AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) — In losing 20-17 against UConn on Saturday at UB Stadium, the Buffalo Bulls followed a different script from last week’s home loss by the same score.
This time, backup quarterback Gunnar Gray drove the Buffalo Bulls for a tying touchdown in the closing minutes but the defense was unable to prevent another narrow defeat.
Chris Freeman’s 44-yard field goal with six seconds left gave UConn the victory after the Huskies advanced 49 yards with no timeouts in the last minute.
Gray, making his first start for the Bulls in place of an injured Ta’Quan Roberson, threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to running back Al-Jay Henderson on fourth-and-goal to tie the game with 1:06 remaining.
UB leaned in its running game with 204 yards on the ground, as Gray was 17 of 29 passing for 125 yards. Lamar Sperling had 106 yards on nine rushes with a 63-yard touchdown in the first quarter, and Henderson had 86 total yards (68 rushing).
The Bulls also blocked a punt and executed a fake field goal, while UB kicker Jack Howes traded 39-yarders with Freeman in the third quarter to put the Bulls in position for the tying score later on.
Having gone 1-3 in its non-conference games, UB returns to Mid-American Conference next week at home against Eastern Michigan.
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.
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