Mid-American Buffalo

Head coach Pete Lembo · 3rd season · 20-14 at Buffalo

Record6-34-1 Mid-American · T-2nd
BowlEligible6 wins reached
Nextat Ball StateWed Nov 11 · time TBA

The rest of the season

Three real tests left: Ball State 58%, Central Michigan 62%, Akron 68%

Win out 24% · expect 1.9 of 3 more wins

Buffalo's chance to win each game left, from our model: Ball State 58%, Central Michigan 62%, Akron 68%

Bar height is our model’s chance in each game left. Dashed line: 50%.

StandingTied for 2nd in the Mid-American · 4-1 in conference play · All standings

LeadersPassing Jason Wright 1,345 · Rushing Messiah Burch 901 · Receiving Chance Morrow 682 All player stats

The nationunrankedAP / Coaches
The model#107 CFB ZeitgeistPublic ratings: SP+ #118 (-12.0) · FPI #116
The marketno line yetBetting line at Ball State · our model 58% Buffalo

Updated Wed Nov 4 · through week 10

Buffalo · 2026 schedule and results6-3Balanced slateAverage opponent win rate 52% · 0 opponents played so far are in the AP top 25 now.Our rank entering each game: #134 to #131

Tuesday at Miami (OH): W 34-31

Buffalo came back from 15 down, at one point just a 1% chance in the fourth quarter.

FinalBuffalo 34-31 Miami (OH)Buffalo wonMove across the chart, or tap a numbered swing, to see any play.
50%10%25%75%90%Q1Q2Q3Q4OT11% at halfBuffaloMiami (OH)Lowest 0%Won34-31123+20+21+38Scores
50%10%25%75%90%Q1Q2Q3Q4OT11% at halfBuffaloMiami (OH)Lowest 0%Won34-31123Scores

The three plays that swung it

  1. 1Q4 1:35Wright 2-yd TD run, ties it 31-31Buffalo 13% → 33% (+20)
  2. 2Q4 0:32Shelton 4-yd runBuffalo 33% → 54% (+21)
  3. 3OTMcLaughlin 45-yd field goal no goodBuffalo 62% → 100% (+38)
Buffalo’s chance to win after every play.
How to read this chartStarts from the pregame line (Miami (OH) -6.5), at 27% for Buffalo (the play-by-play feed's kickoff number, moved to match the line; our model's and the betting line's own numbers are in “The betting line, and the fans”). Dots are the biggest swings; ticks under the chart are scores.
The game page →
WkDateOur rankOpp rankLineOpponentResultRecordConfTop performers
1Sep 3#134#222−18.5✗ −14.5UAlbanyW 21-17 80Buffalo won 21-17 vs UAlbany. Chance to win started at 90%, low 53%, high better than 99%.1-00-0Pass Holmes 189 · Rush Burch 74 · Rec Morrow 48
2Sep 12#137#119+8.5✗ −4.5@Florida InternationalL 20-33 142Buffalo lost 20-33 at Florida International. Chance to win started at 23%, low under 1%, high 24%.1-10-0Pass Wright 185 · Rush Shelton Jr. 34 · Rec Morrow 173
3Sep 19#145#35+39.5✗ −2.5@Penn StateL 13-55 130Buffalo lost 13-55 at Penn State. Chance to win started at 1%, low under 1%, high 1%.1-20-0Pass Wright 60 · Rush McNeil Jr. 80 · Rec Morrow 31
4Sep 26#145#191−27.5✗ −24.5Robert MorrisW 31-28 144Buffalo won 31-28 vs Robert Morris. Chance to win started at 97%, low 78%, high better than 99%.2-20-0Pass Wright 140 · Rush Burch 146 · Rec Morrow 58
5Oct 3#157#34+13.5✓ +10.5Western MichiganL 17-20 126Buffalo lost 17-20 vs Western Michigan. Chance to win started at 24%, low 9%, high 68%.2-30-1Pass Wright 170 · Rush Burch 106 · Rec Morrow 90
6Oct 10#160#42+18.5✓ +33.5@ToledoW 23-8 139Buffalo won 23-8 at Toledo. Chance to win started at 8%, low 8%, high better than 99%.3-31-1Pass Wright 171 · Rush Burch 137 · Rec Early Jr. 77
7Oct 17#134#144−6.5✓ +0.5MassachusettsW 25-18 151Buffalo won 25-18 vs Massachusetts. Chance to win started at 74%, low 30%, high better than 99%.4-32-1Pass Wright 134 · Rush Burch 172 · Rec Walker 45
8Oct 24#126#149−3✓ +4Bowling GreenW 31-24 125Buffalo won 31-24 vs Bowling Green. Chance to win started at 67%, low 29%, high better than 99%.5-33-1Pass Wright 127 · Rush Burch 184 · Rec Walker 40
9Bye week
10Nov 3#131#96+6.5✓ +9.5@Miami (OH)W 34-31 150Buffalo won 34-31 at Miami (OH). Chance to win started at 27%, low under 1%, high better than 99%.6-34-1Pass Wright 358 · Rush Burch 56 · Rec Morrow 199
11Nov 11#122#154@Ball Statetime TBA58% to win
12Nov 18Central Michigantime TBA62% to win
13Nov 27@Akron12 pm ET68% to win
How to read this table

Win chances are our model for Buffalo, through 9 games. This week's game comes from the playoff simulation, later games from the rating model. They are estimates and move every week.

The small line beside each score is the team's win chance through the game, drawn on one scale for every game. The small number is total plays.

Line is the closing point spread for Buffalo: a minus number means favored. A green check means the team covered it, by the number beside it. A red cross means it fell short by that much.

Advanced box score (EPA, success rate, big plays)▼
DateOppResultYdsTOTOPEPA/playSuccess%Big plays (IsoPPP)Note
Nov 3@Miami (OH)W 34-31459227:24+0.08937.5%1.48One-score win
Oct 24Bowling GreenW 31-24378124:15+0.20641.3%1.43Season-high EPA/play
Oct 17MassachusettsW 25-18351228:30-0.00737.0%1.01Best defensive stand
Oct 10@ToledoW 23-8351035:25+0.07633.8%1.20
Oct 3Western MichiganL 17-20305028:05+0.07742.6%1.08One-score loss
Sep 26Robert MorrisW 31-28442339:15-0.03544.0%1.10Best success rate
Sep 19@Penn StateL 13-55173228:37-0.11719.4%0.99Season-low EPA/play
Sep 12@Florida InternationalL 20-33308329:30-0.03024.3%1.80Most explosive
Sep 3UAlbanyW 21-17340131:53+0.15239.8%1.15One-score win
Season average (9 games)3451.6+0.04635.5%1.25

Buffalo's wildest games since 2013: comebacks, long shots, line misses

What’s ahead

Off this week

7 days

until kickoff · at Ball State · Wed Nov 11 · time TBA

The forecast
Offense poorDefense soft

Season expectations

MAC title#8 in market+2,000

Median odds across sportsbooks · Nov 4. A number with a minus is the favorite: −130 means $130 wins $100. A plus is the underdog: +170 means $100 wins $170.

Today’s games across college football

What fans said

What fans said

Real posts about each game (they name the opponent, a player or a play), chosen by community score · usernames not shown

The games that decide the season

The games that decide the season

Fri Nov 27Buffalo-Akronat Akron · on the road

Recent form · last 10 games

Buffalo has won four of its last five.

6-4 over the last 10, and won the last four.

Streak W4Last 5 · 4-1Last 10 · 6-4
Beyond the massive New England upset over Buffalo, a couple of under-the-radar results helped the house
Feazel · FOX Sports2 days after Buffalo's 2026 game against Western Michigan

Range of outcomes · Buffalo · 2026

Buffalo’s most likely regular season is 8-4. 95% of outcomes land from 7-5 to 9-3.

Regular-season wins: chance of each total, from the game chances above

6 wins 5%; 7 wins 26%; 8 wins 44%; 9 wins 24%
What a title game and a playoff run could add
Floor7-5No postseason.
Base7-5No postseason.
Ceiling8-5A bowl game.

Bars are the chance of each regular-season win total, from our model's chance in each game left, through 9 games. Paler bars are the outer 10% at each end. The closed row comes from the season-path projection, which also plays out conference title games and the CFP.

More in this tab

This week and this season

Worth watchingGames average 50 combined points, even games

What it is like to watch them2026 · 6-3

Game feel50even gamescombined pts / game6th highest-scoring of 13 in the Mid-American
Heart rate5-1white-knucklein one-score games (6 of 9)1st most one-score games of 13 in the Mid-American
Margin-2.1competitiveavg scoring margin6th best margin of 13 in the Mid-American
Tempo74uptempooffensive plays / game1st fastest of 13 in the Mid-American
Big plays1.25some popexplosiveness (IsoPPP)5th most explosive of 13 in the Mid-American
Home crowd7,703avg attendance13th biggest crowds of 13 in the Mid-American

Measured from 9 games · ranks are among Mid-American teams the same season

Team storyThe story of this team right now, in one line.
The weekly grind·Written July 2026

Buffalo has one MAC title (2008) and one all-time great in Khalil Mack, and just signed the biggest naming-rights deal in conference history a year after its best season in over a decade gave way to a step back.

Title DroughtSince 2008 · 18 yrs

Buffalo produced a fifth-overall NFL draft pick and an NCAA defensive-record holder in Khalil Mack, yet the program still gets talked about as one of the MAC's anonymous programs. Fans point to…

Read the full program story ↓
Game-day weatherKickoff-time weather at home, and the forecast in game week.

Buffalo · Game-day weather

Typical at UB Stadium: kickoff time makes little difference, scores run 86 to 89

  • noon: 89, Mixed
  • 3:30 pm: 86, Mixed
  • 7:30 pm: 86, Mixed

Typical weather score at each kickoff time.

Tap a dot to read it.

Weather score: 0 to 100, higher is better, for the first 3 hours and 20 minutes of the game. Ideal is 100, Comfortable 90 to 99, Mixed 75 to 89, Rough 50 to 74, Harsh under 50.

Game dayOffense: Poor, defense: Soft
The experience

Buffalo hasn't won a MAC title since 2008, but produced Khalil Mack -- the program's lone Defensive Player of the Year and a fifth-overall NFL draft pick -- and just landed the largest naming-rights deal in MAC history, renaming its home Broadview Stadium, after a 2024 breakout (9-4, Bahamas Bowl champions) gave way to a 5-7 step back in 2025.

Offense: PoorDefense: Soft

Roster and recruiting

Rostertalent #120

Roster reload: Buffalo

2026 snapshot, Nov 4
Returning Production-1%Low continuity / heavy reload
Talent Composite#120 nationally247 composite 549.3
Portal Additions16Primary repair: LB
Portal Losses16Primary pressure: CB
Draft Loss1NFL Draft departures (1)
Recruiting Reload#101Depth class
DLin 2 - Stantavious Smith3.40out 3 - Junior Poyser3.60Downgrade
current room: 289 lbs avg (2025 roster)
EDGEin 3 - Logan Goodwin3.40out 2 - Shamar Riser-Pressley3.50Even
current room: 261 lbs avg (2025 roster)
LBin 3 - Joey Cheshire3.40out 1 - Dion Crawford3.50Need Filled
current room: 224 lbs avg (2025 roster)
CBin 1 - Sayre Smothers3.60out 3 - Eddie Pleasant III3.49Starter Risk
current room: 190 lbs avg (2025 roster)
WRin 0out 2 - Victor Snow3.60Starter Risk
current room: 186 lbs avg (2025 roster)
Sin 0out 2 - Jalen McNair3.50Starter Risk
current room: 195 lbs avg (2025 roster)
Full roster (118 players)
Top commits

Top 1 commits

2027 class
★★★☆☆
Zane Johnson
QB · Louisville, KY
#1775 national
Recruiting buzzWhat fans say about the incoming class right now.

Community pulse

No high-engagement r/cfb discussions tracked for this program in the last year.

Fans and ratings

Mood vs. historyFan mood is higher than 62% of FBS programs
→

Fan confidence in a typical range for this program right now

62nd percentile among FBS programs

Fans vs. the lineWhere fans and the betting market read this team differently.
Fan vs. market↑
62nd
Fan mood
(percentile among FBS)
5.5
Sportsbook win total
(28th among FBS)
Fans 34pp more bullish than market implies
Win total consensus · 3 books
RivalsRival pulse: Akron uneasy

Rival pulse

Akron
Uneasy
-12
Buffalo-Akron

Fan mood index · most recent r/CFB data

More

Current chapterThe story this season is telling right now.
3
Identity shift

Buffalo: the fanbase’s identity shifting.

Buffalo's 5-7 record and lack of a MAC title since 2008 highlight the tension between its recent naming-rights milestone and the need to reclaim conference dominance.

This page may include content derived from public news sources, social media, and fan communities. We relay these sources as-is — we are not reporting them. Sources may be summarized or quoted imperfectly; for anything that matters, go look at the original source directly. The original source may also be wrong. Text written by our model says so in a line beneath it, and it can get facts wrong. All analysis is editorial opinion, not professional reporting. Data sources · About this site