The Buffalo Bulls (2-1) are set to play host to the Troy Trojans (1-2) in a Saturday afternoon clash both teams would like to have in their pockets as proof of concepts on their seasons so far.
Buffalo had a frustrating loss to Minnesota to open the season, with their defense carrying them into game-changing situations only for the offense to stall out. Since then, they’ve seemingly turned around on the offensive front— though it was against competition which could best be described as subpar.
Troy,
meanwhile, showed moxie against Clemson and nearly pulled off an unthinkable upset against a ranked Tigers team before it all fell apart late in the going. A hangover loss to Memphis the next week has sunk the team to 1-2 after starting the season off with a sweaty 38-20 win over FCS Nicholls State.
With conference play on the horizon, and both teams seeking to establish their cases as contenders in their respective leagues, they’ll need to play at their best in order to get the momentum rolling.
Game Notes
- Time and date: Saturday, September 20th, 2025 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time
- Network: The game will be streamed exclusively on ESPN+; a valid subscription is required.
- Location: UB Stadium in Amherst, New York
- Gambling considerations: Buffalo is a 6.5-point favorite, with an over/under of 43.5, per FanDuel.
- Radio options: Paul Peck (play-by-play) and Scott Wilson (color) providing the Buffalo call on The Varsity Network App.
- All-time series: Troy and Buffalo have met just once, at the 2018 Dollar General Bowl. Troy won 42-32.
About the Buffalo Bulls
Buffalo disappointed many when they had to come from behind to beat a hapless Kent State team last week. Another close win against a struggling Troy squad could be cause for more alarm.
Ta’Quan Roberson had the first 300-yard passing game of his well-traveled, seven-year career last week. The performance worked to dispel some questions of his grasp of the offense; Roberson had performances of 107 and 133 yards in the first two weeks of the season. Roberson should excel against a Troy pass defense allowing a 71.8 completion percentage.
Al-Jay Henderson showed some burst with five yards per carry on 15 attempts. However, Troy’s run defense is tough, allowing just 134 yards and four yards per carry to opponents. Nik McMillan and Chance Morrow made the most of their opportunities after receiving sparse playing time the last two years. McMillan had seven catches for 117 yards and Morrow six for 99 against the Golden Flashes. Of course, one should always look out for all-MAC receiver Victor Snow, who sits at 11 catches for 168 yards and three touchdowns.
The Buffalo defense showed evident weakness against Kent State. Dru DeShields threw for 279 yards against the Bulls and completed 69 percent of his passes. The run defense was arguably worse; after struggling against Merrimack (96 yards) and Texas Tech (63 yards), the Golden Flashes ran for 144 yards on what many expected to be a stout UB defense. Although they were not efficient, they stayed ahead of schedule and tired out the Bulls’ defense.
Both fronts should rebound against a Troy offense that has only scored 23 points against FBS competition. Red Murdock leads the defense with 32 tackles, while Kobe Stewart and Saveon Brown anchor the pass rush with two sacks apiece.
About the Troy Trojans
Troy followed up a heartbreaking failed upset bid against Clemson with a 28-7 loss to Memphis last week. In both losses, the Troy passing game has been the biggest story.
After Goose Crowder threw three interceptions against Clemson, Tucker Kilcrease completed just 10 of his 29 passes for 65 yards against Memphis. This, in addition to a brief appearance by Crowder, contributed to a poor 12-32 for 72 yard stat line. The Trojans o-line have also allowed nine sacks, which on paper, looks to be to Buffalo’s advantage; UB has nine sacks on defense through three games in 2025.
Running back Tae Meadows leads the running game with 269 yards and six yards per carry in three games. Meadows was solid against Memphis, but only had eight carries after Troy fell behind and abandoned the run.
Troy’s 4-2-5 scheme typically gives offenses a lot of moving pieces to focus on and has multiple hybrid players that are difficult to gameplan for. This year is no different.
Pass rushers Donnie Smith and Jah-Mal Williams cause chaos in the backfield with both amassing two sacks each. Jordan Stringer is a stalwart in the middle at linebacker with 26 tackles, while Devin Lafayette is a presence from sideline to sideline with 23 tackles from the hybrid safety/linebacker SPEAR position. The Troy defense has had to keep its offense in games and this week should be no different. Jaquez White is solid at corner with an interception and two pass breakups so far this year, so we likely will not see a repeat of Ta’Quan Roberson’s 300-yard passing day.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Buffalo and Troy matchup well. Fans can expect a tough, competitive game on the gridiron.
Nonetheless, Buffalo should apply lessons learned last week against Kent State on pass defense directly to Troy’s struggling air game. This, along with Ta’Quon Roberson’s continued growth in the offense should help Buffalo pull away with a hard-fought win over the Trojans.
Prediction: Buffalo 24, Troy 14
