1993 Buffalo Football – A ‘new’ UB Stadium
by Scott Hollander
University at Buffalo Libraries
On Saturday, September 4th, 1993, a festive crowd of 14,179 watched the inaugural U.B. Bulls football game in the “new” UB Stadium.
The Bulls’ long journey back to Division I culminated on September 4, 1993, when they hosted the Division I-AA University of Maine Black Bears. The contest was Buffalo’s first in Division I since 1970. The Buffalo team had 27 local players on its 88-man roster in the hope that all the Western New York talent would lure more fans to the new stadium.
The stadium was christened in grand style. Patrons entering the stadium were greeted by a Dixieland trio dressed in firemen-red pants and hats. A team of parachutists dropped out of the sky bearing the Canadian, American and U.B. flags. William R. Greiner, the U.B. president, began the pregame celebration with a speech of thanks that included everyone from then Governor Mario Cuomo to Bill Dando, the coach who brought back intercollegiate football to the school in 1977.
The game itself was a thriller but ultimately heartbreaking. Buffalo quarterback Cliff Scott earned a spot in U.B. athletic history by sneaking across the goal line 8:26 into the first quarter for the first Buffalo touchdown in the new stadium. The large crowd went wild when U.B. took the lead in the 4th quarter after Scott rolled around right end and crossed the goal line again to cap a 60-yard drive with just under a minute left in the game. The 5-yard touchdown run gave the Bulls an apparent 27-24 victory.
Unfortunately, the University of Maine rallied in stunning fashion winning the contest on a 6-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds left to beat U.B., 30-27.
After the game, quarterback Cliff Scott said: “The community now knows we can play with those type of teams. Over the next few weeks, we’ll win those type of games. If the community keeps backing us week after week like they did tonight, then success will be here soon, sooner than most people think.”
But the team struggled the rest of the 1993 season finishing with a 1-10 record and winless at the new stadium.
1993 Buffalo Football Season
| Date | Home Team | Score | Visiting Team | W-L | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/4/1993 | Buffalo | 27 – 30 | Maine | L | Amherst, NY |
| 9/11/1993 | Buffalo | 6 – 38 | New Haven | L | Amherst, NY |
| 9/18/1993 | Buffalo | 15 – 29 | Lafayette | L | Amherst, NY |
| 9/25/1993 | Buffalo | 17 – 28 | Edinboro | L | Amherst, NY |
| 10/2/1993 | Hofstra | 20 – 28 | Buffalo | L | Hempstead, NY |
| 10/9/1993 | Fordham | 14 – 33 | Buffalo | W | New York, NY |
| 10/16/1993 | Buffalo | 6 – 13 | Buffalo State | L | Amherst, NY |
| 10/23/1993 | Buffalo | 38 – 14 | Towson State | L | Amherst, NY |
| 10/30/1993 | Youngstown State | 38 – 12 | Buffalo | L | Youngstown, OH |
| 11/6/1993 | Boston University | 61 – 33 | Buffalo | L | Boston, MA |
| 11/13/1993 | Central Florida | 42 – 7 | Buffalo | L | Orlando, FL |
FINAL RECORD: 1-10
Home: UB Stadium, Amherst, NY
Coach: Jim Ward