30 Games in 30 Days: #25 Ohio at Buffalo

Ohio	@ Buffalo

When: November 10th

Where: Amherst, NY

All Time: Ohio 7-5

Date	Buffalo	Ohio
October 28, 2008	32	19
October 6, 2007	31	10
October 21, 2006	7	42
October 29, 2005	20	34
September 25, 2004	0	34
October 25, 2003	26	17
September 28, 2002	32	34
November 3, 2001	44	0
October 7, 2000	20	42
September 25, 1999	6	45
September 21, 1963	7	0
October 27, 1962	6	41

Last years victory in Athens Ohio, the first for UB in more than 40 years, kicked off Buffalo's run of East division victories leading to their first outright division since joining the MAC back in the late nineties. For Ohio the loss removed the possibility of bowl contention and highlighted an area that killed them all year, turnovers and missed opportunities. Four fumbles, several losses due to downs, an interception late in the first half, and missed extra point were the difference in a game where Ohio put up more yards than Buffalo including torching the Bulls through the air for almost three hundred yards and still lost by a pretty convincing score.

One reason this game makes the top 30 in the MAC is because of the paths crossed by its coaches. Turner Gill played and coached on Nebraska teams under Tom Osborn while Frank Solich was on staff so this game should have interested fans in Lincoln, Buffalo, and Athens. Both Coaches have won a MAC East title but of the two Gill is the only to add a conference championship to his resume.

Ohio enters this season with a slight quarterback controversy as Boo Jackson played well when Theo Scott was sidelined for the year early in the season.

Another reason this make the list is because by this point in the season the loser of this game will likely find themselves behind the eight ball in the eastern division:

Ohio should be more in the mix for the East division this year than last when losses to CMU, WMU, and Temple put them in a hole. For Ohio this years game is in the middle of their most difficult stretch along with the Bulls they face Ball State, Northern Illinois and Temple in consecutive weeks. The Bobcats are going to need to take one, maybe two games in this stretch to be bowl eligible and Buffalo is a team they know well.

Turner gill gets close to the hardest cross division draw in the season CMU at home and WMU on the road. Combine their west draw with an early trip to Philadelphia to play divisional rival Temple and the other five divisional games become critical for UB. Ohio is their last home game of the year before road trips to Miami and Kent, Buffalo will likely need this game if they are going to win the east.

This game will be nationally televised on ESPN2 so if you can't make the trip to Western New York just turn on your TV or find a decent sports bar.

#30 Temple at Navy

#29 Morgan State at Akron

#28 Miami at Kent

#27 Toledo at Ball State

#26 Army at Eastern Michigan