With a winnable set of games on their schedule, what do the Buffalo season predictions look like ahead of the 2023 season for the Bulls? Check just how many games they can win and which are the marquee matchups in a star-studded schedule.
Buffalo Season Predictions: Predicting the Game-By-Game Results
Using groupthink, College Football Network analysts have painstakingly gone through every game for every team in the MAC and across the country.
Find Every MAC Season Prediction per team: Ball State | Central Michigan | Eastern Michigan | Northern Illinois | Toledo | Western Michigan | Akron | Bowling Green | Buffalo | Kent State | Miami (OH) | Ohio
Picking these games straight up with a projected score using the rosters as up-to-date as the last spring practice, the Buffalo season predictions are kind to the Bulls in most cases.
Week 1 – Buffalo @ Wisconsin: Loss, 19-31
The Luke Fickell era kicks off at Wisconsin with a tough opponent in the Bulls coming to town. However, even during a shift in culture for Wisconsin, the Badgers have top-tier talent and even a quarterback that can stand toe to toe with Snyder.
Phil Longo entered the picture as Fickell’s offensive coordinator and Tanner Mordecai transferred in from SMU. Mordecai’s play will be key in the early going, especially here against Buffalo, as he can do just enough to keep the Badgers ahead.
Week 2 – Buffalo vs. Fordham: Win, 40-16
Back home, the Bulls get Fordham to start their home slate of games in 2023. The Rams have some interesting pieces on their roster but should be no match early on for Buffalo’s starting 22. Stay healthy, institute the offensive plan, and play keep away from Fordham’s offense is the recipe for an easy win here.
Week 3 – Buffalo vs. Liberty: Win, 29-24
Liberty enters the Conference USA this season and has a host of MAC opponents in their non-conference schedule. Making the trip to Buffalo shouldn’t be easy for any team in 2023, especially for the Flames who have questions in the secondary.
The Bulls will have plenty of their offseason questions answered by this time and should be able to extinguish Liberty’s offense in the process.
Week 4 – Buffalo @ Louisiana: Win, 25-22
The Bulls’ last non-conference game is a unique matchup against a perennial Sun Belt favorite in the Ragin’ Cajuns. However, after Billy Napier left for Florida and took some of the top talents with him, Louisiana is still reeling.
Buffalo has the ability to pass all over the Louisiana secondary and don’t forget about potentially the biggest transfer loss for Louisiana this offseason in safety Kam Pedescleaux who left for Tulane in May.
MORE: MAC QB Rankings 2023
Week 5 – Buffalo @ Akron: Win, 29-18
Back to the midwest and straight into conference play, the Bulls head to Northeast Ohio and a date with the Akron Zips. Akron isn’t quite where they want to be under head coach Joe Moorhead but certainly have the players to make some of their conference games interesting in 2023.
DJ Irons needs to be contained and the Bulls will usher in a new defensive front this season. With that mixture of components in this game, don’t be surprised if this is a closer-than-expected outcome.
Week 6 – Buffalo vs. Central Michigan: Win, 29-19
Buffalo exacts some revenge on the Chips here as Central Michigan narrowly edged out Buffalo last season to continue a three-game losing streak in the late stages of their schedule. However, with this one early on in the process, Buffalo’s defense should still be healthy enough to do what they need to in order to stop CMU.
And what they need to do to stop CMU is contain Bert Emanuel Jr. at quarterback. Emanuel showed promise as a dual-threat quarterback, mainly with his legs, and should continue to be a must-watch player in the MAC this season.
Week 7 – Buffalo vs. Bowling Green: Win, 31-24
Bowling Green welcomes in Connor Bazelak at quarterback and possesses arguably the top wide receiver duo this year. However, Buffalo’s overall talent may be just what the doctor ordered to fly high over Bowling Green’s secondary.
Despite Davon Ferguson’s return to the Falcons, there are still a few holes left to be filled and Buffalo should be able to exploit those areas of weakness.
Week 8 – Buffalo @ Kent State: Win, 21-20
Kent State defeated Buffalo last season but this year looks a lot different. In fact, it could likely be a much larger defeat for the Golden Flashes as their roster is in worse shape since Sean Lewis left for Colorado.
Still, the Golden Flashes and Bulls historically love their close matchups and heading into their bye weeks, should bring everything to the table for this one.
Week 10 – Buffalo @ Toledo: Loss, 27-30
Don’t be surprised if Buffalo hands tight with Toledo in their Tuesday meeting to start the midweek MACtion schedule. Dequan Finn and Cole Snyder battling it out only pales in comparison to Snyder battling it out with Kurtis Rourke the very next week.
Toledo is the current favorite to win the MAC West for good reason as Finn returns and they are the defending conference champions, winning the title without their star quarterback. Quinyon Mitchell is the x-factor here for the Rockets as the talented cornerback is a nationally-known name at this stage.
Week 11 – Buffalo vs. Ohio: Loss, 33-36
MAC schedules don’t get any tougher than facing Toledo and Ohio in back-to-back weeks but at least the Bulls get the Bobcats at home. Snyder vs. Rourke is must-watch TV but Ohio should have an improved secondary this time around.
Kwame Sutton is a headline transfer entering the picture for Ohio and his place on their defensive front should pay dividends in 2023. The offensive fireworks are prepared, sit back and enjoy.
Week 12 – Buffalo @ Miami (OH): Win, 30-24
Back to the state of Ohio, Buffalo travels to Oxford to take on the RedHawks on a Wednesday. Brett Gabbert or Aveon Smith, both present their own set of unique challenges but Buffalo has the chops to take it to Miami through the air.
Week 13 – Buffalo vs. Eastern Michigan: Win, 30-27
Eastern Michigan is not nearly as complete a team as the Bulls are but they do return Samson Evans at running back. It’s probably going to be cold. It may even be snowing. And all of that means Evans should play a huge factor.
Still, Snyder and the talented receiving corps for Buffalo is enough to pull them to their ninth win in our Buffalo season predictions. Firmly the third-best team in the conference, it should be noted that Snyder ranks only behind Rourke and Finn in our MAC QB Rankings, both quarterbacks of the teams they finish behind in our predictions.
