BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Jason Wright threw two touchdown passes to Clint Walker, including the game-winner in overtime, and Buffalo defeated UMass 25-18 on Saturday.
Wright's 15-yard pass to Walker on the first possession of overtime gave the Bulls their 25-18 lead and the defense held when Logan Inagawa's fourth-down throw to the end zone fell incomplete.
Derek Morris, who had missed two field goals earlier in the game, hit a 53-yarder to give UMass an 18-15 lead with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Buffalo responded with a quick drive that resulted in Oliver Hautanen’s third field goal of the game, a 29-yarder with 2 seconds left to force overtime.
Messiah Burch had a career-high 172 yards rushing for Buffalo (4-3, 2-1 Mid-American Conference) and Wright threw for 134 yards on 16-of-35 passing.
Inagawa was 14-for-25 passing for 168 yards and Elijah Faulkner had 84 yards rushing for the Minutemen (4-3, 1-3).
Defense and special teams dominated the first half, highlighted by Phillip Folmar's 71-yard kickoff return to set up a Buffalo field goal. The Bulls' Sedrick Vessah recorded a quarterback sack for a safety and Joseph Stoever recovered a muffed punt to set up another field goal. Not to be outdone, TJ Magee recovered a muffed punt to set up a short UMass touchdown. UMass led 15-8 at halftime.
Buffalo is 2-0 in the Flagship Cup, a series named in recognition of each university's standing as the flagship institution of their respective states.