NIU can't climb out of big first half hole in loss to Buffalo

DeKALB - Buffalo had two fumble recoveries for touchdowns on consecutive Northern Illinois drives, turning a five-point game into an eventual 49-30 loss for the Huskies on Wednesday night at Huskie Stadium.

Here are the main takeaways from the season-opening game for both teams as Buffalo picked up its first win since 1968 in the series, the first meeting between the teams. It was a span of 12 games that included NIU coming back from 19 down against the Bulls in the 2018 Mid-American Conference title game.

Bulls scoop up the win:

With Buffalo up, 21-16, in the third quarter, NIU started to put a drive together when quarterback Ross Bowers found Trayvon Rudolph for 28 yards to the Buffalo 41. But on the next play, Bowers fumbled unforced, and Tim Terry scooped up the ball and returned it 46 yards for a score with 8:35 left.

On the next drive, after a 19-yard jet sweep by Tyrice Richie, James Patterson forced Erin Collins to fumble. Isaiah King picked up the ball and went 42 yards for a touchdown and a 35-16 lead with 7:50 left.

NIU fumbled a third time in the quarter when George Wolo forced Rondarius Gregory to drop the ball, but the Huskies were down, 42-16, at that point.

First turnover of the season

NIU true freshman cornerback Myles McGee almost intercepted a dropped pass with NIU trailing, 14-10 in the second quarter. Collins had just scored for the Huskies to get the game back down to one score.

But on the next play, Nick Rattin leveled Buffalo quarterback Kyle Vantrease, causing him to underthrow the ball and letting true freshman Jordan Hansen come away with the first turnover of the season for the Huskies.

Rattin finished with a team-best 10 tackles.

Late second-quarter score:

Taking over with 2:07 left in the second quarter and NIU down, 21-10, the Huskies strung together a five-play, 60-yard drive that took 1:32. Richie and Cole Tucker each had two catches, with Bowers finding Tucker over the top for a score.

The Huskies went for two on the conversion, but Bowers' pass to tight end Daniel Crawford, who was split wide, was incomplete.

Richie had a career-best nine catches and 106 yards. Bowers threw for 202 yards on 17-of-28 passing, an interception and a fumble. He was sacked twice.

First-quarter juggernaut:

Buffalo roared to a 14-3 lead, amassing 101 yards on 10 plays in the quarter.

On their first drive of the game, the Bulls went 55 yards in three plays, with Jaret Patterson running for 24 yards on two carries, including a 5-yard scoring scamper.

It was the school-record 35th touchdown for Patterson.

After an NIU field goal, Buffalo went 61 yards on seven plays in 3:32 to build the lead to 14-3. Vantrease found Antonio Nunn on a perfectly placed fade on third-and-7 for a touchdown despite tight coverage from Dillon Thomas.

Buffalo actually had more second-quarter yards (137) but only one touchdown for a 21-16 lead at the break.

NIU ended up outgaining the Bulls, 397-357.

Freshman leader:

Although most of his carries came in the fourth quarter, Harrison Waylee ended up leading NIU with 66 rushing yards.

Late in the game, Waylee initially was called for a fumble at the goal line, but the call was reversed, and he was ruled down at the 2. On the next play, backup quarterback Andrew Haidet punched it in with 4:56 left, cutting the lead to 49-24 after Gregory ran it in for a 2-point conversion.