Buffalo Bulls vs Penn State Nittany Lions Match Player Stats On Sep 07, 2019

Quarterback Sean Clifford threw for four touchdowns to lift No. 15 Penn State past visiting Buffalo 45-13 on Saturday.

Clifford was 16 of 22 for 279 yards in just his second career start.

Tight end Pat Freiermuth caught two of those touchdowns, 23 and 28 yards, as the Nittany Lions improved to 2-0. Jahan Dotson also caught a pair of touchdowns.

Buffalo freshman quarterback Matt Myers was 16 of 31 for 245 yards, one touchdown and one interception. It was also the second career start for Myers, the first freshman to start for Buffalo since 1991.

The Bulls fell to 1-1.

Penn State took an early 7-0 lead when Dotson caught a 28-yard touchdown from Clifford with 8:50 left in the first quarter.

After missing from 49 yards with six minutes to go in the first quarter, Buffalo kicker Alex McNulty connected on a 32-yarder to close within 7-3 in the second quarter.

The Bulls closed the first half with an impressive 10-play, 96-yard drive culminating in tight end Julien Bourassa's 6-yard touchdown catch from Myers with 14 seconds left in the half and giving Buffalo a 10-7 lead at the break. Myers was 5 for 5 for 88 yards on the drive and 11 of 17 for 185 yards and a touchdown in the first half.

The Nittany Lions opened the third quarter with a fumble, which Buffalo recovered at its own 27-yard line. But cornerback John Reid intercepted a Myers pass three plays later and scampered 36 yards for a score and a 14-10 lead -- a lead that Penn State would never surrender.

After Penn State forced Buffalo into a three-and-out, KJ Hamler's punt return, combined with a Buffalo personal foul, put the ball on the Bulls' 23-yard line. Clifford then hit Freiermuth down the middle on the first play of the drive for a 23-yard score and a 21-10 lead.

McNulty's 25-yard field goal with 6:59 left in the third cut the lead to 21-13, but two plays into the ensuing drive, Clifford ran 58 yards down the sideline to the Buffalo 2. Running back Noah Cain ran it in on the following play for a 28-13 Nittany Lions advantage.

Freiermuth's second touchdown -- a 28-yard reception on fourth-and-2 -- gave the Nittany Lions a commanding 35-13 lead with 2:56 remaining in the third.

--Field Level Media