The Buffalo State Bengals suffered a 28-6 loss to the Union College Garnet Chargers on Saturday at Coyer Field. This loss marks the sixth straight season in which the Bengals have lost to Union.
The recurring theme of failing to stop the run, silly turnovers, and penalty trouble continues to cost the Bengals big time as the season hits the halfway point. For all of the bright spots on this Buffalo State team, there are twice as many dark spots. The inability to finish offensive drives with points is leaving the Bengals without a chance to win games.
Buffalo State starting quarterback Amir Cameron was back in action after missing the last two games due to injury. Despite the loss, Cameron had a day throwing for 259 yards and a touchdown. His favorite target was wide receiver Noah Kimble, who picked up 98 yards and the lone score.
Patch Flanagan, quarterback of the Garnet Chargers, had his way with the Bengals’ defense in this game. Flanagan racked up 251 total yards of offense and three total touchdowns, two on the ground and one in the air. He was unstoppable.
First Quarter:
As homecoming festivities came to a close, an orange and black mob flocked to the bleachers for kickoff. Buffalo State won the coin toss and deferred, giving the Garnet Chargers the ball to start.
The Flanagan rushing pursuit began immediately, but the Bengals’ defense started the game ready. The Garnet Chargers offense didn’t get too far, as Bengals defenders Caleb Kruzicki and Masiah Franklin got in on a huge sack to force third-and-long.
Left with no other choice than to throw, Flanagan dropped back and let it fly right in the direction of wide receiver Gil Rivera. Out of nowhere, Bengals defensive back Nicholas Bradt swats the ball into the turf, forcing Union to punt. This day, the “Bradt Swat” was born.
The hot start on defense looked like it carried over to the offense as the Bengals came out swinging. To start the drive, Cameron found wide receiver Otho Cox on a textbook hitch route to pick up a first down. But two runs and a sack later, the punter was running out on the field and kicking the ball back to Union.
The Garnet Chargers found their groove on this next drive. Rush, pass, rush, pass. Flanagan was leading his team down the field, and Buffalo State had no answer. This time-consuming drive ended with Flanagan scoring on a 7-yard rush, and Union kicker Francesco Pileggi nailing the extra point.
The Bengals headed back on offense, only for their first play to be called back due to a delay of game penalty. Good news for them, the Garnet Chargers were also a little antsy and got themselves a delay of game penalty too, putting the Bengals back where they started. But another morale-killing drive ensued, and the Bengals were forced to punt after just three plays.
Union was right back on the move, as a big pass from Flanagan, followed by running back DJ Wright’s shifty 12-yard pick up, had the Garnet Chargers driving as the quarter came to a close. Final score following the first quarter, 7-0 Union.
Second Quarter:
The Bengals were getting chewed up in the run game. To cap off the first drive of the second quarter, Wright broke through multiple tackles and extended his arm for a 12-yard score. Pileggi’s extra point brought Union’s lead to 14.
Buffalo State trotted back on offense, knowing that the game was still in their reach. Cameron was able to turn nothing into something to start this drive, and it looked like the Bengals had some life. Wide receiver Mikai Johnson was coming down with huge catches, and the one-two punch of running backs Jeadi Higdon and Chris Boadi attacked on the ground.
It’s fourth-and-goal for the Bengals on the Union 4-yard line. It’s either go for the short field goal or take a risk and go for the touchdown. Buffalo State was feeling risky, so the offense lined up to take the snap. Knowing what was at stake, Cameron received the snap and dropped back. After some dancing in the backfield, avoiding defenders, he spotted a wide-open Jeadi Higdon and took a shot. The ball flew just out of Higdon’s reach, and the Bengals left the field empty-handed.
Union got the ball back after a turnover on downs and had a 96-yard trek ahead of them. The Garnet Chargers unleashed running back Jah’Cire Jones to start this drive, and you’d think he was shot out of a cannon the way he ran the football. Union was moving, but Bengals defensive back Xzaivion Betts wasn’t going to let them have it easy, as he made his presence known when he delivered a hit.
The two-minute warning came quickly, and despite starting backed up in their own end, Union was driving. The rush was working, and the Garnet Chargers were slowly but surely creeping into Bengals territory. Flanagan called for the snap and rifled the ball towards his receiver, Dan Quinn, who was steps away from the endzone. Quinn jumped up for the ball, but he quickly realized that Betts was right up in the air with him. Betts snagged the ball out of Quinn’s hands and came down with a huge interception, his first as a Bengal.
The Bengals got the ball back on their own three with work to do. They were no longer just up against Union, but with less than two minutes left in the half, they found themselves up against the clock, too. Cameron led the offense all the way to the Union 40, but the clock won, and the Buffalo State offense left the field yet again without points. Final score following the second quarter, 14-0 Union.
Third Quarter:
“THAT’S A HOLD,” yells a Union fan as Kimble snags a 7-yard pass from Cameron.
“HOLD RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU REF!” Cameron finds Kimble again, this time for 18 yards.
The referees, with no intention to call a penalty, let the teams play on, and the Cameron-Kimble connection didn’t stop there. In the next play, Cameron used some trickery. Play fake to Higdon, fake to Johnson, then he stepped back and launched the ball downfield towards Kimble. Slightly underthrown, Kimble navigated through two Union defenders and caught the ball just 10 yards shy of the endzone. But this play was not over. Kimble landed on the turf, stepped around a fallen Garnet Charger, juked another, and found himself in the endzone getting the Bengals their first points of the day. After an unsuccessful two-point conversion, the Bengals’ offense left the field with six points. The team had their energy back to start the half, now the trick is keeping it.
Union again had the Bengals’ defense cornered and up against the ropes on the next drive. Michael Dinardo, running back, was the main man leading Union, getting those crucial pushes for first downs. The Bengals then shot themselves in the foot as linebacker Masiah Franklin drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, giving Union 15 free yards, extending their drive.
Three plays later, Flanagan found Rivera on a 23-yard pass for a touchdown. Pileggi knocked in the extra point like clockwork. The game began to become out of reach for Buffalo State.
The Bengals were still fighting, and Cameron continued to have moments where we’ll see him get sucked into a cloud of white jerseys and somehow find a way out for 7 yards. Effort was never a question in this one. Higdon received some direct snaps as Buffalo State tried to switch things up, but nothing came of it, and the ball was going back to Flanagan and company.
But Flanagan dropped the company on this next drive and pulled some heroics. Union scored in three plays, after the Garnet Chargers quarterback zipped down the field for a 41-yard touchdown run. Pileggi. Money.
In the blistering sun, down 22 points with a comeback unlikely, it was tough for the Bengals to find a reason to keep going, but they did. Cameron was finding Cox and Johnson, and the pass game was picking up for the Bengals heading into the final quarter. Final score after the third quarter, 28-6 Union.
Fourth Quarter:
With the Garnet Chargers in a prevent defense, the Bengals were able to make things happen on offense. Cameron continued his rushing pursuit and made a nice play as he ran to the right and hurdled over a downed Union player to pick up a first down. The quarterback was keeping plays alive and, most importantly, not giving up on his guys. The drive ended in an unavoidable scenario where Buffalo State was forced to go for it on fourth down, where an incomplete pass put the ball back into Union’s hands.
The Bengals’ defense, led by defensive back Sincere Green, finished the game strong, but the rest of the team on the sideline seemed out of it. The defense would force third down, and one man would clap, they were clocked out. An odd silence in the stadium was interrupted with frequent “Let’s go U!” chants.
With six minutes left in the game, the Bengals’ defense forced Union to fourth and long. Following a brief timeout, Union decided to go for it. Flanagan miraculously found wide receiver Kaden Gore for a 10-yard pickup to keep the drive alive. Jones kept the Garnet Chargers’ rushing pursuit going, but the team encountered another fourth down, this time, they opted for the field goal. Pileggi, after being four for four on extra points in this game, surprisingly missed the field goal. Forcing a turnover on downs.
As the sun set on Coyer Field, the Bengals’ offense hit the field for what would be the last time in this game. Again, with Union in a preventive defense, everyone was getting involved. Wide receiver William Kitching got up for a nice catch over multiple Union defenders. Cox, Johnson, and Higdon all got involved in the action as well.
The game concluded as Cameron scrambled in the backfield looking for anyone or anything, only to be met by two Garnet Chargers who took him to the turf to end the game. Final score, 28-6 Union.
The highlight win last week showed a bright spot in the struggles that the Bengals face. But the team continues to face difficulties defending the run and winning turnover battles. With five weeks left and five tough teams ahead, Buffalo State needs to do something different to turn them in the right direction.
The Bengals hit the road next week to face 4-1 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Oct. 11 in Troy, NY, for another Liberty League matchup. Buffalo State sits fifth in the conference following Saturday’s loss.
