The Buffalo Bulls caught many by surprise in 2024. The program was subject to an unexpected head coaching change, as Pete Lembo took over for Maurice Linguist in January and instantly guided Buffalo to the doorstep of MAC contention with a 9-4 record.
Lembo and the Bulls were aiming to take Minnesota by surprise too. Although Buffalo proved a worthy challenger in Minneapolis, the Golden Gophers never trailed in a 23-10 result. Former MAC Coach of the Year P.J. Fleck, who made his Minnesota debut against
the Bulls nine years ago, enacted a similar result as his team improved to 1-0 Thursday night.
It was a tale of two sides of the ball for Buffalo. The Bulls were more of a defensive-driven than offensive-led team in 2024, but when facing an opponent the caliber of Minnesota, Buffalo’s offensive struggles were significantly magnified. The Bulls produced just 151 yards compared to Minnesota’s 443 in the opener. Remaining on the field was a tall task as Buffalo converted 1-of-11 third downs, sending out punter Dylan Drennan seven times over the course of the night.
Buffalo 1,000-yard rusher Al-Jay Henderson averaged 125 rushing yards over his last five outings, but Minnesota’s run defense — which ranked 12th nationally in 2024 — continued its suffocating brand. The Golden Gophers limited Henderson to 25 yards on 11 attempts and Buffalo to 44 yards on 24 attempts as a whole. Middle linebacker Maverick Baranowski proved too lethal for the Bulls’ offense, and the junior produced 10 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss as Minnesota’s leader.
The Bulls’ lone touchdown occurred on a deep ball when Victor Snow skated a defender out of his shoes on a crisp route. Buffalo’s new seventh-year senior quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson connected with Snow for a 40-yard touchdown which kept the team in striking distance, down 13-10 with 6:48 remaining in the third quarter. However, in their final three possessions — two with the opportunity to take the lead — the Bulls never crossed their own 30-yard line.
Up 16-10, Minnesota cemented the dagger with with 10:52 remaining as Jalen Smith found a gaping hole in Buffalo’s zone. Gopher quarterback Drake Lindsey stepped into a deep throw and delivered a 60-yard touchdown strike to his redshirt freshman with 10:52 remaining. Buffalo only saw three plays after that moment, as Minnesota hoarded the final 9:45 of clock to secure the victory.
Although the Gophers produced 445 yards, Buffalo’s defense stepped up in crucial moments up until Smith’s game-changing touchdown reception. The unit limited Minnesota to a single touchdown in the first three quarters of action — a leaping end zone grab by tight end Jameson Geers in the early second quarter.
Buffalo’s bend-don’t-break defense manufactured several critical stops that the offense couldn’t capitalize on. One involved stuffing Geers on a direct snap in the first quarter on a 4th and 1 from the Buffalo 11-yard line. Another stop was pure madness. Lindsey targeted Geers in the flats, but the tight end slipped. When the ball arrived, he incidentally kicked it in the air, placing it into the waiting hands of Buffalo linebacker Mitchell Gonser, who raced 54 yards down the sideline. If not for a shoestring tackle by Minnesota running back Darius Taylor, Gonser would have scored. But Taylor’s tackle saved four points as Minnesota held Buffalo to a 36-yard field goal after the bizarre turnover.
Another bright spot in the defense was the omnipresence of inside linebacker Red Murdock. Coming off a season featuring the second most tackles and most forced fumbles in the FBS, Murdock made a statement. Aiming to become Buffalo’s second consensus All-American in program history (following fellow linebacker Shaun Dolac in 2024), Murdock’s campaign got off to a stellar start with 16 tackles and a sack as one of the most dominant players on the field.
But the Bulls ultimately fell by 13 points, taking on an 0-1 record heading into their Sept. 6 home opener against St. Francis (PA) of the FCS. Minnesota also prepares for FCS competition next week as Northwestern State takes a trip up north to Minneapolis.
