Bulls finish season with win

KENT, OH - The University at Buffalo 2009 senior class, so crucial to the rise of the Bulls to respectability and a Mid-American Conference championship last year, finished their careers in style as kicker A.J. Principe booted the game-winning field goal with :05 left to lift UB to a 9-6 win at Kent State to close the season. Not only did Principe boot the game-winner, he also became the school's all-time leading scorer on the kick with 224 total points.

The last three points sent Buffalo's 16 seniors out the right way after the offense embarked on a game-winning 63-yard drive in 11 plays to leave Principe, who accounted for all of UB's points on the day, to kick a 22-yard field goal. The win gave Buffalo a 5-7 record on the season and a 3-5 mark in the MAC the third straight season that UB has had three or more league wins after going their first eight years in the conference without reaching that mark.

"I'm proud of the way these guys battled for four quarters today against a good football team," said head coach Turner Gill, "and extremely proud of this senior class and what they have meant to our program. During their time here they have built tradition and shown to the country that the Buffalo football program is one to be reckoned with, now and in the future."

In a defensive struggle, the Bulls were dominant, holding Kent State (5-7, 4-4 MAC) to just 159 yards of total offense, while keeping the Golden Flashes out of the end zone the entire game. The defense was led by junior safety Davonte Shannon, who had a team-high eight tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss. The Bulls recorded four sacks in the game, with all four of them coming from their front four in their best performance of the season. Buffalo racked up 10 tackles for loss in the game, including 2.5 by junior defensive end Bruno Lapointe, who also recorded the first sack of his career and broke up a pass.

The UB offense was led for the second straight week by tailback Brandon Thermilus, who bulldozed his way to 123 yards on 29 carries. Quarterback Zach Maynard threw for 181 yards, including 86 yards on five catches to senior receiver Brett Hamlin.

 BULL-etins: The zero points allowed in the first half was the first time since Turner Gill¹s first game as head coach, versus Temple on 8/31/06, that UB shut out a team in the first half...Buffalo limited Kent State to a total of two first downs in the first half...for the game, Buffalo limited Kent to a season-low 159 yards of offense...Buffalo won for the third straight time at Dix Stadium and it was Buffalo's fourth win in the last five meeting between the teams...the all-time series between the teams is now tied a 9-9...junior A.J. Principe tied the career field goal record in the first half by drilling the 35th field goal of his career, tying Dallas Pelz (2000-03). He would go on to break it with 7:51 remaining when he snapped a 3-3 tie with his 36th career field goal...redshirt freshman defensive tackle Terry Peden recorded the first sack of his career in the third quarter...cornerback Domonic Cook had a 20-yard punt return in the second quarter, the second-longest of his career...junior defensive end Bruno LaPointe recorded his first career second in the second half...safety Davonte Shannon finished the season with 97 tackles giving him 341 in his career. Heading into his senior year he is 105 tackles short of the all-time school record. His forced fumble in the game gave him five for this career, ranking him tied for sixth all time...the win was the 20th of head coach Turner Gill¹s career at Buffalo, becoming just the fourth coach to reach that number. Gill is now 20-30 in his four seasons.