GAME #5 - BUFFALO STATE BENGALS VS UNION GARNET CHARGERS
Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 - 4:00 PM - HOMECOMING
Coyer Field – Buffalo, NY
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THE MATCHUP… Buffalo State looks to keep the momentum going as they will host Union for Homecoming in their second Liberty League contest of the season. The Garnet Chargers are 5-0 all-time against Buffalo State following a 31-10 victory a season ago.
THE BENGALS' LAST GAME… Buffalo State picked up their first win of the season with a 15-8 final over the Hilbert Hawks in their first Liberty League matchup of the season.
Noah Kimble (Depew, NY/Lancaster) was 10-14 for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Jeadi Higdon (Syracuse, NY/Corcoran) posted his first career 100-yard rushing game with 101 yards and a long of 18. Higdon averaged just under six yards per carry.
Mikai Johnson (Far Rockaway, N/James Madison) tallied four receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown with
Otho Cox (Nyack, NY/Nyack) scoring the other Bengal touchdown. On the defensive side,
Emerald Smart (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison) had a pair of interceptions while
Brody Stevens (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) led the way with nine tackles.
The Hawks got the scoring started after taking advantage of a Buffalo State offside penalty. Hilbert was then successful on the two-point conversion to take an early 8-0 lead. Buffalo State responded just before the half as Kimble found Johnson for a nine-yard score. Likewise, the Bengals were successful on the two-point attempt with a score of 8-8 heading into halftime. After a blocked punt by the Bengals on Hilbert's opening drive, Buffalo State took full advantage as Kimble found Cox for the touchdown to give the Bengals a 15-8 lead. With one last attempt from Hilbert in the fourth quarter, Smart snagged his second interception of the day just in front of the endzone. With a facemask penalty from the Hawks, the Bengals took over on their own 30-yard line with two seconds to play. Buffalo State took a knee to run out the final seconds for their first win of the season.
LAST TIME WE MET... The two sides last met a year ago as the Bengals suffered a 31-10 loss at Union's Frank Bailey Field.
Amir Cameron (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison) was 15-27 on the day for 237 yards and a touchdown.
Mikai Johnson had a career day for the Bengals snagging six receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown. On the defensive side,
Quadir McEachin and
Sincere Green (Jamestown, NY/Jamestown) each had 11 total tackles.
Union was able to march downfield on their second drive of the game and score the opening touchdown. The Garnet Chargers were successful on a two-point conversion attempt. Buffalo State got on the scoreboard halfway through the second quarter after a 36-yard field goal from
Nick Sciandra. The Garnet Chargers responded with a pair of touchdowns before the end of the half, holding a 21-3 lead entering halftime. Both sides were quiet in the third quarter until Union hit a 37-yard field goal. The Bengals offense responded with a 49-yard pass from Cameron to Johnson to get a Buffalo State touchdown. Heading into the final quarter of action, Union was able to add another score before cruising to victory.
Patch Flanagan was 9-16 for 139 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Union's defense tallied three sacks and four interceptions to keep the Bengals offense quiet.
TOP-10 IN THE LIBERTY LEAGUE… The following Bengals currently rank in the top-10 in the Liberty League at their respective positions:
Jeadi Higdon: Rushing Yards, 242, 6
th
Jeadi Higdon: Rushing Touchdowns, 3, 3
rd
Noah Kimble: Passing Touchdowns, 4, 5
th
Noah Kimble: Completion Percentage, 69.8%, 1
st
Keegan Whitfield: Receiving Touchdowns, 2, 4
th
Keegan Whitfield: Receiving Yards, 294, 2
nd
Jeadi Higdon: Return Yards, 266, 5
th
Sincere Green: Tackles for Loss, 4.0, 5
th
Xzaivion Betts: Passes Defended, 3, 10
th
Emerald Smart: Interceptions, 2, 1
st
Sincere Green: Fumbles Recovered, 1, 6
th
Jaiden Coriano: Forced Fumbles, 1, 3
rd
LIBERTY LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK… Jeadi Higdon earned his first career Liberty League recognition with Rookie of the Week honors. After posting his first career 100-yard rushing performance, Higdon has now rushed for 242 yards on 58 attempts with three touchdowns.
OH CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!… Leading the Bengals this season are captains
Amir Cameron,
Mikai Johnson,
Carlos Almeyda,
Brody Stevens, and
Ian Behrens.
ABOUT THE BENGALS' COACH… Lazarus Morgan is in his fourth season at the helm of the Buffalo State football program in 2025 after being appointed as the sixth football coach in Buffalo State history in January 2022.
In his tenure at Buffalo State, the Bengals have earned 21 All-Liberty League selections and 26 Liberty League All-Academic team honorees.
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 makes the trip to Buffalo after also earning their first conference win of the season with a dominant 44-12 victory over St. Lawrence. The Garnet Chargers will look to win three straight contests after dropping their first two games of the season to #4 Susquehanna and #23 Cortland.
Patch Flanagan is the leader of the Union offense throwing for 885 yards with seven touchdowns. Flanagan also leads the rushing room with 332 total yards and a pair of touchdowns. Dan Quinn is the top receiver for the Garnet Chargers averaging 23.10 yards per catch with two touchdowns.
On the defensive side, Jordan Black and Dwayne Hinds each have 27 total tackles while Black has 1.5 sacks and five tackles for loss.
SCHEDULES/RESULTS...
BUFFALO STATE (1-3, 1-0 LIBERTY LEAGUE)
| Sept. 4 |
BROCKPORT |
L, 41-0 |
| Sept. 13 |
HARTWICK |
L, 29-27 |
| Sept. 20 |
at Alfred State |
L, 56-20 |
| Sept. 27 |
at Hilbert *** |
W, 15-8 |
| Oct. 4 |
UNION (HOMECOMING) *** |
4 PM |
| Oct. 11 |
at RPI *** |
1 PM |
| Oct. 25 |
ROCHESTER *** |
3 PM |
| Nov. 1 |
at Ithaca *** |
12 PM |
| Nov. 8 |
ST. LAWRENCE *** |
1 PM |
| Nov. 15 |
at Hobart *** |
1 PM |
*** LIBERTY LEAGUE CONTEST ***
UNION (2-2, 1-0 LIBERTY LEAGUE)
| Sept. 6 |
at #4 Susquehanna |
L, 33-14 |
| Sept. 13 |
at #23 Cortland |
L, 30-6 |
| Sept. 20 |
MORRISVILLE |
W, 31-7 |
| Sept. 27 |
ST. LAWRENCE *** |
W, 44-12 |
| Oct. 4 |
at Buffalo State *** |
4 PM |
| Oct. 11 |
HOBART *** |
1 PM |
| Oct. 25 |
at Ithaca *** |
1 PM |
| Nov. 1 |
HILBERT *** |
1 PM |
| Nov. 8 |
at Rochester *** |
12 PM |
| Nov. 15 |
RPI *** |
1 PM |
*** LIBERTY LEAGUE CONTEST ***
