The UB Bulls, the local Division I NCAA football team, kicked off its season last week, thrashing the University of Texas-El Paso in a non-conference game. Most in our community would hardly notice, however.
Despite increasing local media coverage, it still feels like this is a town that thinks big-time college football is something played outside of Western New York. If the Bulls keep playing this way, however, it won't be that way for long.
The gameday experience for the season opener looked and felt a lot like going to an NFL game, but with a toned-down atmosphere that makes it much more family-friendly.
The team plays in UB Stadium, on the Amherst campus, about 20 minutes closer than Orchard Park. You'll need some of that time savings in finding a place to park, which is always a challenge on the campus. Fans were parking in a land far, far away from the stadium, creating a long line of blue-and-white.
Getting there might have been a bit of a hassle, but the gameday experience felt much like the type you'd have at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Outside the gates, it looked (and smelled) a lot like the tailgating that goes on in Orchard Park. Fans were setting up grills, huddled around the backs of their cars, bottles and cups in hand. More sophisticated and experienced tailgaters had set up awnings to dodge the rain that threatened that night.
Despite the abundance of revelry, the atmosphere still felt quiet, in control. You could walk around the parking lots, and still feel like you were the only one around. The only loud party going on outside was from a campus church group, which had brought a string quartet out to play before the game. Folks stopped to congregate there, but it was hardly what you'd call a rowdy experience, by any means. It was set up outside a campus police station.
Activity picked up a bit as we approached the stadium, with staff handing out promotional items and free backpacks for the kids. As you walk up the main concourse to get to your seats, there was a carnival "kid zone" set up, drawing a large crowd. Families were lined up to watch a magic show, get a face painting, or launch a football through an inflatable target. Outside on the field level, there was a blow-up obstacle course.
Walking into the field area, it felt "pro" enough to make you think you could be at the Ralph, but with enough college trappings to differentiate itself. The running track around the field pushed fans a little farther away than you'd be at a Bills game, especially in the endzones. However, it didn't feel like you were so far away that you would need binoculars to stay on top of the action. A large video scoreboard on one end of the stadium flashed highlights, of which there were many that evening.
Leaving the stadium that day, it felt like a day at Ralph Wilson Stadium, but on a much less intimidating level. It felt "big" enough, but you didn't feel like you were being pushed around, or caught in the hustle of thousands of people. You could have the best part of gameday, without the aggravation.
All in all, UB has done a great job setting up a quality experience for fans. If you've been put off by the rowdies and the drive to Orchard Park to see the Bills, or if you're looking for a way to get the family to a game, this is a great spot to start.
A great game atmosphere is wasted, however, if you don't have an entertaining show to put in front of the crowd. UB didn't disappoint, lighting up one of the nation's worst defenses in a show far more exciting than the preseason dredge being played across town.
The Bulls offense gave the hometown crowd something to cheer about, scoring early and often to pound the UTEP 42-17. The home team used a balanced attack, busting the Miners up with running plays before scorching them with the deep ball.
The offense was driven by senior quarterback Drew Willy, whom UB counts upon to lead the team this year. He didn't disappoint, completing 10 of 16 passes for 221 yards and four touchdowns.
Most of the connections were on sideline passes, where the receivers beat defenders in man-to-man coverage. UTEP left their corners out on an island with no help, and Willy just lobbed up passes over the hapless defenders. He connected on a 15-yard floater to Bryan Kisabeth to open the scoring, and again with wide receiver Gary Rice on a 34-yard pass as the first half was ending.
But by far the most significant passing connections were with Naaman Roosevelt, who ended with 154 yards on four catches. In the first quarter, Roosevelt caught a screen pass over the middle and outsprinted the defense into the endzone. Opening the second half, Roosevelt beat his man in single coverage and coasted into the endzone on a 56-yard bomb.
As entertaining as the air show was to watch, this self-proclaimed "Blue Collar" team went to work on the ground, where it did most of its damage. Niagara Falls' James Starks ran over the Miners, gashing them for nearly 200 yards. Even though UTEP put all 11 players near the line of scrimmage, Starks still churned out the yardage, slicing and dicing his way to more than 5 yards a carry.
When Starks needed a break from running wild, the Bulls sent in Brandon Thermilus, who carried the load for large portions of the third and fourth quarters. He battered defenders through the middle, fighting for tough yards before showing a quick burst outside and going off to the races.
With all of the gaudy stats and big plays, it's easy to assume that this game was over right after the opening kickoff. The Bulls did pull out to a quick 14-0 lead, but failed to close the door. UTEP rallied after recovering a fumble, scoring twice in three minutes to tie the game.
After trading a few scoreless drives, UB connected on the bomb to Price to pull ahead at halftime. The Bulls went up by two scores on the pass to Roosevelt, but UTEP hung in with a field goal to draw within 11 points.
Buffalo went on the march again, and another Willy strike to the receiver had the team knocking at the endzone again before a penalty wiped the play out. The Bulls punted and were hit with a personal foul on the proceeding play.
Previous editions of the Bulls might have crumbled under the circumstances, and for a while it looked like it might happen again. The Miners drove down field and were pressing for a score, but the defense tipped and intercepted a ball thrown to the corner of the end zone to halt the threat.
It was a moment like this that should give fans hope for better seasons to come. Good (and well-coached) teams find a way to break back, to have confidence in themselves to think they can right the ship, even if things start to turn south.
To be sure, UB started the season playing a cupcake defense. But they pounded away on a team they should have beaten. That's what good teams are supposed to do. UB made it look easy.
Jim Cwierley is a contributing writer for the Niagara Falls Reporter. E-mail him at jim.cwierley@gmail.com.
| Niagara Falls Reporter | www.niagarafallsreporter.com | Sept. 2 2008 |