Gophers-Buffalo preview: Players to know, pivotal matchups and a prediction

Minnesota cannot overlook another pesky opponent from the MAC in Week 1.

Sep 28, 2024; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Buffalo Bulls head coach Pete Lembo watches from the sideline as they take on the Connecticut Huskies at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Golden Gophers are only days away from kicking off their 2025 regular season at Huntington Bank Stadium against the Buffalo Bulls. Let's break down the Week 1 matchup.

What you need to know about Buffalo

• Head coach: Pete Lembo

In his first season with the program, Lembo led Buffalo to its first season with nine or more wins since 2018. He has 16 total seasons of head coaching experience, with previous stops at Lehigh, Elon and Ball State.

• MAC contender

According to the latest odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, Buffalo has the third-best chance of winning the Mid-American Conference (MAC). After last year's 9-4 campaign, oddsmakers give the Bulls +550 odds to win the league, which is an implied probability of 15.38%.

• Players to watch

Buffalo is led by preseason first-team All-MAC running back Al-Jay Henderson. He had more than 220 touches last season for more than 1,200 yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns. He should be near the top of Minnesota's scouting report.

Sep 3, 2022; College Park, Maryland, USA; Buffalo Bulls running back Al-Jay Henderson (22) runs by Maryland Terrapins defensive back Beau Brade (25) for a first half touchdown at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Bulls will have Kansas State transfer quarterback Ta'Quan Roberson (25) under center, who is five years older than Drake Lindsey (20). He has had previous stops at Penn State and UConn, and he could be one of the better Group of Five (G5) quarterbacks in 2025.

The defense is led by a daunting front seven, which is headlined by redshirt senior Kobe Stewart, who led the MAC with 9.5 sacks last season. He entered the transfer portal in the spring, but the Bulls were able to convince him to come back for his final season of college football. Junior Dion Crawford also returns after recording 8.5 sacks in 2024.

University of Akron quarterback DJ Irons gets past Buffalo linebacker Dion Crawford on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, in Akron, Ohio. | PHIL MASTURZO / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Keys to the game

If Buffalo remains competitive in this game, it will be because Minnesota isn't able to impose its will in the trenches. Stewart is a power-conference-level pass rusher, and the Bulls have one of the better offensive lines at the G5 level.

Senior linebacker Red Murdock returns after recording 156 total tackles last season, which ranked second in all of college football, trailing only his teammate Shaun Dolac. Buffalo has the level of defense to give a redshirt freshman quarterback like Drake Lindsey some serious issues.

Sep 7, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Marcus Carroll (9) runs the ball as Buffalo Bulls linebacker Red Murdock (2) attempts the tackle during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Minnesota's new-look offensive line against Buffalo's experienced front seven, led by Stewart, Crawford and Murdock, will be the key to the game. If the Bulls are able to generate pressure on Lindsey and slow down the Gophers' rush attack, things could get dicey.

Buffalo is one of the better G5 teams in the country, and they could make serious noise in the MAC this season. The Gophers are simply a better football team, with far more playmakers on both sides of the ball. However, with all their new changes, I expect we could see a slow start to the season with a Big Ten-MAC dog fight in Week 1, and Minnesota sneaks by with a close win.

Prediction: Minnesota 24, Buffalo 10

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.