GAME #4 - BUFFALO STATE BENGALS AT HILBERT HAWKS
Saturday, Sep. 27, 2025 - 12:00 PM
St. Francis High School – Hamburg, NY

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THE MATCHUP… Buffalo State looks to get in the win column as they will hit the road to battle the Hilbert Hawks in their first Liberty League contest of the season. The Bengals are 2-0 against the Hawks following a 42-6 win last year.

THE BENGALS' LAST GAME… Buffalo State dropped their matchup with Alfred State with a final score of 56-20.

Noah Kimble (Depew, NY/Lancaster) threw for 207 yards with a long of 43. Jeadi Higdon (Syracuse, NY/Corcoran) led the rushing room going for 51 yards with a pair of touchdowns. Keegan Whitfield (Fredonia, NY/Fredonia) posted a second straight 100-yard receiving day with eight catches for 110 yards and a touchdown. On the defensive side of the ball, Raul Colon (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) led the Bengals with six tackles including one for a loss.

Alfred State came out firing on offense scoring three touchdowns in the opening quarter. Higdon scored his second career touchdown at the start of the second quarter to get Buffalo State on the board. The Pioneers would add a pair of touchdowns to carry a 35-7 lead into halftime.

Coming out of the half, the Bengals marched up field where Higdon found the endzone for another score to chip away at Alfred State's lead. After three more Pioneer scores, Whitfield found the back of the endzone for his second touchdown of the season. Alfred State would take the final knee to run out the clock to secure the win, their first in three matchups with the Bengals.

Noah Currier totaled six touchdowns for the Pioneers and over 200 yards of offense. John DiBattisto had eight tackles, two for loss, and a sack.

LAST TIME WE MET... The two sides last met a year ago as the Bengals hosted the Hawks on their way to a dominant 42-6 victory.

Amir Cameron (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison) matched a program-record with five touchdown passes while also throwing for 171 yards. Tariq Nelson and Cody Phillips each had a pair of touchdowns while Nelson snagged five receptions for 88 yards. Darion Jones , Julian Maloney also scored for the Bengals. Sincere Green (Jamestown, NY/Jamestown) paced the Bengals on the defensive side of the ball with 11 tackles and a sack.

After holding the Hawks on their opening drive, the Bengals responded with a strong drive downfield as Cameron connected with Phillips for the first touchdown of the game. The Bengals would tack on early in the second quarter and Jones was wide open in the middle of the endzone for an easy Bengals score. After a penalty-driven drive for Hilbert, Buffalo State took over and made quick work downfield as Phillips found the endzone for a second time. The Hawks were able to make a quick drive downfield and add a touchdown before the half but failed on a two-point attempt, giving the Bengals a 21-6 lead at halftime.

On the Bengals opening drive of the third quarter, the team quickly ran downfield as Cameron placed a perfect pass for Nelson in the endzone for another Buffalo State score. Later in the third, the Hawks would turn it over on downs, giving the Bengals another opportunity to add to their lead. Cameron's pass was right to Maloney, who juggled the tipped pass and came down with the catch for his first touchdown of the season. Cameron would connect again with Nelson late in the fourth to help the Bengals cruise to their first win of the season.

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, 141, 10^th
Keegan Whitfield: Receiving Yards, 257, 2^nd
Jeadi Higdon: Return Yards, 241, 6^th
Sincere Green: Tackles for Loss, 3.0, 7^th
Xzaivion Betts: Passes Defended, 3, 4^th
 
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 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. A year ago, Morgan's squad added six All-Liberty League selections and 13 All-Academic 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.

EYES ON THE HAWKS… Hilbert welcomes the Bengals in search of their first win in program history. Last time out, Ithaca took down the Hawks with a 65-3 final.

Mike Hanlon leads the Hawks' rushing room with 173 yards, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. Brody Hopkins has thrown for 112 yards and a 42.11% completion percentage.

On the defensive side, Da'von Cockrell has 28.0 total tackles including an interception and a pair of forced fumbles.

SCHEDULES/RESULTS... 

BUFFALO STATE (0-3, 0-0 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 ***	12 PM
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 ***

HILBERT (0-3, 0-0 LIBERTY LEAGUE)

Sept. 6	at Saint Vincent	L, 28-7
Sept. 13	ALFRED STATE	L, 49-13
Sept. 20	ITHACA ***	L, 65-3
Sept. 27	BUFFALO STATE ***	12 PM
Oct. 4	at St. Lawrence ***	1 PM
Oct. 11	at Rochester ***	12 PM
Oct. 25	RPI ***	12 PM
Nov. 1	at Union ***	1 PM
Nov. 8	HOBART ***	11 PM
Nov. 15	at Hartwick	12 PM

*** LIBERTY LEAGUE CONTEST ***