2017 Buffalo Bulls football team

2017 Buffalo Bulls football
Conference Mid-American Conference
Division East Division
2017 record 6–6 (4–4 MAC)
Head coach Lance Leipold (3rd season)
Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki (3rd season)
Defensive coordinator Brian Borland (3rd season)
Base defense 4–3
Home stadium University at Buffalo Stadium
(Capacity: 29,013)
2017 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
East Division
Akron xy  6 –2     7 –7  
Ohio  5 –3     9 –4  
Miami  4 –4     5 –7  
Buffalo  4 –4     6 –6  
Bowling Green  2 –6     2 –10  
Kent State  1 –7     2 –10  
West Division
Toledo xy$  7 –1     11 –3  
Central Michigan  6 –2     8 –5  
Northern Illinois  6 –2     8 –5  
Western Michigan  4 –4     6 –6  
Eastern Michigan  3 –5     5 –7  
Ball State  0 –8     2 –10  
Championship: Toledo 45, Akron 28
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
As of December 3, 2017; Rankings from AP Poll

The 2017 Buffalo Bulls football team represented the University at Buffalo in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulls were led by third-year head coach Lance Leipold and played their home games at University at Buffalo Stadium as members of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference. The Bulls finished the season 6–6, 4–4 in MAC play to finish in a tie for third place in the East Division. Despite being bowl-eligible, the Bulls did not receive an invitation to a bowl game.

Previous season

The Bulls finished the 2016 season 2–10, 1–7 in MAC play to finish in last place in the East Division.

Coaching staff

NameTitle
Lance LeipoldHead Coach
Rob IanelloAssociate Head Coach/Wide Receivers Coach
Brian BorlandDefensive Coordinator/Safeties Coach
Andy KotelnickiOffensive Coordinator/Running Backs Coach
Daryl AgpalsaOffensive Line Coach
Alan HensellTight Ends Coach
Chris SimpsonLinebackers Coach
Tim EdwardsDefensive Line Coach
Jim ZebrowskiQuarterbacks Coach
Taiwo OnatoluCornerbacks Coach

Source: [1]

Season notes

Record setting game

On October 7, 2017, the Bulls and Western Michigan to score 139 points in a game that took a record-tying seven overtimes to settle. Buffalo lost 71–68.[2] The game marked the highest-scoring FBS game, breaking the previous record set in 2016.[3]

Bowl snub

On November 24, 2017, Buffalo gained bowl eligibility for just the third time in school history.[4] The Bulls had previously made appearances in the now-defunct International Bowl in 2008 and the Potato Bowl in 2013, then were denied bowl eligibility after a game the Bulls were likely to win was canceled due to a snowstorm and never rescheduled in 2014. The loss of one bowl game compared to the 2016 season and the distribution of wins and losses across the Bowl Subdivision meant that, unlike previous years, there were three fewer openings than there were teams to fill them, and the Bulls were one of the three teams snubbed by all of the bowls.

Schedule

Buffalo announced their 2017 football schedule on January 23, 2017.[5] In out-of-conference play, the Bulls will meet former Western Michigan head coach P.J. Fleck's Minnesota team, as well as the Lane Kiffin-led FAU Owls.

Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance
August 31 7:00 p.m. at Minnesota* TCF Bank Stadium • Minneapolis, MN BTN L 7–17   43,224
September 9 12:00 p.m. at Army* Michie Stadium • West Point, NY CBSSN L 17–21   24,017
September 16 6:00 p.m. Colgate* UB Stadium • Amherst, NY ESPN3 W 33–10   11,546
September 23 7:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic* UB Stadium • Amherst, NY ESPN3 W 34–31   14,246
September 30 3:30 p.m. at Kent State Dix Stadium • Kent, OH ESPN3 W 27–13   12,355
October 7 3:30 p.m. Western Michigandagger UB Stadium • Amherst, NY ESPNU L 68–71 7OT  17,048
October 14 3:30 p.m. Northern Illinois UB Stadium • Amherst, NY ESPN3 L 13–14   12,784
October 21 2:30 p.m. at Miami (OH) Yager Stadium • Oxford, OH ESPN3 L 14–24   13,803
October 28 11:30 a.m. at Akron InfoCision Stadium • Akron, OH CBSSN L 20–21   17,427
November 7 7:30 p.m. Bowling Green UB Stadium • Amherst, NY ESPNU W 38–28   12,205
November 16 7:00 p.m. at Ball State Scheumann Stadium • Muncie, IN CBSSN W 40–24   5,248
November 24 1:00 p.m. Ohio UB Stadium • Amherst, NY ESPN3 W 31–24   12,273
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Eastern Time.

Source: [6]

Game summaries

at Minnesota

1 2 3 4 Total
Bulls 7 0 0 0 7
Golden Gophers 14 0 0 3 17
Overall record Last meeting Result
0–1 2002 MINN, 41–17

at Army

1 2 3 4 Total
Bulls 3 14 0 0 17
Black Knights 7 0 0 14 21
Overall record Last meeting Result
3–2 2016 BUFF, 23–20OT

Colgate

1 2 3 4 Total
Raiders 3 0 7 0 10
Bulls 20 10 0 3 33
Overall record Last meeting Result
7–8 2003 COLG, 38–15

Florida Atlantic

1 2 3 4 Total
Owls 7 10 0 14 31
Bulls 14 3 7 10 34
Overall record Last meeting Result
1–0 2015 BUFF, 33–15

at Kent State

1 2 3 4 Total
Bulls 7 13 7 0 27
Golden Flashes 0 13 0 0 13
Overall record Last meeting Result
11–11 2016 KENT, 44–20

Western Michigan

1 2 3 4OT2OT3OT4OT5OT6OT7OT Total
Broncos 10 7 7 77708666 71
Bulls 14 0 0 177708663 68
Overall record Last meeting Result
2–6 2016 WMU, 38–0

Northern Illinois

1 2 3 4 Total
Huskies 0 14 0 0 14
Bulls 3 10 0 0 13
Overall record Last meeting Result
1–10 2016 NIU, 44–7

at Miami (OH)

1 2 3 4 Total
Bulls 0 7 0 7 14
RedHawks 10 0 14 0 24
Overall record Last meeting Result
6–13 2016 MIA, 35–24

at Akron

1 2 3 4 Total
Bulls 7 6 0 7 20
Zips 7 7 0 7 21
Overall record Last meeting Result
6–10 2016 BUFF, 41–20

Bowling Green

1 2 3 4 Total
Falcons 7 7 7 7 28
Bulls 21 0 7 10 38
Overall record Last meeting Result
3–11 2016 BGSU, 27–19

at Ball State

1 2 3 4 Total
Bulls 10 13 14 3 40
Cardinals 0 10 7 7 24
Overall record Last meeting Result
1–9 2016 BSU, 31–21

Ohio

1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 7 3 14 0 24
Bulls 24 0 0 7 31
Overall record Last meeting Result
9–14 2016 OHIO, 34–10

References

  1. ↑ Buffalo Football Coaches. University at Buffalo Athletics. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Western Michigan vs. Buffalo - Game Recap - October 7, 2017 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
  3. ↑ "Seven OTs, 139 points: WMU edges Buffalo in highest-scoring, longest FBS game". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
  4. ↑ "Bulls Become Bowl Eligible with Win over Ohio on Senior Day". Buffalo. 2017-11-24. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
  5. ↑ UB Announces 2017 Football Opponents. January 23, 2017. UBBulls.com. University at Buffalo Athletics. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  6. ↑ 2017 Buffalo Bulls football schedule. FBSchedules.com. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
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