BUFFALO, NY. (WKBW) — After winning nine games in his first season as head coach of the University at Buffalo football team, Pete Lembo and the Bulls dropped their regular-season finale to Ohio on Friday afternoon at UB Stadium. Buffalo finishes the season 5-7 and will not be eligible for a bowl game this postseason.
Parker Navarro had 268 yards of total offense, Sieh Bangura added 120 yards rushing, and Ohio stayed alive in the chase for the MAC championship game, defeating Buffalo 31-26 on Friday.
Ohio (8-4, 6-2 Mid-American Conference) needs Ball State (3-4) to defeat Miami (5-2) on Saturday in order to have a shot at making the conference championship game. Miami is heavily favored.
A Miami loss would leave Ohio tied for second place with the winner of the Saturday matchup between Central Michigan (5-2) and Toledo (5-2). In that scenario, the final tiebreaker would go to the team with the higher Team Rating from SportSource Analytics.
Western Michigan (7-1) has clinched first place.
Against Buffalo, Navarro passed for 147 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He had 121 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Bangura had a rushing touchdown. Led by the two 100-yard rushers, Ohio had 359 yards on the ground.
Navarro threw two touchdown passes in the first half and the Bobcats took a 21-7 halftime lead. His 6-yard scoring run in the third quarter made it 28-13.
A 58-yard pass from Ta'Quan Roberson to Victor Snow helped set up Roberson's 5-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. The two-point try to get the Bulls within seven points failed and Ohio led 28-19. Roberson's 29-yad TD pass to Jesaiah Gathings made it 31-26 but the Bulls did not cross midfield on their final possession.
Roberson had 270 yards passing and Nik McMillan caught five passes for 122 yards for Buffalo (5-7, 4-4).
