Mack Breaks NCAA Record in Rout of Miami

Tuesday, November 19

8 pm

8-3 , 6-1

Miami (OH)

0-11 , 0-7

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Buffalo

MIAMI

Mack Breaks NCAA Record in Rout of Miami

11/19/2013 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

OXFORD, OH – Weeknight football games in the Mid-American Conference come with the tagline MACtion. After Khalil Mack's performance against Miami (OH) on Tuesday night, the conference may want to consider spelling it MACKtion.

The senior linebacker had eight tackles, three sacks and three forced fumbles in a 44-7 blowout of the RedHawks at Yager Stadium. His three forced fumbles, all in the first half, shattered the NCAA record for career forced fumbles. He now has 16 career forced fumbles, eclipsing the previous record of 14 held by five different players. Mack's three sacks moved him to within 2.5 tackles for loss of that NCAA career record as well.

The defense set the tone in the game as the Bulls held Miami to 200 yards of total offense with the majority of its yards coming late in the contest. After not registering a sack for the first time all season last week at Toledo, the Bulls erupted for a season-high seven sacks against the RedHawks. Okoye Houston had two sacks and Jake Stockman and Tedroy Lynch each had 1.5 sacks.

"We challenged our kids last week after that tough loss at Toledo and they responded," head coach Jeff Quinn said. "We came down here with a purpose and we accomplished what we came down here to accomplish and that was to win a game on the road against a MAC East rival team. To have this kind of margin of victory, it just says a lot about the leadership. I can't say enough about Khalil and what he has been able to accomplish. Because he really started things tonight and I was really pleased with the way our defense came to play."

After a scoreless first quarter, the UB offense gave the defense all it needed with a 21-point second quarter. Following a Branden Oliver 38-yard run that put the ball on the Miami 1-yard line, Joe Licata hit Alex Dennison for a 1-yard touchdown pass to give the Bulls a 7-0 lead.

Oliver followed with touchdown runs of one yard and 10 yards to extend the Buffalo lead to 21-0. With the RedHawks driving late in the half, the defense decided to get into the scoring act. Mack sacked Miami quarterback Austin Gearing, jarred the ball loose, and Houston scooped it up and scampered 60 yards for a touchdown to put the Bulls ahead, 28-0, at the half.

Patrick Clarke added three second-half field goals to extend the lead to 37-0. Tony Daniel capped the scoring with his first career touchdown pass. He hit Devon Hughes on an 11-yard fade pattern to put the Bulls ahead, 44-0. Miami would score a late touchdown to make the final score, 44-7.

The 37-point win was the Bulls' largest victory in a MAC road game since joining the conference in 1999.

The Bulls piled up 517 yards of total offense, including 311 on the ground. Oliver started the game and had 150 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. With the Bulls holding a big lead, Anthone Taylor got some extensive playing time and capitalized by rushing for a career-best 154 yards on just 17 carries.

Licata managed the offense well, going 20-of-32 for 172 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Fred Lee, Matt Weiser and Devin Campell each had four receptions for the Bulls.

Other standouts on defense included Lee Skinner, who finished with seven tackles. Okezie Alozie had five tackles, a sack and a pass breakup. Stockman finished with 1.5 tackles for loss and his first career interception.

The Bulls improved to 8-3 with the win and 6-1 in conference play. The eight wins are the most in a regular season in their FBS era and the six MAC wins are a school record.

Buffalo will host Bowling Green next Friday at Ralph Wilson Stadium for the MAC East Championship and a trip to the MAC Championship game.