Score: UAlbany 17, Buffalo (FBS) 21
Location: Broadview Stadium in Amherst, N.Y.
Records: UAlbany (1-1, 1-0 CAA) | Buffalo (1-0, 0-0 MAC)
Short Story: The University at Albany football team fought to the bitter end against FBS foe Buffalo on Thursday night, falling 21-17 to the Bulls.
The game was originally scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. but was delayed due to weather and field conditions. The teams waited nearly three hours before kickoff finally came at 9:45 p.m.
Key Stat Lines
- The Great Danes totaled 276 yards of offense, including 204 passing yards and 72 rushing yards.
- Senior quarterback Kai Colón completed 16-of-36 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns.
- BJ Norman led UAlbany with six receptions for 67 yards, while Jordan Rae added two catches for 35 yards.
- Tavahri Groves and Justus Murray Jr. each recorded a receiving touchdown.
- Victor Holt led the Great Danes with nine total tackles, seven solo, while Dillon Dunathan added seven tackles.
- Dana Johnson Jr. recorded UAlbany's lone sack, a forced fumble.
- Gavin Myers averaged 45.0 yards per punt, including two punts of 50-plus yards.
- RJ Kocan connected on a 46-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
How it Happened:
- The game started with a turnover on downs from Buffalo. On the first offensive play for the Great Danes, quarterback Kai Colón went down with an injury and was replaced by Aidan Semo.
- Colón returned on the next drive and led the Great Danes to seven points. BJ Norman first hauled in a pass for 45 yards before Colón eventually found Tavahri Groves from eight yards out for the score. The TD was the first for Colon as a Great Dane, and the first passing TD on the year for the team.
- The Bulls responded on the following drive to tie it up on a great reception from Chance Morrow on the far side of the field, capping a 15-play, 75-yard drive.
- The Bulls took a 14-7 lead with 2:46 remaining in the first half when Morrow took in his second TD reception of the day. The drive spanned 44 yards over eight plays.
- RJ Kocan knocked through a 46-yard field goal at the end of the half to bring the score to 14-10. It was Kocan's first field goal attempt as a Great Dane.
- Buffalo's SaVeon Brown recorded the first turnover of the day when he intercepted UAlbany's Colón midway through the third. The Bulls got the ball in their own territory, around the 20-yard line.
- With 4:33 remaining in the third, UAlbany's Dana Johnson Jr. forced a Buffalo fumble, recovered by Dorial Royal at midfield.
- The Great Danes used the momentum to march down the short field and take the lead. After Kocan originally hit a 44-yard field goal that came off the board after a running into the kicker penalty, Colón found freshman wideout Justus Murray Jr. from 14 yards out for the rookie's first collegiate touchdown, 17-14.
- The Bulls were able to re-take the lead with under five minutes remaining in the game after driving 61 yards on nine plays. Morrow scored his third touchdown of the game to cap it, 21-17.
- The Great Danes were able to punch the ball in with just over a minute remaining, but the play was called back due to a false start.
- UAlbany went for it on fourth down, but a completed pass to Luke McAuliffe came up just short of the end zone.
Next: The Great Danes go from one side of New York to the other as they travel to Long Island to take on the LIU Sharks next Saturday, Sept. 12. Keep up with all of the latest news, highlights, and insights on UAlbany football by following the team on
X,
Instagram, and
Facebook.
