Thursday's MAC Football Results
UMass 37, Rutgers 21 -
RECAP
Buffalo 21, Albany 17
Wake Forest 38, Akron 16
Buffalo 21, Albany 17
Boxscore
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Chance Morrow caught his third touchdown pass with 4:53 remaining, and Stevie Bracey made a fourth-down tackle at the Buffalo 3-yard line to preserve the Bulls’ 21-17 victory over UAlbany on Thursday night at Broadview Stadium. Buffalo erased a three-point fourth-quarter deficit before stopping the Great Danes just short of the end zone on their final possession.
UAlbany struck first when Tavahri Groves caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Colón,Colón,Kai with 3:02 left in the first quarter, completing an 86-yard drive. Buffalo answered with a methodical 15-play, 75-yard possession capped by Elijah Holmes’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Morrow early in the second quarter. The same combination connected for a 4-yard score with 2:46 left in the half, giving the Bulls a 14-7 lead. Rj Kocan made a 46-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining to pull UAlbany within 14-10 at halftime.
The third quarter brought a pair of turnovers and another lead change. Saveon Brown intercepted Colón,Colón,Kai at the Buffalo 20, ending a drive that began at the UAlbany 8. Later, Johnson Jr.,Dana sacked Elijah Holmes for an 8-yard loss and forced a fumble that Dorian Royal recovered at the Buffalo 27. UAlbany converted the takeaway into a 14-yard touchdown pass from Colón,Colón,Kai to Murray Jr.,Justus, moving ahead 17-14 with 3:23 left in the quarter.
Buffalo responded when it mattered most. The Bulls drove 61 yards in eight plays during the fourth quarter, with Elijah Holmes completing passes of 20, 25 and 15 yards along the way. Morrow finished the drive with a 5-yard touchdown catch, restoring Buffalo’s lead at 21-17. Elijah Holmes completed 26 of 47 passes for 189 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, while Morrow totaled seven catches for 48 yards. Messiah Burch added 74 rushing yards on eight carries, including a 47-yard run.
UAlbany answered with a 72-yard drive and reached the Buffalo 1, but a false start and a 3-yard loss pushed the Great Danes backward. Facing fourth-and-9, UAlbany completed a 6-yard pass before Stevie Bracey made the tackle at the 3 with 1:02 remaining. Stevie Bracey finished with seven tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Brown added six tackles and an interception, Keontez Bradley led Buffalo with eight tackles, and Miles Greer contributed seven tackles and 34 yards on three punt returns.
Buffalo outgained UAlbany 340-276, rushed for 151 yards and converted 10 of 21 third downs. The Bulls also scored touchdowns on all three red-zone trips and held the Great Danes to 72 rushing yards. UAlbany converted only 5 of 19 third downs, and its final chance ended with Stevie Bracey’s goal-line stop in front of 8,690 spectators.
