Buffalo claims MAC East title, runs over Bowling Green 44-14

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Williams recovers fumble, returns it 69 yards for TD

Buffalo's Brandon Williams recovers a fumble by Bowling Green and returns it 69 yards for a touchdown to give the Bulls a 19-7 lead over the Falcons.

Nov 23, 2018, 09:40 pm

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- Tyree Jackson threw a touchdown pass and Buffalo ran in four scores to beat Bowling Green 44-14 on Friday to claim the Mid-American Conference East Division championship.

The Bulls (10-2, 7-1) will face Northern Illinois in the conference title game on Nov. 30 at Detroit's Ford Field. The Bulls captured its second outright East Division championship and third overall; they won it in 2008 and tied in 2007.

Buffalo rebounded from a 52-17 rout at Ohio on Nov. 14 to earn its tenth win, the most since joining the FBS era in 1999. Jackson's 37-yard scoring throw to George Rushing was his 25th TD pass of the season, tying Drew Willy (2008) for second most touchdown passes in a season at Buffalo.

Jaret Patterson and Kevin Marks had two touchdown runs apiece for the Bulls, who extended their program-best for most rushing touchdowns in a season to 32.

Patterson broke loose for a 40-yard score and an 11-yarder in the first half. He finished with 88 yards on 11 carries, and is 44 yards shy of Aaron Leeper's (2002) freshman record of 917 in a season. Marks bullied in both scores from short yardage, and had 63 yards rushing on 21 carries.

Buffalo rushed for 332 yards on 62 carries. Emmanuel Reed led with 109 yards on 15 carries.

Jarret Doege threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Scott Miller in the first quarter for Bowling Green (3-9, 2-6). Doege was 8-of-17 passing for 84 yards with one interception.