KENT, Ohio (AP)—A.J. Principe made a 22-yard field goal with 5 seconds left that sealed Buffalo’s 9-6 win over Kent State in the season finale for both teams on Friday.
Principe’s game-winning kick made him Buffalo’s all-time leading scorer with 224 points.
After Principe’s second 24-yard field goal put Buffalo up 6-3 in the fourth quarter, Kent State’s Dri Archer returned a kickoff 77 yards to the Buffalo 13-yard line. But the Buffalo (5-7, 3-5 Mid-American Conference) defense held the Golden Flashes (5-7, 4-4) to a game-tying, Freddy Cortez 26-yard field goal with 5:25 to play.
Buffalo then drove 63 yards in 5:16, setting up Principe’s winning kick.
Brandon Thermilus rushed for 123 yards for Buffalo.
The Bulls defense held Kent State to a season-low 159 offensive yards.
Cortez also kicked a 39-yard field goal for Kent State.
Head to Head - Week 13
| Team | Total Yds | Pass Yds | Rush Yds | First Downs | 3rdD% | Pen./Yds | Turnovers | Time of Poss. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo | 320 | 181 | 139 | 20 | 35.3% | 2/15 | 4 | 33:42 |
| Kent State | 159 | 31 | 128 | 8 | 8.3% | 9/80 | 1 | 26:18 |