The University at Buffalo's football program was quite different when Dave Clawson was an

assistant coach. The practice field was on the Main Street campus and the stadium had wooden

bleachers that were falling apart.

Today, 18 years later, the plans of both UB and Clawson's current team, Bowling Green, are

considerably more ambitious. The winner of tonight's game still has a chance at a bowl berth.

Whereas these teams have some commonalities — high-scoring offenses led by flashy

wide receivers — they will be on different paths after tonight. The loser will finish no

better than .500 for the season meaning an opportunity to extend the season with a bowl

appearance is highly unlikely.

The Bulls (3-5, 1-3 Mid-American Conference) have won two of their last three games, just

like Bowling Green (3-5, 2-2), their opponent at 7 p.m. tonight at UB Stadium in a pivotal

league matchup.

"You look at it week-by-week every week when we've won, they've won, and every week when

we've lost, they've lost in very similar fashion," said Clawson, a two-sport standout at

Lewiston-Porter in the mid '80s. "UB is a team that's a quarterback sneak or maybe a turnover

or two away from being a 6-2 football team."

The same can be said for Bowling Green, which lost to Missouri, Marshall and Ohio by a

touchdown each.

"It's going to be a very, very tough football game," UB coach Turner Gill said. "Bowling

Green has a lot of talented players on the offensive side and on their defense side and

special teams. We're going to have to play our best football game to have a chance to win."

The key to the game could be if the Bulls can contain Biletnikoff Award candidate Freddie

Barnes, the nation's leading receiver. During the Falcons' last three games against Kent

State, Ball State and Central Michigan, Barnes has 46 receptions for 610 yards and seven

touchdowns.

"He's a quarterback, he's a running back, he's a receiver, he throws it, he runs it," Gill

said. "Anyway you can get a guy the football, they do it."

Senior Tyler Sheehan triggers the offense for Bowling Green and has completed 64.7 percent

of his passes in his career while throwing for 8,743 yards and 58 touchdowns. Sheehan

currently ranks third in the nation in passing yards per game (334.6) and sixth in total

offense (324.4).

"Their statistics speaks for itself," said Gill, who would like to keep Barnes under 100

yards passing tonight. "They have a very experienced quarterback in Tyler Sheehan and they

have the No. 1 receiver in the conference, maybe the nation, in Freddie Barnes. They're

offense is so explosive and so dynamic we have our hands full just to slow them down."

It should be a good challenge for the Bulls secondary. UB ranks seventh in the MAC against

the pass (202.9 ypg.) they could be missing two cornerbacks from their rotation. Sophomore Joe

Petit (concussion) is out for the game and junior corner Josh Thomas (concussion) is

questionable although Gill said during his weekly conference call on Monday only Petit has

been ruled out.

Petit and senior right tackle Andrew West (broken hand) were listed as doubtful for the

game. Junior tailbacks Ike Nduka (ankle), Brandon Thermilus (ankle) and senior tailback Mario

Henry (ankle) were listed as questionable late last week as were junior left guard Peter

Bittner (ankle), junior tight end Kyle Brey (shoulder) and Thomas (concussion).

"Everyone else should be available," he said. "We'll see on game day."

As has been the case recently when the two teams matchup, it should be a close game. The

Falcons lead the series, 4-2, but Bulls won the last meeting — a 40-34, double-overtime

classic in which they erased a 27-7 fourth-quarter deficit to clinch their first MAC East

Division title.

Now, just like UB, Bowling Green is trying to position itself for a run into postseason.

"If you have five losses, you need to get to six or seven [wins] and every game becomes

that much more critical," Clawson said.