BUFFALO STATE ATHLETICS
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo State finished 6-5 last season with an appearance in the ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl to close out the campaign. Bridgewater State finished 2-8 a year ago with wins over Westfield State and Mass.-Dartmouth. The Bengals and Bears met for the first time ever last season at Coyer Field, with Buffalo State claiming a 20-19 victory on a fourth-quarter touchdown catch by Ricky Bailey.
The Bengals’ Last Game…Buffalo State closed out the 2017 season with a dissappointing 35-20 loss to the US Merchant Marine Academy in the ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl. USMMA possessed the ball for more than 36 minutes and rumbled for 419 rushing yards in the victory.
Oh captain, my captains…Buffalo State will rely on the leadership of four captains this season. On the offensive side, the Bengals will be led by junior lineman Dave Lauer and senior quarterback Kevin Torrillo, and the defense will be led by senior end Cliff Brown and senior linebacker Dupreme Robinson.
With honors…Senior wide receiver Jamar Rutledge is the lone returning all-conference performer from a season ago. Rutledge was named first teamm All-Empire 8 as a return specialist. He led the league averaging 23.5 yards-per-kick return on 25 attempts, which included a 96-yard touchdown return at Morrisville State. He was also second in the league, averaging 10.3 yards-per-punt return.
New signal caller…Senior Kevin Torrillo enters the season as the starting quarterback this season after sitting behind four-year starter Kyle Hoppy. Torrillo took his first varsity snaps when he started in place of an injured Hoppy vs. Cortland on Oct. 7, 2017. Torrillo finished 21 of 44 for 304 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in that game. He finished 2017 with four appearances and was 30 of 60 for 366 yards with two TDs and three interceptions.
On the Move…Buffalo State has officially announced it will leave the Empire 8 following the 2018 season to join the Liberty League in 2019. The move will stabilize both leagues, creating a pair of seven-team conferences that will collaborate for both non-conference scheduling and a postseason bowl game. Buffalo State will compete with Hobart, Ithaca, RPI, Rochester, St. Lawrence and Union in the Liberty League.
Return to the “Glory Days”…Buffalo State has posted a .500 record or better in each of the past seven seasons. The Bengals made seven NCAA playoff appearances and won three other ECAC Bowl Championships, all from 1991-2000. The Bengals advanced to the NCAA playoffs in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998 and 1999, and won ECAC Bowl games in 1991, 1997 and 2000. During that 10-year span, the Bengals went a combined 78-28 (.736).
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