BUFFALO, N.Y. – Lafayette football opened the 2024 season with a 30-13 loss to Buffalo on Thursday night at UB Stadium. Buffalo scored three times in the first half and played with the lead the entire evening.
 
The Leopards never really got their offense on track, as UB committed to stopping the running game. Lafayette was limited to 43 rushing yards, including only 14 yards on 15 carries in the first half. On the night, Buffalo rushed for 208 yards and added 195 yards through the air.
 
Junior QB Dean DeNobile finished 23-of-33 for 162 yards with a touchdown, but threw two interceptions and was sacked three times. The Leopards were forced to stay mainly in the air in the second half. Chris Carasia finished with eight receptions for 83 yards (both career highs). Defensively, senior linebacker Preston Forney had seven tackles followed by Saiku White and Tyree Morris with six apiece. Reigning Patriot League Rookie of the Year Jaylon Joseph had four tackles, including two tackles for loss.
 
The Leopards' defense forced a punt on the first possession, but the offense gave it back just three minutes into the game on an interception. The Bulls took advantage. Al-Jay Henderson scored on an 11-yard run just a play after a potential interception went through the hands of a defender. Reggie Thomas stuffed the two-point try and Buffalo led 6-0 six minutes into the game.   
 
Buffalo stretched the margin to 13-0 by the end of the first quarter. Bulls' QB C.J. Ogbonna hit Nik McMillan for a 31-yard touchdown in the right corner of the endzone. It capped a five-play, 48-yard drive. Buffalo then added a 22-yard Nick Reed field goal at 9:23 in the second.
 
The Leopards found some offensive rhythm on their final drive of the first half. An acrobatic catch by Carasia from DeNobile went for 29 yards to the 14-yard line. Troy Bruce picked up 28 yards on the drive, but he and Jamar Curtis were knocked for losses on first and third down sandwiched around an eight-yard DeNobile run. The Leopards faced 4^th-and-5 at the seven-yard line and DeNobile's draw up the middle was stopped. Buffalo led 16-0 at halftime. DeNobile was 12-of-14 for 94 yards in the first half with 51 going to Carasia.
 
Special teams play set up the Leopards' first score of the game. Bruce came off the edge and blocked a punt. Lafayette took over at the Buffalo 18. DeNobile tossed it to Carson Persing who then fired a strike to a wide-open Dallas Holmes in the endzone. The Leopards went for two, but the pass went incomplete. Lafayette trailed 16-6.
 
Buffalo snatched back the momentum from Lafayette with a 32-yard TD from Ogbonna to Taji Johnson for the 23-6 advantage with 6:10 left in the third quarter.
 
The Leopards kept fighting, putting together an 11-play drive over 66 yards and 4:02 early in the fourth quarter. DeNobile completed four passes, the final one a 13-yard toss that saw Carasia separate himself from the defender and reel in the TD. Jack Simonetta added the PAT and Lafayette trailed 23-13 with 10 minutes left in the game.
 
On the ensuing kickoff, the Buffalo receiver muffed the return and Ian Langan recovered at the 18-yard line. Lafayette could not move closer, however, as Simonetta's 31-yard field goal missed wide left.
 
A second UB interception in Leopard territory led to a Jacqez Barksdale 19-yard touchdown with 5:25 left to seal the game.
 
Lafayette is back in action on Sept. 7 when the Leopards travel to Monmouth for a noon kick-off.