Bulls Travel to Penn State for Big Ten Clash with Nittany Lions

Buffalo (1-1, 0-0 MAC) at #14 Penn State (2-0, 0-0 BIG TEN)

September 19, 2026

Beaver Stadium – 12:00 pm

 

Bulls on the Air

Radio
Buffalo – ESPN 1520

Television

Big Ten Network

Storylines

• This might be Buffalo’s fourth journey to Beaver Stadium in its historical past – the biggest stadium by which the Bulls have ever performed. UB additionally performed at Penn State in 2007, 2015 and 2019. 

• The Bulls are 1-13 all time towards groups from the Big Ten Conference. UB gained at 

Rutgers in 2018 for its solely Big Ten win. Buffalo did defeat Penn State in 1900 and 

Rutgers in 2002 – earlier than the groups joined the convention.

• The Bulls are 2-16 all time towards ranked opponents. Buffalo defeated #12 Ball State within the 2008 MAC Championship Game and gained at #23 Northern Illinois in 2024.  

The 14th-ranked Nittany Lions would be the highest ranked staff Buffalo will face since taking part in at #9 Missouri in 2024

• Wide receiver Chance Morrow has scored all 5 of Buffalo’s touchdowns on the 12 months and is tied for the FBS lead with 5 landing receptions on the season.

• Buffalo head coach Pete Lembo and Penn State head coach Matt Campbell met 4 occasions after they have been head coaches at Ball State and Toledo, respectively. The groups break up the 4 conferences between 2012 and 2015. 

• Penn State particular groups coordinator Justin Lustig was Pete Lembo‘s particular groups coordinator when he was head coach at Ball State.

• Buffalo will play a recreation on grass for the primary time for the reason that 2024 Bahamas Bowl. It might be their first regular-season recreation on grass since their final go to to Penn State in 2019.

Bulls Travel to Penn State for Big Ten Clash with Nittany Lions

The University at Buffalo soccer staff will journey to Penn State to face the 14th-ranked Nittany Lions on Saturday at Beaver Stadium.   

  

Buffalo is 1-1 on the season and is coming off a 33-20 loss at FIU final Saturday. The Bulls have been led by extensive receiver Chance Morrow who had a career-best 11 catches for 173 yards and two touchdowns within the recreation. 

 

Penn State is 2-0 and is coming off a 27-9 win at Temple final Saturday. The Nittany Lions are led by quarterback Rocco Becht who has thrown for 539 yards and 7 touchdowns on the season.

Penn State leads the all-time sequence, 3-1. The Nittany Lions gained the final assembly, 45-13, at Beaver Stadium in 2019.

Take a Chance

Wide receiver Chance Morrow is off to an amazing begin to the season. The fifth-year switch from Louisville, now in his fourth season with the Bulls, has 18 receptions for 221 yards and 5 touchdowns thus far on the season.

He ranks second within the nation in receptions and is tied for the FBS lead in landing receptions.

 

It’s actually a breakout season for Morrow who had 16 receptions for 258 yards and two touchdowns over his first three seasons at Buffalo mixed.

 

Morrow turned the primary Buffalo participant to whole three landing catches in a recreation since All-MAC receiver Anthony Johnson had three landing receptions towards Miami (OH) in 2018.

His 11 receptions at FIU have been probably the most by a UB participant since Justin Marshall had 11 towards Georgia Southern within the 2022 Camellia Bowl. His 173 receiving yards have been the eighth most for a single recreation in Buffalo’s FBS period (since 1999).

Wright on Target

When beginning quarterback Elijah Holmes was pressured to take a seat out the second half at FIU, Jason Wright entered the sport and proved to be a spark for the Bulls.

The sophomore signal-caller had not tried a cross in his profession previous to coming into the sport at FIU. He went 13-of-27 for 185 yards and two touchdowns towards the Panthers.

In his first motion, he drove the Bulls down the sphere on their first possession of the second half, going 4-for-4 for 81 yards and a two-yard landing cross to Chance Morrow.

Bulls vs. the Big Ten

Saturday will mark the tenth time within the final 13 years the Bulls will face an opponent from the Big Ten Conference. Buffalo has one win throughout that stretch, defeating Rutgers, 42-13, in 2018.

Year    Opponent    Result

2013    at Ohio State    L, 40-20

2015    at Penn State     L, 27-14

2017    at Minnesota    L, 17-7

2018    at Rutgers    W, 42-13

2019    at Penn State    L, 45-13

2021    at Nebraska    L, 28-3

2022    at Maryland    L, 31-10

2023    at Wisconsin    L, 38-17

2025    at Minnesota    L, 23-10

Holmes Sweet Holmes

It was fairly the debut for quarterback Elijah Holmes towards UAlbany within the opener. The switch quarterback from Division 2 Wingate threw all three touchdowns in Buffalo’s 21-17 win over the Great Danes. He turned the primary quarterback within the Bulls FBS period (since 1999) to throw three landing passes in his first profession begin at Buffalo.

Utilizing the Tight End

If the primary two video games are any indication, Buffalo might be using the tight finish much more in 2026. Newcomers Clint Walker (6 rec., 46 yds) and Trevor Wilson (4 rec., 46 yds) have mixed for 10 receptions on the season. 

In 2024 and 2025, tight ends mixed for 15 catches for these whole seasons.

Only one tight finish has caught a landing during the last 4 seasons – Andrew Schnackenberg at Kent State in 2023.

Close Calls

Buffalo’s 21-17 victory over UAlbany within the opener was one other one-score recreation for the Bulls. Eight of UB’s final 12 video games, courting again to final season, have been determined by one rating. The Bulls are 4-4 in these eight one-score video games.

Spreading the Wealth

UB quarterback Elijah Holmes had 27 completions within the opener towards UAlbany. He related with eight completely different receivers.    

Chance Morrow led the best way with seven receptions, adopted by Clint Walker (5), Jaylen Andrews (3), Dwayne Early (3) and Terrance Shelton (3).

UB quarterbacks once more discovered eight completely different receivers in week two’s recreation at FIU.

Last season, eight completely different gamers registered catches in a recreation solely as soon as. 

     

New Faces

Buffalo has 54 new gamers on the roster from a season in the past. Of the brand new faces, 23 are transfers and 31 are freshmen.

There have been 22 newcomers on the week-one depth chart.

Elijah Holmes (QB), Clint Walker (TE), Logan Goodwin (Edge), Zach Bergmann (LB), Stevie Bracey (LB) and Joseph Stoever (LS) all began the season opener.

New Coordinators

Coach Lembo has new coordinators on offense, protection and particular groups  coming into this season. Offensive coordinator Tony Tokarz and particular groups coordinator Garrett McLaughlin are new to the workers whereas defensive coordinator Brian Dougherty was elevated from safeties and nickels coach.

Tokarz got here to Buffalo from Florida State the place he spent the previous six seasons, together with the earlier 4 as quarterbacks coach. Prior to Florida State, Tokarz was tight ends coach at Memphis the place he coached with Lembo.

A local of Orchard Park, McLaughlin returned to Western New York after spending the previous two seasons as particular groups coordinator and defensive position coach at Columbia.

Dougherty is in his third season on Lembo’s workers and first as defensive coordinator. He beforehand served as defensive coordinator at each the University of Indianapolis and Valparaiso. 

Youth Up Front

Buffalo’s offensive line is stuffed with new faces and all 5 projected starters might be making their first profession begins for the Bulls after they take the sphere towards Albany. 

Left sort out Gabriel Arena has probably the most expertise, showing in 15 video games during the last two seasons.

Arena’s backup at left sort out, Tyrone Davis, appeared in 5 video games final season and made one begin.

None of the opposite 9 offensive linemen on the depth chart have seen any recreation motion for the Bulls.

Experience within the Defensive Backfield

One space the Bulls do return a number of expertise is the defensive backfield. 

At cornerback, Kobi Blackwell performed in all 12 video games and made seven begins final season. Keontez Bradley performed in 12 video games and began six a 12 months in the past. Oliver Bridges has appeared in 21 video games and made three begins during the last two seasons.

At security, Miles Greer returns after taking part in in all 12 video games a season in the past. He ranked third on the staff with 74 tackles in 2025. John Keough is again for his third season and has additionally been a particular groups ace. He performed in all 25 video games during the last two seasons.

    

Big Shoes to Fill

Buffalo has had an All-American at linebacker in every of the final two seasons. Shaun Dolac was a Consensus All-American and MAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 and Red Murdock was an All-American final season.

The Bulls solely return two linebackers who noticed motion final season and each primarily performed particular groups. Mathew HIlty and Jordan Owens are each within the their third season with the staff.

Sophomores returning, embrace Bradley Ilunga-Bisselele and George Hill.

The Bulls welcomed three transfers at linebacker – Zach Bergmann (Missouri Southern State), Stevie Bracey (Virginia) and Joey Cheshire (Cornell).

True freshmen Jack Garbolino, Anwar Witherspoon, Jr., Matthew Heininger and Na’Rod Jarvis can even be within the combine on the linebacker spot. 

    

Six Bulls Named to Phil Steele’s Preseason All-MAC Team

Six University at Buffalo soccer gamers have been named to Phil Steele’s Preseason All-MAC Team.

Wide Receiver Jasaiah Gathings was named to the primary staff. Safety Miles Greer was named to the second staff. Defensive sort out Cornell Evans and nickel SaVeon Brown have been named to the third staff. Tight finish Clint Walker and cornerback Kobi Blackwell have been named to the fourth staff.

Gathings is in his second 12 months with this system after transferring from UConn. The graduate receiver had 36 catches for 410 yards and three touchdowns in 2025.

Greer can also be in his second 12 months with this system after transferring from Shepard University. In 2025, he ranked third on the staff in tackles with 74 and added three tackles for loss and a pair of.5 sacks.

Evans, who has began 16 video games during the last two seasons, had 14 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in 2025.

Brown had 52 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in 2025.

Walker is a newcomer to this system after transferring from Davenport University. He spent 4 seasons with the Panthers and was an All-Conference choice in 2025.

    Blackwell had a breakout season for the Bulls in 2025. The redshirt-sophomore had a team-high seven cross breakups in 2025 and added 20 tackles and an interception.

It’s Broadview Stadium Now

Thanks to a partnership with Buffalo Athletics and Broadview Federal Credit Union, Broadview Stadium is the brand new title of the previous UB Stadium. The landmark settlement can have the Broadview title on each the stadium and enviornment for the subsequent 15 years.

Bulls Picked Sixth in Preseason Poll

Buffalo was picked to complete sixth within the Mid-American Conference preseason ballot in line with the MAC head coaches.

Western Michigan was picked first with 138 factors, adopted by Miami (134), Toledo (115), Ohio (107), Central Michigan (101), Buffalo (81), Eastern Michigan (76), Kent State (64), Bowling Green (59), Akron (52), Ball State (34), Sacramento State (28) and Massachusetts (25). 

Western Michigan was chosen because the preseason favourite to win the MAC Championship.

On The Airwaves

Again this season, University at Buffalo soccer will be heard domestically on ESPN 1520, a 50,000-watt station with one of many strongest indicators within the nation.         Calling all of the play-by-play motion of Bulls soccer for his twenty seventh 12 months, and nineteenth consecutive, might be Paul Peck. Scott Wilson is again for his tenth season as analyst. Brad Riter additionally returns as recreation host. 

The UB Football postgame present will as soon as once more be hosted by Bob Gaughan.