A new quarterback will probably start for the University at Buffalo’s football team this weekend.
Buffalo fifth-year senior Gunnar Gray was preparing to start under center at practice Tuesday as the Bulls prepared for this weekend’s home game against Connecticut, and coach Pete Lembo deemed starter Ta’Quan Roberson “doubtful.”
Roberson, a former UConn quarterback, exited Saturday’s 21-17 loss to Troy with an injury and wore a protective boot on his left leg Tuesday.
Buffalo (2-2) hosts independent UConn (2-2) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at UB Stadium.
Gray filled in for Roberson in the second half Saturday and appears to be next in line to lead Buffalo’s offense. Coincidentally, all 11 of Gray’s passing attempts last season were against UConn. He went 4 of 11 for 41 yards in backup duty in that game, a 47-3 loss.
With Roberson’s injury, Gray is trending toward seeing much more action against the Huskies this weekend.
“It’s good. I’m going to have to get the game plan, study it up, and I’ll be ready for Saturday,” Gray said Tuesday.
Buffalo’s offense struggled against Troy regardless of who took the snaps. Roberson completed 9 of 15 passes for 104 yards before his third-quarter exit. Gray finished the game and went 5 of 13 for 49 yards.
“If Gunnar’s got to play, we’ve got total confidence in him,” Lembo said. “He’s played a fair amount of football. He’s certainly taken a lot of reps with the (first- and second-team offenses).”
Prepare for the offense to look slightly different under Gray. Roberson (6-foot, 200 pounds) is a true dual-threat quarterback who best displayed his capabilities in Buffalo’s come-from-behind 31-28 win at Kent State in the Bulls’ MAC opener on Sept. 13. The sixth-year senior rushed for 53 yards and threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner to Victor Snow.
Standing at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Gray may not have as many designed runs in the playbook, but Lembo said teams have to run their quarterbacks at some point to run an effective offense.
Troy engineered three touchdown drives to overcome a 17-point deficit and hand the Bulls a shocking 21-17 loss on Saturday afternoon at UB Stadium.
Before he transferred to Buffalo in 2023, Gray threw for 4,048 yards and 40 touchdowns in two seasons in community college as San Diego Mesa’s starting quarterback.
Two sophomores, Mason Cumbie and Anthony Policare, and freshman Jason Wright are UB’s other reserve quarterbacks.
“I think you have to play to the strengths of the guy that’s in there, but I also think, to have a fighting chance, you have to be able to run the quarterback in certain situations,” Lembo said.
Roberson may have had the UConn game circled on his calendar. He played sparingly at Kansas State in 2024 but had been with the Huskies in 2022 and ’23. Roberson started 10 games in his final season in Storrs, Conn., throwing for 2,075 yards and 12 touchdowns. He rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Roberson’s first three years were spent at Penn State as a reserve.
As UB uses a next-man-up mentality, other players on offense must likely excel if the Bulls are to return to the win column in their final nonconference game.
It would help if running back Al-Jay Henderson and his offensive line could move the chains and control the clock on the ground; Henderson had 76 rushing yards and a touchdown but averaged just 3.5 yards Saturday against Troy.
Receivers Victor Snow and Nik McMillan have had big games this season before Troy’s defense slowed UB down; aside from Snow, no wideout had more than two catches against the Trojans.
Buffalo’s defense, led by linebacker Red Murdock, has been stout, but they’re preparing for an explosive UConn offensive. Coach Jim Mora’s Huskies are averaging 493.8 yards and 37.8 points per game. They defeated MAC program Ball State 31-25 last week. UConn’s offense has not committed a turnover this season.
“That’s what we do. We force turnovers,” UB linebacker Dion Crawford said. “Get hands on (the) football. We get interceptions. Strip-sacks. That’s what we do. So we have to continue to work it and just keep going.”
When UConn faced UB last year, the Huskies rushed for 257 yards and threw for 280 yards in their 44-point win in Storrs. Slot receiver Skyler Bell had a 153-yard, three-touchdown game against the Bulls that game. He enters Saturday with consecutive games of 10-plus receptions. Bell, whose 14 receptions against Ball State were one shy of UConn’s program record, has 36 receptions for 445 yards and three touchdowns this season.
Whether UB uses a nickel cornerback, middle linebacker or safety help, the Bulls plan to be aware of where Bell lines up at all times. Lembo said Bell is shifty and nimble with good ball skills.
“You have to play great team defense. You’re not going to line up in man-to-man every down. When it comes to those perimeter plays, it’s about how you fit it,” Lembo said.
Bell is far from UConn’s lone offensive threat. Reymello Murphy had 14 receptions for 143 yards and two scores. Quarterback Joe Fagnano has thrown for 1,046 yards and six touchdowns in four games. Running back Cam Edwards has rushed for 500 yards and five touchdowns this season. Edwards is coming off a career-best 194-yard rushing performance with two touchdowns against Ball State.
UConn is riding a two-game winning streak after losing overtime games on the road at Syracuse and Delaware. Orange coach Fran Brown made his team run sprints on the field following SU’s come-from-behind 27-20 overtime win in their home opener.
“They don’t need to ignite anything. They’re ignited. They are an eternal flame,” Lembo said about UConn’s offense. “They’ve got really good players and a lot of experience and a very good system. They know how to execute the system.”
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Marquel Slaughter
College sports reporter
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