The UB football team opens the 2026 campaign tonight (Sept. 3) against UAlbany at Broadview Stadium.

Buffalo enters the season under the leadership of third-year head coach Pete Lembo, who won 15 games over his first two seasons, the most by a UB football coach. This is Lembo’s 35th year as a college coach. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at UAlbany in 1992 and 1993.

“It's finally here. We're finally on that home stretch,” Lembo said Tuesday during his Week 1 press conference. “I could tell you that we have a great group of guys and they have worked extremely hard all summer and all preseason and I’m just amazed at the time that they’ve put in, guys coming in early, guys staying around late. I feel like this is a group that you have to kick them out of the building, and that’s good to see. They know they have a lot of work ahead of them.”

UAlbany is coming off a 2-10 season. Under new head coach Tom Perkovich, a native of Kenmore and graduate of Canisius University, where he played football and basketball, the Great Danes won their season opener over New Hampshire, 28-14, on Aug. 28. Albany rushed for 374 yards and four touchdowns in the victory.

UAlbany leads the all-time series against UB, 8-5. The Great Danes won the last meeting, 22-16, at Broadview Stadium in the opener of the 2016 season.

It will be a new-look Bulls team, with 54 new players and only five starters returning from a season ago.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what this team can do,” Lembo said. “I think these guys have certainly earned the right to go out there and represent UB and do it in front of the home crowd and their student body and all the different constituents that support our program. They’ve done a great job in the classroom. They’ve been very active in the community and on campus. They’ve really represented us the right way.”

Of the new faces on the Bulls roster for this season, 23 are transfers and 31 are freshmen. There are 22 newcomers on the week-one depth chart. Elijah Holmes — a transfer from Wingate University — will get the start at quarterback for the Bulls.

Lembo has new coordinators on offense, defense and special teams entering this season. Offensive coordinator Tony Tokarz and special teams coordinator Garrett McLaughlin are new to the staff, while defensive coordinator Brian Dougherty was elevated from safeties and nickels coach.

Tokarz came to Buffalo from Florida State where he spent the past six seasons, including the previous four as quarterbacks coach. Prior to Florida State, Tokarz was tight ends coach at Memphis, where he coached with Lembo.

A native of Orchard Park, McLaughlin returned to Western New York after spending the past two seasons as special teams coordinator and defensive line coach at Columbia.

Dougherty is in his third season on Lembo's staff and first as defensive coordinator. He previously served as defensive coordinator at both the University of Indianapolis and Valparaiso.

Again this season, UB football can be heard locally on ESPN 1520 AM, with Paul Peck calling the play-by-play action for his 27th year (19th consecutive). Scott Wilson is back for his 10th season as analyst. Brad Riter also returns as game host. The UB Football postgame show will once again be hosted by Bob Gaughan.

Subscribers can watch the game on ESPN+.

Visit UBBulls.com for a more in-depth look at the season opener and the Bulls roster.