PITTSBURGH PANTHERS
at
Buffalo Bulls
UB Stadium (29,013/Sportexe 46)
Buffalo, N.Y.
Saturday, October 20 • 3:30 p.m. • BIG EAST Network
Television
BIG EAST Network/ESPN3.com — Bob Picozzi and Chris Doering
Pittsburgh Radio
KDKA-FM 93.7(flagship)
THE GAME
Pittsburgh and Buffalo have met three times prior to Saturday’s game and the Panthers look to remain unbeaten against the Bulls … The last meeting was Pittsburgh’s 35-16 win at Heinz Field last season … Pittsburgh was a 54-27 winner in 2009, which was the only game to date played in Buffalo … Pittsburgh is 28-3 all-time against Mid-American Conference opponents.
PITTSBURGH (2-4, 0-3 BIG EAST)
Head Coach
Paul Chryst (Wisconsin ’88)
2-4, first season
NOTES
Pittsburgh has dropped two straight and looks to avoid its first 2-5 start since 2001 … That 2001 team reeled off six straight wins to close the season, however, culminating in a win against NC State in the Tangerine Bowl to finish 7-5 … The Panthers are 0-2 in road games, having lost at Cincinnati and Syracuse … QB Tino Sunseri will make his 33rd consecutive start Saturday … Sunseri has thrown for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns with just one interception in his past four games … Sunseri leads the BIG EAST in pass efficiency rating (163.49) and has thrown for 1,750 yards and 10 TDs this season … RB Ray Graham is averaging 73.2 yards per game (439 yards on 95 attempts) … RB Rushel Shell is the top freshman back in the league (65.4 yards per game) … WR Devin Street leads the BIG EAST in receptions (6.5 per game) and is third in receiving yards (85.7 ypg) … WR Mike Shanahan is second in the conference in receiving yards (87.5 ypg) and thrid in receptions (4.8 per game) … S Jason Hendricks has led the defense with a BIG EAST-leading three interceptions to go with 37 tackles … S Jarred Holley has 36 tackles, while LB Shane Gordon has 33 … P Matt Yoklic is averaging 43.1 yards on 22 punts this year.
BUFFALO (1-5, 0-3 MAC)
Head Coach
Jeff Quinn (Elmhurst ’84)
6-23, third season at Buffalo
7-24, third full season as collegiate head coach
NOTES
Buffalo enters Saturday’s game at 1-5 after a 45-3 setback to Northern Illinois last Saturday … The Bulls have lost four straight, with the lone win in 2012 a 56-34 decision against Morgan State Sept. 8 … Head coach Jeff Quinn is no stranger to the BIG EAST, having served as the offensive coordinator at Cincinnati before taking over at Buffalo in 2010 … Buffalo’s balanced offense averages 200.2 rushing yards and 199.5 passing yards per game … RB Branden Oliver averaged 142.0 rushing yards per game in the Bulls’ first three contests, but has missed the last three with a leg injury… Oliver has rushed for 426 yards and three touchdowns on 71 attempts and is averaging 6.0 yards per carry … He has rushed for at least 100 yards seven times in his last 10 games … QB Alex Zordich has completed 78 of 151 passes for 971 yards and eight touchdowns with six interceptions … WR Alex Neutz has 15 receptions for 264 yards and six touchdowns … Neutz had 32 catches for 512 yards and seven touchdowns … LB Khalil Mack leads the team with 4.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss … DE Colby Way has four sacks.
