Previewing Missouri Football 2024 Early Opponents, Game 2: Buffalo

The Missouri Tigers will host the Buffalo Bulls for their second game of the 2024 season on Saturday, September 7. This game will mark the first time Missouri has faced a Mid-American Conference team since they hosted Central Michigan in the 2021 season opener.

The Bulls finished tenth out of 12 MAC teams last year with a 3-9 overall record and 3-5 in conference play.

Much like Missouri’s first opponent, Murray State, Buffalo has a new head coach from South Carolina. Assistant to the head coach and special teams coordinator for the Gamecocks from 2021-2023, Pete Lembo was introduced as Buffalo’s head coach in January.

Lembo replaces Maurice Linguist, now co-defensive coordinator at Alabama. Linguist brought in a strong recruiting class in 2022, but finished with a 14-23 record in his three years in Buffalo.

An SEC opponent will be a big test in Lembo’s second game as head coach. Here’s a first look at the 2024 Bulls.

The Bulls’ offense was near the bottom of the MAC last season, ranking eighth with 3,826 total yards and ninth with 251 points. The Bulls scored 14 points or fewer in six of 10 games last season.

For better or worse, Buffalo’s offense will have a different look this year. Starting quarterback Cole Snyder transferred to Eastern Michigan after a season with 2,109 yards, 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Running back Ron Cook Jr.’s eligibility expired and fellow running back Michael Washington transferred to New Mexico State. The receivers room has been almost completely renovated, with the top five receivers from last year’s team all gone.

Buffalo’s expected starting quarterback this season is CJ Ogbonna, a senior who transferred to Buffalo from Southeast Missouri State ahead of the 2023 season. Ogbonna has carved out a role for himself thanks to his speed as a runner , gaining 222 yards on 51 attempts. He began his JUCO career at San Diego Mesa, where he threw for 4,048 yards, 40 touchdowns in 18 games.

Missouri’s defense is accustomed to facing some of the best quarterbacks in the country, but has struggled at times in 2023 containing mobile quarterbacks. Especially without inside linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper on the field, a master at spying on the quarterback, Missouri will have to prepare to prevent Ogbonna from using his legs.

The Bulls have experience in the running back room with senior Jacqez Barksdale and junior Al-Jay Henderson. Barksdale ran for 248 yards on 52 carries in 2023 while Henderson was primarily used as a special teamer in 2023 but ran for 301 yards in 2022.

The Bulls lost quite a few pass catchers, but made a solid addition through the portal with Boston College transfer Taji Johnson. A former three-star prospect, Johnson appeared in 43 games in four years with the Eagles but caught just 11 passes.

Buffalo’s defense was middle of the pack in the MAC last season, ranking sixth with 4,405 yards allowed and seventh with 329 points.

The Bulls have some continuity on defense and have some talented pieces, headlined by safety Marcus Fuqua. In 2022, Fuqua was tied for the most interceptions in the country with seven, earning him a spot on the third-team All-American.

Led by Fuqua, Buffalo’s pass defense is far more impressive than its rush. The Bulls’ 2,246 passing yards allowed in 2023 were second-lowest in the MAC.

The secondary also added Oliver Bridges, a second-year cornerback from Cincinnati who played in nine games in 2023 and was a three-star recruit.

Additionally, cornerback Charles McCartherens is coming off a promising debut season where he started in the final nine games of the season. His three interceptions were second-most on the team.

Conversely, the run defense was second-worst in the MAC, allowing 2,159 yards. Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen and Chez Melusi combined for 301 yards against the Bulls in last year’s season opener.

Missouri’s second game of the season in 2023 was too close for comfort. A hard-fought game against a Group of Five team isn’t exactly the most comforting way to start September for an SEC team.

Against Middle Tennessee State last season, Missouri needed a last-minute defensive stop to maintain its 23-17 lead. Of course, the Tigers eventually righted the ship, but it should be an easy out for Missouri in the second week of the season.

Date: September 7

Time: 6 p.m.

TV: SECN+ and ESPN+

Location: Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium

Series: Missouri leads 1-0

September 20, 2008: A clear, sunny day in Colombia provided the backdrop to a historic day for Chase Daniels and Jeremy Maclin. Daniels threw for 439 yards, his highest total of his college career, and two touchdowns. Maclin’s 168 receiving yards were the second-most during his time in Columbia. Missouri won 42-21 but still left quite a few points on the board, fumbling three times and missing a field goal.

The head coach: Pete Lembo, 32 years of coaching.

Offensive coordinator: Dave Patenaude, Georgia Tech coordinator from 2019 to 2021.

Defensive coordinator: Joe Bowen, former linebackers coach at Miami (Ohio).

Players to watch: QB CJ Ogbonna, WR Taji Johnson, S Marcus Fuqua, DT George Wolo

Best Newcomer: Oliver Bridges, a transfer from Cinicinnati, is Buffalo’s hottest addition this offseason and should pair well in an already strong secondary with Fuqua and the promising McCartherens.

Latest MAC title: 2008

Conference Championships: 1

Bowl record: 3-3

Bowl Appearances: 1958, 2008, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022

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