Mizzou football vs. Buffalo: Five things to know before Tigers play host to Bulls
One week after blowing out Murray State 51-0, the No. 9-ranked Missouri Tigers return to action Saturday with another non-conference matchup at Faurot Field.
This week’s opponent at Memorial Stadium, Buffalo, is coming off its first season-opening win since 2021.
The Bulls, who play in the Mid-American Conference, are hoping to see continued improvement under first-year head coach Pete Lembo. Buffalo went 3-9 last season, after which Maurice Linguist resigned to take a position on Kalen DeBoer’s staff at Alabama.
Here’s more to know ahead of Saturday’s kickoff, Mizzou vs. the Bulls:
Mizzou football vs. Buffalo game details
Kickoff: 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7
Where: Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium (Columbia)
TV: SEC Network
Radio: Tiger Radio Network
Betting line: Mizzou is a 34.5-point favorite (via FanDuel).
Over/under: 51.5
Five Things to Know
The Tigers have seen Lembo before. This is Lembo’s first head-coaching gig in nearly 10 years — he had the top job at Ball State from 2011-15. But Mizzou no doubt remembers his name. Before taking the Buffalo job he spent three seasons as associate head coach and special teams coordinator for South Carolina in the SEC. In his time with the Gamecocks, Lembo’s units did not have a single punt blocked ... while blocking 11.
Tigers have seen Buffalo QB C.J. Ogbonna, too. He’s a transfer from Southeastern Missouri State. Ogbonna went 7-for-14 for 53 yards (one interception) and carried the ball 12 times for 96 yards in 2021 as MU hammered SEMO 59-28. He transferred to Buffalo for his junior season in 2023, making eight appearances behind senior starter Cole Snyder.
The Bulls like to run the ball. With a pair of 30-plus yard Ogbonna TD passes sprinkled in, much of the Bulls’ success last week came on the ground. The Bulls rushed for 208 yards as a team, led by Jacqez Barksdale’s 99.
Watch out for safety Marcus Fuqua. Fuqua (No. 56) was a top-five tackler on Buffalo’s season-long stat sheet in 2023. He’s just the third player in program history to be selected to an AP All-America team (third team in 2022). Fuqua tied for the lead nationally in interceptions that season, hauling in seven.
Linebacker Shaun Dolac is another to watch. A former walk-on, Dolac led the country in solo tackles in 2022 (97). But he missed much of the 2023 campaign with a shoulder injury. In his return last week, he led the Bulls with 11 total tackles, earning MAC Player of the Week honors.
