AMHERST, N.Y. — The University at Buffalo (UB) football team kicked off their season with a thrilling 21-17 victory against Albany, but not without a significant delay. The game, held at UB's Broadview Stadium, was postponed for nearly three hours due to inclement weather, including rain and lightning, before finally starting just before 10 p.m. on Thursday.
Despite the challenging conditions, UB managed to pull off a comeback victory. The Bulls found themselves trailing late in the fourth quarter until Chance Morrow caught his third touchdown pass of the game, putting UB ahead with just 4:53 left on the clock. Albany had mounted a promising drive, covering 74 yards, but their attempt to regain the lead was thwarted by a false start penalty that negated a potential touchdown.
Quarterback Elijah Holmes, making his debut for UB after transferring from Division II Wingate, had a steady performance, completing 26 of 47 passes for 189 yards, including three touchdowns without any interceptions. Although he rushed for 25 yards, a critical fumble during a sack allowed Albany to take a brief lead at 17-14 in the third quarter.
Wide receiver Chance Morrow had a standout game, catching seven passes for 48 yards, marking the first time in eight years that a UB player has recorded three touchdown receptions in a single game. The Bulls' ground game was led by Messiah Burch, who rushed for 74 yards on eight carries, while Terrence Shelton Jr. contributed 47 yards on 14 attempts. Local player James McNeil Jr. also made an impact with a 17-yard rush.
On the defensive side, UB's unit held Albany to 276 total yards, with only 72 of those coming on the ground. This was a notable achievement against an Albany team that had previously rushed for 372 yards in their opening week victory over New Hampshire. Keontez Bradley led the Bulls' defense with eight tackles, while Stevie Bradley added seven tackles and one of UB's three sacks. SaVeon Brown also made a significant contribution with six tackles and a diving interception.
The game was originally scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. under clear skies, but heavy rain during pregame warmups led to the delay. Lightning in the area extended the wait as officials assessed the field's conditions. Fortunately, the rain subsided, and the game concluded at 1:25 a.m. without any further weather interruptions.
Looking ahead, UB will face Florida International in their next matchup, scheduled for Saturday, September 9, before traveling to Happy Valley to take on Penn State on September 19. This victory not only marks a positive start to the season but also helps the Bulls avoid a disappointing loss against an opponent from the lower Division I FCS, which would have been their fourth such defeat in the last 11 years.
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