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BUFFALO, NY— No. 15-ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater (2-0) avenged last year's loss against Buffalo State (2-1), scoring on its first seven possessions en route to a 55-14 victory today on a soggy Coyer Field. The Bengals earned a 7-6 win in Whitewater last season, snapping the Warhawks' 46-game winning streak that included three national championships.
The Warhawks finished with 397 yards of total offense, while limiting the Bengals to 182, including just 54 through the air. UWW starting quarterback Matt Behrendt (Westchester, IL/Nazareth Academy) finished 13 of 25 for 187 yards with four touchdowns. The receiving trio of Justin Howard (W. Bend, WI/Homestead), Tyler Huber (N. Prairie, WI/Mukwonago) and Jake Kumerow (Bartlett, IL/S. Elgin) accounted for 199 of UWW's 226 total receiving yards. Howard had five grabs for 72 yards and a score, Huber had three receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown, and Kumerow caught three passes for 63 yards and two scores.
Buffalo State starting quarterback Casey Kacz (Amherst/Sweet Home) saw just limited time, finishing 6 of 13 for 50 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Buffalo State's backup quarterbacks combined to go just 1 of 11 for four yards with an interception. Mike Doherty (Tonawanda/Kenmore East) had five catches for 39 yards and a touchdown. Mitchell Thomas (Buffalo/Sweet Home) had a game-high 12 tackles.
The Warhawks raced out to a 31-0 lead, including 24 points in the first quarter and held a 45-7 advantage at halftime. UWW scored just 1:34 into the game on a 34-yard catch by Tyler Huber (N. Prairie, WI/Mukwonago) and kept rolling.
After a field goal and three more UWW passing touchdowns, including a running back option pass from Steve Morris (Racine, WI/Horlick) to Kumerow that covered 36 yards, Buffalo State finally got on the scoreboard with a 2-yard strike from Kacz to Mike Doherty (Tonawanda/Kenmore East) that capped a 14-play, 64-yard drive.
UWW closed the first half with two more touchdowns, including a 30-yard fumble recovery return by Andrew Keister (Evansville, WI/Evansville).
The Warhawks added to the lead just 1:19 into the second half, when Zach Nellis (Waupaca, WI/Waupaca) scooped up another Buffalo State fumble and returned it 30 yards to push the lead to 52-7.
After a second Eric Kindler (Germantown, WI/Germantown) field goal, this time from 37 yards, Buffalo State competed the scoring with the only points of the fourth quarter. Freshman Trey Jones (Rochester/Greece-Athena) sprinted across the goal line on a 4-yard run for his first collegiate touchdown.
Buffalo State will open Empire 8 play next Saturday with its homecoming against Ithaca at noon at Coyer Field.