Buffalo beats No. 23 Northern Illinois 23-20 on Bellenfant's field goal in OT

Updated Sep. 21, 2024 8:10 p.m. ET

Associated Press

DEKALB, Ill. (AP) — Upton Bellenfant kicked a 37-yard field goal in overtime to give Buffalo a 23-20 victory over No. 23 Northern Illinois on Saturday.

The Huskies (2-1, 0-1 Mid-American Conference), playing for the first time since winning at then-No. 5 Notre Dame two weeks ago, managed just six points in the second half. Buffalo (3-1, 1-0), which began playing at the FBS level in 1999, beat a ranked opponent for the second time in its history.

“To me, it was just another kick,” said Bellenfant, who became Buffalo's starting kicker just last week. “Kind of a magic story out there. Everything went right.

“It really gives us hope we can go undefeated the rest of the season.”

The Bulls led 20-17 after linebacker Shaun Dolac’s interception and 53-yard return set up a field goal, but the Huskies tied it with a 13-play drive that ended with Kanon Woodill’s 27-yard field goal with 26 seconds to play.

“As a defense, we buckled it down but we know we can count on the offense when it counts,” Dolac said. “They scored, they tied the game up and the rest is history.”

Woodill, who booted the game-winner at Notre Dame, missed a pair of field goal tries, including a 42-yarder that was blocked in overtime. That set up the winning kick from Bellenfant, who was 3 for 3 on the day.

“We were prepared to play but didn’t make the plays necessary to put ourselves in a position to win,” said Huskies coach Thomas Hammock, whose team also lost a fumble. “The only way we can lose the game is if we turn the ball over, and that’s what we did.”

Buffalo’s Pete Lembo, a head coach again after nine years as an assistant at four schools, said his players deserved all the credit.

“For them to be rewarded with a signature win like this, this early in our tenure is a big deal,” Lambo said.

C.J. Ogbonna was 10 for 17 for 107 yards and a touchdown for the Bulls. His 46-yard scoring toss to Victor Snow early in the third quarter got Buffalo within 14-10. Al-Jay Henderson’s 36-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter tied it at 17.

Antario Brown rushed for 73 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Huskies.

He scored on a short run near the end of the first quarter and again on a 14-yard scamper late in the second that gave the Huskies a 14-3 halftime lead.

Ethan Hampton went 23 of 43 for 194 yards and an interception for Northern Illinois.

The last time

Buffalo’s only other victory against a ranked opponent came in the 2008 MAC championship game, when it beat No. 14 Ball State.

The takeaway

Buffalo: The Bulls looked lost offensively in the first half after averaging just 1.1 yards per carry but regrouped and kept the Huskies out of the end zone the rest of the way.

Northern Illinois: The defensive line that gave Notre Dame fits didn’t disappoint. The Huskies’ offense still needs some work, however, if they hope to match fellow MAC contender Toledo, which scored 41 points at Mississippi State last weekend.