Ohio (7-3, 4-2 MAC) defeated the Buffalo Bulls (3-7, 3-3 MAC) at UB Stadium Tuesday evening (Nov. 7), 20-10. This marks Ohio's first time beating the Bulls on the road since 2019.
The game featured two Canadians who will play a big role in the upcoming CFL draft, Kurtis Rourke and Gabe Wallace, who are predicted to go 1-2 in the draft.
Graduate student quarterback Rourke (from Oakville, Ontario) finished the game 14-21 with no interceptions on 121 yards in the air. On the ground, Rourke recorded seven carries. Redshirt sophomore running back Sieh Bangura (Bowie, Md.) led the team with 17 carries on 78 rushing yards, scoring both of the team's touchdowns.
Defensively, graduate student linebackers Keye Thompson(Barberton, Ohio) and Bryce Houston (Lewis Center, Ohio) led the team with 13 and 12 total tackles, respectively. Thompson finished the game with 12 solo stops, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery while Houston recorded 10 solo tackles.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Bulls put the first three points on the board with a 41-yard field goal to wrap up a 10-play, 71-yard drive.
Ohio evened the score with 8:48 left in the third quarter, with freshman kicker Gianni Spetic (Chardon, Ohio) kicking a 29-yard field goal. Bangura gave Ohio the lead with a two-yard rushing touchdown, marking the first touchdown of the day. After a successful PAT by Spetic, Buffalo trailed Ohio, 10-3.
The Bobcats' lead was short lived, however. The following drive, the Bulls moved down the field with a 52-yard pass before capping off the eight-play drive with a rushing touchdown to tie the game, 10-10.
With 8:52 remaining in the game, Spetic kicked his second field goal of the day to reclaim Ohio's lead. Bangura extended the Bobcats' lead with less than two minutes remaining in the game, giving Ohio a 10-point advantage. Ohio's defense held the Bulls, allowing the team to go into victory formation to win, 20-10.
