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    ‘Can’t put my finger on it’: How the UB Bulls lost a 17-point lead to Troy

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    By Marquel Slaughter

    Copyright buffalonews

    'Can't put my finger on it': How the UB Bulls lost a 17-point lead to Troy

    The University at Buffalo’s defense appeared to be headed for a shutout.

    That was until the fourth quarter, when 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.

    Much of the 12,068 spectators in attendance were stunned after running back Tae Meadows rumbled into the end zone for a 20-yard rushing touchdown, giving Troy (2-2) a four-point lead with 45 seconds remaining.

    “I don’t have any easy answers right now,” UB second-year coach Pete Lembo said. “I can’t put my finger on why we’re struggling to finish games on defense, particularly after playing as well as we did for three quarters.”

    The Bulls fell to 2-2 after the nonconference setback. Running backs James McNeil Jr., a redshirt freshman from Bishop Timon, and senior Al-Jay Henderson scored touchdowns in the first and third quarters. Quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson, coming off a spectacular game at Kent State, left the contest with a leg injury in the third quarter. But even before then, it appeared the Bulls’ offense had lost some of its punch.

    Roberson nearly threw an 83-yard scoring pass to Nik McMillan in the first quarter, one that would have given UB a comfortable two-touchdown lead. But McMillan, who was wide open, dropped the pass.

    Gunnar Gray came into the game after Roberson’s injury. After a cold start, Gray gave the Bulls a chance to win in the final seconds. He drove the Bulls to Troy’s 29-yard line with 8 seconds left, but his fourth-and-1 pass to Chance Morrow in the end zone was broken up with 3 seconds left.

    Troy coach Gerad Parker’s Trojans improved to 2-2 overall. Troy had struggled on offense since starting quarterback Goose Crowder was injured last week, gaining just 112 yards of total offense in a loss to Memphis. The Trojans, however, ran the ball effectively in the second half against Buffalo and won the game splitting snaps between two quarterbacks.

    As expected, Tucker Kilcrease was Troy’s starting QB. Left-hander Ui Ale played plenty, too, but it was Kilcrease under center during Troy’s biggest plays of the game in the fourth. Kilcrease’s 6-yard touchdown run on third-and-3 barely crossed the goal line for the Trojans’ first score, pulling them within 17-7 with 10:23 remaining.

    After Troy’s defense forced a three-and-out, Kilcrease found RaRa Thomas for a 10-yard touchdown to pull the Trojans within three, 17-14, with 5:45 left.

    Buffalo and Troy then traded three-and-outs. UB nearly recovered a muffed punt at the 50-yard line, but the Trojans recovered and marched down field for the game-winning score. Meadows gashed Buffalo for gains of 6, 7 and 6 yards before busting up the gut for what proved to be the winning score with 45 seconds remaining.

    “We knew it was a possibility to see (Ale) a little bit,” UB linebacker Red Murdock said. “We definitely prepared more so for (Kilcrease). Nevertheless, it’s not really anything on their part. Kudos to them. That was a great comeback and all. But we need to do a better job of executing.”

    UB’s final offensive drive began at its 25. Gray found Morrow, Victor Snow and Henderson for chunks of yardage into Troy territory and threatened to score. Gray threw two passes into the end zone, but his fourth-down toss to Morrow was batted down by defensive back Joe Lott in the final seconds.

    Gray finished 5 of 13 for 49 yards. Much of his production came on Buffalo’s final drive. Roberson completed 9 of 15 passes for 104 yards before exiting the game. Henderson finished with 76 yards rushing on 22 carries. Snow caught five passes for 38 yards. Jasaiah Gathings caught two receptions for 47 yards in the loss.

    “Obviously, the goal there is to score,” Gray said. “You want to win the game. You want to close the game out. We didn’t get that done and if we get that opportunity again, we’re going to be there. We’re going to get that done.”

    Buffalo’s defense played solid for three quarters. Jalen McNair was not fooled by Troy’s trick play and intercepted a pass from Thomas in the third quarter. That ultimately led to Jack Howes’ 39-yard field goal that gave the Bulls a 17-0 lead with 14:56 left in the game.

    Dion Crawford registered two of UB’s seven sacks and tied Murdock with a team-high 12 total tackles. Murdock recovered one of his two forced fumbles, improving his career total to 13 fumbles forced, three shy of Khalil Mack’s program record 16. UB sacked Troy six times in the first half, but just once in the second.

    “I don’t think anything was significantly different other than, again, we’ve got to find a way to finish,” Lembo said. “Guys have to step up and make plays with the game on the line. On the D-line, when we’re bringing pressure, and certainly on offense.”

    After blocking two punts this season, there were no big plays on special teams for Buffalo on Saturday. Recovering that muffed punt with 2:33 left in the fourth, though, could have won the game.

    Troy won the special teams phase instead. Punter Evan Crenshaw pinned UB inside the 20 three times, forcing the Bulls to begin drives at their 4-, 4- and 10-yard lines. Each of those Buffalo drives ended with punts. It took more than three quarters to pay off for the Trojans, but the field position battle was of utter importance.

    Buffalo has another nonconference game when it hosts UConn (2-2) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at UB Stadium. The Huskies defeated another MAC opponent, Ball State, 31-25 on Saturday moments after the Bulls fell to Troy.