Buffalo Football Preview 2025: The Bulls Can Win The MAC Championship

Miami Herald

26-05-2025

The city of Buffalo has become a good place to enjoy football.Starting over with new head coach Pete Lembo, the University of Buffalo football team wasn't supposed to do much of anything after a 3-9 2023. And then it beat the Northern Illinois team coming off a win over Notre Dame.Just when it seemed that things were back to expected with a 44-point loss at UConn, boom, UB 30, Toledo 15, and … two straight losses to follow ended October 4-4.
Five wins later, including a dominant Bahamas Bowl victory over Liberty, and the program earned its second season with more than eight wins since coming up to the FBS ranks 35 years ago.And now Lembo has an even better team.Buffalo had a whole slew of issues, but the defense was smothering in the backfield, the offense was opportunistic, and best of all, the transfer portal wasn't a big problem. Most of the top guys who could return, did.And now, very, very quietly, the Buffalo football program - the college version - has a real shot to go bowling for the sixth time in eight years.
Buffalo Preview 2025: Offense
X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN- The offense did what it was supposed to do - it scored. It wasn't great through the air, there wasn't enough on the ground, but it didn't turn it over, and it managed to score 30 points or more eight times.- The passing game has a new quarterback in Ta'Quan Roberson from Kansas State to take over for CJ Ogbonna. Gunnar Gray didn't do much in his little time, but he's a veteran second option.
- Top wide receiver Victor Snow went from walk-on to All-MAC with 55 tackles for 651 yards and six scores. He's back, but the rest of the corps is thin on experience and production, needing Nik McMillan to be a threat on the outside after missing most of last year injured.- The offensive line should be one of the team's biggest strengths, with transfer Jake Timm (LIU) stepping in, flanked by All-MAC guards Tyler Doty and Trevor Brock. Starting left tackle Henry Tabansi is back, and there are veteran options for the right side.- All-star Al-Jay Henderson is back after a 1,078-yard, nine-touchdown season as the team's top back. He's backed up by really young, but really promising options. Sophomores Messiah Burch and Lamar Sperling saw enough time last year to be ready.
Buffalo Preview 2025: Defense
- Overall, the defense finished eighth in the MAC, allowing close to 400 yards per game, but the pass rush was good, the aggressiveness and takeaways were great, and just about everyone is back to what should be the league's best D.- Massive-tackling linebacker Shaun Dolac is gone, but his main running man is back. Red Murdock made 156 tackles with two sacks, 16.5 tackles for loss, and a pick six. He's in the middle, great pass rusher Dion Crawford is back on the outside coming off a 59-tackle season, and there's decent depth waiting in the wings.
- The pass rush is there from the line, too, with 9.5-sack All-MAC star Kobe Stewart returning to one side. The tackles aren't huge around junior Cornell Evans, and there isn't a ton of experience, but there are good young parts.- The secondary is loaded with veterans, led by a great group of corners around Marquis Cooper and Charles McCartherens - they combined for three picks and 12 broken up passes. Solomon Brown was third on the team with 66 tackles and six broken up passes. Jalen McNair and Jonathan Capo should round out one of the MAC's best group of safeties.
Buffalo Key to the Season
Hold up against the run.The Bull run defense wasn't all that bad overall. As long as it held up, everything else came into place.The Bulls were 9-0 when holding teams to under 5.2 yards per carry, and 0-4 when giving up that many or more. They won by double-digits in all six games when they allowed fewer than three yards per run.
Buffalo Key Player
Ta'Quan Roberson, QB Sr.It's been a very, very long road. Roberson started out at Penn State, left for UConn, and after a strong 2023 he moved to Kansas State. Now, in his seventh year of college football, he has to use that maturity and experience to be the baller for the attack like he was for the Huskies a few seasons ago.
Buffalo Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss
Top Transfer In: Jake Timm, C Sr.Not only does the Buffalo line get a new center, but it landed a veteran who was a two-time All-NEC star with 30 starters in the middle at Long Island University. He solves a huge problem as the anchor of the front.Top Transfer Out: Upton Bellenfant, PK Jr.The Bulls didn't lose a whole bunch of talent in the portal, but not having a kicker who hit 18-of-21 field goals is a concern when you won two games by three points each. He's a great get for a Texas Tech team that loaded up through the portal.
Buffalo Key Game
Miami University, Nov. 22The Bulls can't take any game for granted, but the MAC schedule is about as manageable as can possibly be asked for. The one big problem comes late against Miami University. It's a home game with a spot in the MAC title game possibly on the line.- 2025 Buffalo Schedule Breakdown
Buffalo Top 10 Players
1. Red Murdock, LB Sr. 2. Kobe Stewart, EDGE Sr.3. Dion Crawford, LB Jr.4. Al-Jay Henderson, RB Sr.5. Tyler Doty, OG Sr.6. Victor Snow, WR Jr.7. Trevor Brock, OG Sr. 8. Marquis Cooper, CB Sr.9. Ta'Quan Roberson, QB Sr.10. Jake Timm, C Sr.
Buffalo 2024 Fun Stats
- Field Goals: Buffalo 19-of-24, Opponents 13-of-21- Points Allowed: 1st Quarter 44, 2nd Quarter 107- Tackles For Loss: Buffalo 92, Opponents 73
Buffalo 2025 Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen
Last year's team wasn't even close against the teams it shouldn't have beaten, gave away a 50/50 game at home to Western Michigan, and took out everyone else.The Bulls didn't just load up on wins over bad teams. It beat Toledo and Northern Illinois, along with the MAC speed bumps. This year's team should be about the same.
The defense should take a big step up, the offense has enough parts to be better as long as the quarterback play is okay, and the team should be deep in the MAC Championship going into the final two games on the road against Bowling Green and Central Michigan.Set The Buffalo Win Total At … 7.5Likely Wins: Akron, at Kent State, St. Francis, at UMass50/50 Games: at Bowling Green, at Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Miami University, Ohio, Troy, UConnLikely Losses: at Minnesota
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