Buffalo Bulls 2026 Preview
The College Football Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network continues its 138 college football team preview series with the Buffalo Bulls 2026 Season Preview. Pick Dundee aka (@TheColbyD) & Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac) break down the 2026 Buffalo Bulls roster and what to expect in the MAC this season. Can Pete Lembo build on a strong MAC track record with just a 1-out-of-10 hot seat rating in Buffalo? And is Wingate transfer Elijah Holmes the answer at quarterback after a 3,040-yard, 24-touchdown season?
Can an offense that ranked 86th nationally take a leap under new coordinator Tony Tokarz now that Holmes is running the show? Does Brian Dougherty’s defense build on a unit that finished 44th in total defense and 23rd against the pass a season ago? Can returning starters Jasaiah Gathings, Alex Heininger and Kobi Blackwell anchor a roster that brings back just 26 percent of its offense? What does a Saturday feel like at UB Stadium when the Bulls host Albany, Robert Morris and Western Michigan? Can Buffalo survive an early trip to Penn State before a MAC slate that runs through Toledo, Bowling Green and an Akron finale? And where’s the betting value on the Buffalo Bulls win total, MAC odds and College Football Playoff chances? We talk it all and more on this episode of The College Football Experience.
Pete Lembo And A Cold Hot Seat In Buffalo
This Buffalo Bulls 2026 preview starts with a coach the deck is not worried about. Pete Lembo carries a 1-out-of-10 hot seat rating, one of the coldest marks in the MAC. First, Buffalo finished 5-7 a season ago and went just 3-4 in games decided by eight points or less. Then Lembo’s track record does the talking, with a 7-0 mark against Eastern Michigan and winning records across the league. Because the deck grades the program a 6 out of 10, 2026 reads like a step-forward year.
Elijah Holmes And An Offense Under New Direction
Buffalo’s offense ranked 86th nationally in 2025, with the scoring number sitting 93rd. Tony Tokarz takes over as the new coordinator, so the system resets around a transfer quarterback. First, Wingate transfer Elijah Holmes arrives after throwing for 3,040 yards with 24 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions last season. Then returning starter Jasaiah Gathings gives him a target at receiver. Alex Heininger also returns to anchor the offensive line up front. Meanwhile the group brings back just 26 percent of its production, so Holmes inherits a young cast around him.
Brian Dougherty Takes Over The Defense
Brian Dougherty steps in as the new defensive coordinator in Buffalo. First, the unit ranked 44th nationally in total defense a season ago, a respectable baseline. Then the pass defense finished 23rd, the strongest number on the roster, while the run defense sat 80th. Kobi Blackwell and SaVeon Brown return in the secondary, and Cornell Evans anchors the line up front. Because that group returns 33 percent of its production, Dougherty has pieces to build on.
The Schedule, UB Stadium And The Win Total
Buffalo opens at home against Albany before the non-conference slate gets serious. First, a Week 3 trip to Penn State headlines the early slate. FIU and Robert Morris fill out the non-conference board. Then the MAC slate runs through Western Michigan, Toledo, UMass and Bowling Green. From there, Miami of Ohio, Ball State, Central Michigan and an Akron finale close the year. What does a Saturday feel like at UB Stadium when the MACtion crowd files in? The deck sets the Buffalo win total at 6.5. The Bulls sit at plus 1800 to win the MAC and plus 25000 to make the College Football Playoff. So the hosts weigh the over against a step-forward roster.
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Podcast Chapters
00:00 Download the SGPN App Today!
02:11 Welcome To The Bulls Preview
03:09 Hosts And Last Year’s Bet
05:25 2025 Season Recap And Close Losses
08:20 Pete Lembo Coaching Outlook
09:51 Lembo MAC Track Record
10:54 Program History And The Leipold Era
12:07 New OC And The Offense Reset
15:11 Portal Adds And An Easier Schedule
20:30 New DC And Defensive Outlook
23:23 Buffalo NIL Talk
32:23 Stadium Bar Vision
32:53 Buffalo Recruiting Edge
34:20 Playoff Hope Pitch
35:08 Bulls Legacy Names
36:56 Program Rating Debate
38:40 MAC Spending Talk
40:13 Schedule Weeks 1-4
44:04 Midseason MAC Slate
47:12 MACtion Stretch Run
49:55 Win Total And Futures
52:48 Dream Opponents List
54:42 Signoff And Fight Song
