SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 29, 2012
Connecticut 24, Buffalo 17: Chandler Whitmer threw for 227 yards and a touchdown as the Huskies took a 17-point lead and held off a rally by the visiting Bulls.
Whitmer completed 15 of 22 passes and Lyle McCombs rushed for 97 yards, including a 2-yard dive on fourth down with 5:03 left in the third quarter that gave UConn (3-2) a 24-7 lead. The Huskies stopped Buffalo on the final drive of the game at the Bulls 39-yard line on fourth down.
Buffalo rushing leader Branden Oliver, with 2,119 career yards, sat out with a leg injury. Brandon Murie filled in for Oliver and scored twice, including a hook and lateral for 50 yards as Buffalo (1-3) pulled within 24-14 with 33 seconds left in the third.
The Bulls held UConn to a field goal in the red zone on its first drive, then took a 7-3 lead. Quarterback Alex Zordich swung a pass to Devin Campbell for 30 yards on fourth down and Murie ran 4 yards for a score on the next play with 6:12 left in the first quarter.
Whitmer connected with tight end Ryan Griffin up the middle for 36 yards and a score on the first play of the second quarter. Martin Hyppolite also scampered 50 yards for his first career touchdown with 10:56 left in the half.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Huskies did not have a turnover after coughing the ball up 10 times in their first four games. กญ Buffalo rushed for 141 yards, the first time the Huskies have allowed 100 on the ground this season. กญ UConn is 16-4 against Buffalo and 19-4 against MAC teams, including 2-1 this season.