UB football opens season against two ranked opponents
UB plays Missouri on Sept. 7 in Columbia, Mo. The Tigers are No. 11 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, released Monday afternoon and No. 11 in the preseason USA Today US LBM Coaches Poll.
The University at Buffalo football team won’t have any time or room to ease into its 2024 schedule.
The Associated Press released its college football preseason Top 25 poll Monday, and it includes a ranked team that the Bulls will face in their second game of the season.
UB head coach Pete Lembo will lead his team against No. 11-ranked Missouri in the second game of the season. Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News
The high-profile Top 25 opponent? Missouri on Sept. 7 in Columbia, Missouri. The Tigers are No. 11 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, released Monday afternoon and No. 11 in the preseason USA Today US LBM Coaches Poll.
The under-the-radar ranked opponent, at least in two other polls? Lafayette on Aug. 29 at UB Stadium, which will be Pete Lembo’s first game as coach of the Bulls. Lafayette is No. 17 in the StatsPerform Football Championship Subdivision preseason top 25 and No. 18 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.
The Tigers will be the Bulls’ fourth AP-ranked nonconference opponent since 2019. No. 19 Wisconsin defeated UB 38-17 on Sept. 2, 2023, in Madison, Wisconsin. No. 16 Coastal Carolina defeated UB 28-25 on Sept. 18, 2021, at UB Stadium and No. 15 Penn State defeated UB 45-13 on Sept. 7, 2019, in State College, Pennsylvania.
Here are three way-too-early questions about the Bulls’ nonconference schedule:
Can UB beat an FCS team?
UB’s last win against an FCS program was Sept. 2, 2021, when the Bulls thrashed Wagner, 69-7, in the season opener for both teams. The next year, the Bulls lost at home to Holy Cross, as Crusaders quarterback Matthew Sluka threw a last-second touchdown pass to Jalen Coker to cap a 37-31 win against the Bulls. Last season, Fordham secured a 40-37 win against the Bulls after Alex McNulty missed a 54-yard field goal attempt with 37 seconds left.What’s benefit of facing Missouri?
At first glance, the ranking can be daunting, but expect the chatter to be something about “rankings don’t matter” or “the ranking doesn’t intimidate us.” The date will be lucrative, though. This is a buy game, in college athletics parlance, so UB’s athletic department will get an ample payout. According to the contract, obtained by The Buffalo News through a records request/Missouri Sunshine Law request, UB will receive a $1.5 million payout from Missouri, following the Sept. 7 matchup.When did UB last face an SEC team?
This will be UB’s fourth Southeastern Conference opponent since 2006. No. 2 Auburn defeated the Bulls 38-7 on Sept. 23, 2006, in Auburn, Ala. Tennessee defeated UB 41-20 on Oct. 1, 2011, in Knoxville, Tenn. No. 6 Georgia defeated UB 45-23 on Sept. 1, 2012, in Athens, Ga.The Tigers defeated the Bulls 42-21 on Sept. 20, 2008, in Columbia, the only meeting between the two teams. The Tigers were in the Big 12 at the time, and joined the SEC on July 1, 2012.
2024 UB schedule
Aug. 29: vs. Lafayette, 7 p.m.
Sept. 7: at Missouri, 7 p.m.
Sept. 14: vs. Massachusetts, 1 p.m.
Sept. 21: at Northern Illinois, TBA (Mid-American Conference opener)*
Sept. 28: at Connecticut, noon
Oct. 12: vs. Toledo, TBA*
Oct. 19: vs. Western Michigan, 3:30 p.m.*
Oct. 26: at Ohio, TBA*
Nov. 2: at Akron, TBA*
Nov. 12: vs. Ball State, 7 p.m.*
Nov. 20: at Eastern Michigan, 7 p.m.*
Nov. 26: vs. Kent State, 7 p.m.*
* Mid-American Conference game
