has 38 sacks to rank first in the MAC and 12th in the nation. The Bulls have three players in the top two in the MAC in sacks. Taylor Riggins leads the MAC with 8.5 sacks, Ledarius Mack and Malcolm Koonce are tied for second with 7.0 sacks apiece.
