GAME #6 - BUFFALO STATE BENGALS AT UNION GARNET CHARGERS
Saturday, October 19, 2024 - 1:00 PM
Frank Bailey Field – Schenectady, NY

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THE MATCHUP… Buffalo State heads on the road to battle the Union Garnet Chargers for another Liberty League matchup. Union is 4-0 all-time against the Bengals following a 43-17 victory last season.

THE BENGALS' LAST GAME… Last time out, the Bengals fell 31-3 to Hobart in their first taste of Liberty League action of the season.

Noah Kimble (Depew, NY/Lancaster) was 13-20 for 91 yards on the day. Ale Wilson (Bronx, NY/KIPP College Prep) rushed for 46 yards across 12 attempts while also snagging three receptions for 29 yards. Mohamed Sangare (Bronx, NY/KIPP NYC) led the Bengals defense with 12 tackles and a sack. Basiaka Butcher (White Plains, NY/Valhalla) snagged his second interception of the season.

After Buffalo State began their opening drive, the Bengals got aggressive early going for it on 4^th and 4. Mike McGhee intercepted the ball and returned it 67 yards for the pick-six. Both sides would go silent the rest of the first quarter. Early in the second, the Statesmen were able to add another score and go up 14-0. Butcher got the interception late in the second quarter, but the Bengals did not have any time to capitalize as Hobart led 14-0 at halftime.

Coming out for the second half, Brody Stevens (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) forced a fumble on the return which was recovered by Butcher. The Bengals could not find the endzone as they failed to score on 4^th and goal. Buffalo State got another opportunity after a fumble recovery by Stevens. A pair of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and a Hobart ejection gave the Bengals an opportunity inside enemy territory. The Bengals were able to come away with a field goal as Nick Sciandra (North Tonawanda, NY/North Tonawanda) nailed his kick from 22 yards out. Hobart was able to add a pair of touchdowns and a field goal in the fourth quarter to secure the win.

Tru Styles was 12-18 for 154 yards and three touchdowns in the win. Johnny Harding had seven receptions for 83 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
 
LAST TIME WE MET... The two sides last met a season ago back in early November. Union came out of the gates fast and were able to cruise in the second half to secure the win.

Darion Jones (Buffalo, NY/Hutch Tech) took a kickoff 95 yards back to the house for the first Buffalo State kickoff return touchdown since 2017. Kimble completed 22-of-40 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown while Chris Boadi (Bronx, NY/New Visions) rushed for 57 yards across 22 attempts.

Union struck quickly, opening the scoring four minutes into the game with a Michael Fiore two-yard run. After the Bengals punted on their opening possession, Union scored two plays later, as Donovan Pacatte tossed a 28-yard touchdown pass to Robbie Tolbert. Sciandra later opened the scoring for the Bengals after a long, 14-play drive, kicking a 27-yard field goal to make the score 14-3. Union scored another 36 seconds into the second quarter, with Fiore scoring his second touchdown of the afternoon from four yards out. Max Gluck added a 34-yard field goal to take a 24-3 lead, before Jones' return put the Bengals within striking distance at 24-10. Union converted its second field goal of the half, this time from 38-yards out as the Garnet Chargers led 30-10 at halftime.

After a Buffalo State interception, Fiore answered with his third touchdown of the game, scoring from nine yards out to take a 37-10 lead. Buffalo State struck back with a four-play, 69-yard drive, capped by a 55-yard catch and run by Bruce as the hosts trailed 37-17 heading into the fourth quarter. Union capped its scoring midway through the final period, as Pacatte tossed a 7-yard touchdown pass to Dan Quinn to lead 43-17. Buffalo State had a chance late to close the gap, but Union's Charles Johnson recovered a Kimble fumble at the 1-yard line in the final minute of regulation.

Pacatte completed 18-of-28 passes for 270 yards, scoring two touchdowns and throwing an interception. Fiore gained 110 yards on 22 carries, scoring thrice. Spencer Goldstein led the Union defense with 10 tackles, while James Gillespie caught a pair of interceptions.

DEFENSIVE POWERHOUSE… Buffalo State continues to have one of the strongest defensive units in the Liberty League. Sincere Green (Jamestown, NY/Jamestown) currently leads the Liberty League with 10.5 tackles for loss averaging nearly three yards for loss. As a team, their red zone defense ranks fourth in the conference while snagging an interception, a turnover on downs, and a 3-7 (42%) success rate on field goals.
 
MILESTONE WATCH… Kenneth Mosley (Buffalo, NY/Kenmore West) and Wilson are also making strides towards setting career marks. Mosley is 25 tackles shy of 200 for his career while Wilson is closing in on 2,000 career rushing yards.
 
WATCHING WILSON…  Wilson currently sits sixth on the Liberty League leaderboards in rushing yards with 286 net yards. Averaging over 5.0 yards per carry with a long of 47.

OH CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!… Mosley is one of four captains for the Bengals this season. He is joined by Jones, Shamond Phillips (Brooklyn, NY/It Takes A Village Academy), and Kenyi Onama (Rosedale, NY/Christ the King).

ABOUT THE BENGALS' COACH… Lazarus Morgan is in his third season at the helm of the Buffalo State football program in 2024 after being appointed as the sixth football coach in Buffalo State history in January 2022. 

In his first season as head coach, Morgan guided six student-athletes to Liberty League All-Conference selections, as well as seven All-Academic team winners. In 2023, the team saw nine All-Conference picks and six All-Academic winners.

He arrived in Buffalo after serving as the defensive coordinator at SUNY Cortland during the 2021 season, coordinating the fifth-ranked overall defense in NCAA Division III, helping guide the Red Dragons to an 11-1 record, an Empire 8 title, and a trip to the NCAA playoffs.

A native of the Bronx, Morgan played defensive back at Utica College from 2006-08, then began his coaching career at his alma mater from 2009-13. He then moved to Alfred University from 2014-19, serving as the Saxon's defensive coordinator in the final four seasons.

UNDERSTANDING UNION… Union welcomes the Bengals with a record of 1-4 (0-1 Liberty League) on the year and looking to snap a three-game skid. Last time out, the Garnet Chargers fell 27-24 in overtime to St. Lawrence as they opened conference play.

Patch Flanagan has been the primary man for Union throwing for 797 yards and nine touchdowns with four interceptions. Flanagan has also had a solid year using his legs rushing for 333 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Leading the receivers is Robbie Tolbert with 153 yards and four touchdowns.

On the defensive side, Cole DaSilva has 53.0 total tackles while Than VanderBrink has six sacks and a pair of QB hits.

SCHEDULES/RESULTS... 

BUFFALO STATE (2-3, 0-1 LIBERTY LEAGUE)

Sept. 5	at Brockport	L, 27-0
Sept. 14	HILBERT	W, 42-6
Sept. 28	ALFRED STATE (Homecoming)	W, 12-0
Oct. 5	at Mercyhurst	L, 55-0
Oct. 12	HOBART ***	L, 31-3
Oct. 19	at Union ***	3 PM
Oct. 26	ITHACA ***	12 PM
Nov. 2	at Rochester ***	12 PM
Nov. 9	RPI ***	1 PM
Nov. 16	at St. Lawrence ***	1 PM

*** LIBERTY LEAGUE CONTEST ***

UNION (1-4, 0-1 LIBERTY LEAGUE)

Sep. 6	at Utica	L, 41-26
Sept. 14	MARITIME	W, 18-15
Sept. 20	at Springfield	L, 37-20
Sept. 28	at Montclair State	L, 17-15
Oct. 5	at St. Lawrence ***	L, 27-24 (OT)
Oct. 19	BUFFALO STATE ***	1 PM
Oct. 26	at Hobart ***	1 PM
Nov. 2	ITHACA ***	12 PM
Nov. 9	ROCHESTER ***	12 PM
Nov. 16	at RPI ***	12 PM

*** LIBERTY LEAGUE CONTEST ***