BUFFALO, N.Y. – Buffalo State quarterback Casey Kacz completed 30-of-42 passes for a school-record 579 yards and a school record-tying five touchdowns as the Bengals defeated visiting Cortland, 49-31, in the season opener for both teams. The contest was a non-league matchup since Buffalo State is now a member of the Empire 8.

Ryan Carney caught 12 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns and Caesarae Lewis made seven grabs for 156 yards and three scores. Running back Rich Pete rushed 12 times for 103 yards and two touchdowns as the Bengals finished with a school-record 706 yards of total offense.

Cortland senior quarterback Chris Rose (Victor), making his first collegiate start, completed 23-of-37 passes for 296 yards and four touchdowns, but was also intercepted five times. Senior receiver Mike Humphrey (Le Roy) set career single-game highs with eight catches for 168 yards and three touchdowns. His three scoring receptions ties a school single-game record.

Sophomore receiver Kordel McInnis (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) finished with six catches for 40 yards and sophomore Jack Delahunty (East Northport/Northport) made five catches for 53 yards. Senior Dorian Myles (Lackawanna/Hamburg) ran for 74 yards. Junior Mike DeBole (Webster/Webster Schroeder) averaged 40 yards per punt on three kicks, with two inside the 20-yard line, hit a 32-yard field goal and made all four of his point-after kicks.

Buffalo State's Chris Hall finished with three interceptions, tying a school record. Matt Wesolowski and Pasquale Vacchio totaled nine tackles each, with Wesolowski also intercepting a pass.

Cortland freshman safety Andre Green (Philadelphia/Indian River) posted a game-high 10 tackles, all solo, and forced a fumble. Sophomore linebacker Michael McCarthy (Ronkonkoma/Sachem North) made nine tackles.

The teams traded the game's first six touchdowns and were tied at 21-21 with 10:35 left in the second quarter. The Bengals never trailed, starting with a 68-yard scoring pass from Kacz to Lewis on the game's fourth play from scrimmage. Cortland answered with a seven-play scoring drive, capped by a 23-yard TD catch by Humphrey on Rose's first collegiate scoring pass.

Pete's 32-yard scoring run later in the first quarter put Buffalo State up 14-7. Cortland responded with a 71-yard scoring drive that resulted in a Humphrey 3-yard TD catch with 15 seconds left in the period.

In the second quarter, a Hall interception set up the Bengals on the Cortland 23-yard line. Four plays later, Kacz found Carney for a 4-yard TD pass. Junior Justin Autera (Mahopac) returned the ensuing kickoff 43 yards to the Buffalo State 43-yard line. Myles then ran for 29 yards and Rose hit McInnis for a 23-yard touchdown to knot the game at 21-21.

Buffalo State took the lead for good on its next possession on a Lewis 20-yard TD catch. The Bengals had a chance for more in the final seconds of the half, but sophomore linebacker Anthony Bayer (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) intercepted a pass at the goal line and Cortland trailed 28-21 at halftime.

The Red Dragons marched 59 yards on the opening drive of the third quarter before settling for a DeBole 32-yard field goal. A pass interference call on 3rd-and-11 from the Bengals' 17-yard line during Buffalo State's ensuing drive negated an incomplete pass. Six plays later, Kacz threw a 25-yard TD pass to Lewis and the hosts led 35-24.

Late in the third quarter, Cortland started a drive on its own 20-yard line. Following a 1-yard run, Humphrey caught a pass and appeared to be tackled near midfield. However, Humphrey rolled over a defender, his knee never touched the ground, and he raced untouched from that point for a 79-yard touchdown to pull the Red Dragons within four at 35-31 as the third quarter clock expired.

The Bengals marched 71 yards on their first drive of the fourth quarter. The converted a 4th-and-8 at the Cortland 25-yard line with a 25-yard pass from Kacz to Carney, and punched the ball in two plays later on a Pete 1-yard run to go up 42-31. They added an insurance score when Carney caught a 49-yard TD pass with 8:04 remaining. Cortland did drive to the Buffalo State 1-yard line on its final drive of the game later in the period, but an Eddie Weiser interception on 4th-and-goal at the 4-yard line ended that threat.

Cortland, which lost its season opener for the first time since 2004, will be idle next week and will open New Jersey Athletic Conference play on Sept. 15 at home versus Western Connecticut State. Game time is 1 p.m. Buffalo State travels to Brockport next Saturday.

Box Score/Play-by-Play