2009 International Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 2009 International Bowl was a postseason college football
bowl game
between the Connecticut Huskies
(UConn) and the Buffalo Bulls
at the Rogers Centre
in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on January 3, 2009. The game was the final contest of the 2008 NCAA Division I-Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-FBS) football season for both teams, and ended in a 38–20 victory for Connecticut. UConn represented the Big East Conference
(Big East) in the game; Buffalo entered as the Mid-American Conference
(MAC) champion.
Connecticut was selected as a participant in the 2009 International Bowl following a 7–5 regular season
where they won their first five games, only to lose five of their last seven contests. Facing the Huskies were the Buffalo Bulls with a regular season record of 8–5, highlighted by an upset win over then-No. 12 and undefeated Ball State
in the 2008 MAC Championship Game
. Pre-game media coverage focused on the legacy of the 1958 Buffalo Bulls, the first team from the university to be invited to a bowl game. When told that the two African-American members of the team would not be allowed to play because of segregation
, the team elected to refuse the bowl bid. Buffalo would not play in a bowl until this game, 50 years later.
The game began at 12:00 PM EST
. Connecticut, led by running back
Donald Brown's
208 yards rushing, dominated the first half statistically, but found themselves down 20–10 midway through the second quarter because they committed six fumbles, five of which were recovered by Buffalo. UConn would close the gap to 20–17 by halftime, and take the lead for good late in the third quarter off a 4-yard touchdown
pass
from quarterback
Tyler Lorenzen
to tight end
Steve Brouse. The Connecticut victory was sealed when, late in the fourth quarter, Buffalo quarterback Drew Willy
threw a pass that was intercepted by UConn safety Dahna Deleston and returned 100 yards for a touchdown.
UConn junior running back Donald Brown
was named player of the game. He finished with 261 rushing yards and one touchdown; his 2,083 rushing yards for the 2008 season was best in the NCAA. Following the game, Brown declared his eligibility for the 2009 NFL Draft
; he would become the first Connecticut player ever drafted in the first round. Three other UConn players were drafted in the second round.
s that allowed them to select one team from each conference to participate in their annual game. By virtue of being the Big East champion Cincinnati
was awarded an automatic Bowl Championship Series
berth; they would play in the 2009 Orange Bowl
. The Gator Bowl
and Sun Bowl
shared the second pick of Big East teams; after the Gator Bowl opted to select Big 12 member Nebraska
and the Sun Bowl learned that they would not be allowed to select Notre Dame
, Pittsburgh
received the Sun Bowl invitation. The Meineke Car Care Bowl
, which had the third selection, picked West Virginia
. The fourth, fifth, and sixth selections of Big East teams belonged collectively to the International Bowl, PapaJohns.com Bowl
, and St. Petersburg Bowl
, which, in consultation with the Big East, decided which schools were the best fit for each bowl. There were three remaining bowl-eligible Big East teams: Connecticut, Rutgers
, and South Florida
. The previous season, Rutgers had played in the International Bowl and South Florida had appeared in the PapaJohns.com Bowl; bowls in general dislike inviting the same team in consecutive years, on the theory that fans are less likely to want to travel to the same destination they were at the year before. Additionally, the St. Petersburg Bowl, in its inaugural year, sought to have local team South Florida play in their game to drive local attendance. Therefore, the teams were apportioned among the bowls as follows: South Florida to the St. Petersburg Bowl, Rutgers to the PapaJohns.com Bowl, and Connecticut to the International Bowl. On December 7, 2008, UConn formally accepted the bowl invitation, the third in their history.
Buffalo accepted an invitation to the International Bowl following their victory over then-undefeated Ball State
in the 2008 MAC Championship Game
. Although in past years the MAC champion had been invited to the Motor City Bowl
, Buffalo preferred to go to the International Bowl due to Toronto being closer to the school than Detroit, the home of the Motor City Bowl. The game marked the first bowl for the Bulls after their first MAC Championship since moving to Division I-A and joining the MAC in 1999.
The Bulls and Huskies had been frequent opponents during the previous decade as both programs made the transition from Division I-AA to Division I-A. The two teams played each other in six consecutive seasons from 1999 to 2005, with Connecticut winning five of the six contents. The 2005 game, won by UConn 38–0, was the most recent meeting between the two teams. Overall, the Huskies and Bulls had played each other 16 times since their first meeting in 1939, with Connecticut holding a 12–4 advantage in the all-time series. Prior to the 2008 season, Buffalo and UConn had signed a contract to play a four-game, home-and-home series beginning in 2010.
Entering 2008, the Bulls sought to build off of their 2007 season
, where they shared the MAC East championship but did not appear in the championship game due to a 31–28 loss to fellow division co-champion Miami (Ohio)
. Their 5–7 final record, while not good enough to qualify for a bowl game, was still the best by a Buffalo team since they had moved up to Division I-A in 1999. With 10 starters returning on offense and eight on defense, the 2008 team was predicted to be perhaps the most talented team in Bulls history; however, due to their challenging schedule, their final record was predicted to be no better than 3–9.
Buffalo opened the season stronger than expected, with a dominant home win over the University of Texas-El Paso
(UTEP), 42–17. This was followed by a closer-than-predicted loss at heavily favored Pittsburgh, 27–16. Buffalo's third game and conference opener, versus Temple
, was a back-and-forth contest that came down to the final play of the game. Keeping the game within seven points for the first three quarters, the Bulls first took the lead with 2:27 left in the fourth quarter, on a 25-yard field goal by A.J. Principe. Temple responded with a nine-play, 74-yard drive capped by a 11-yard touchdown catch by wide receiver Bruce Francis, his second score of the game, to take a 28–24 lead with only 38 seconds remaining. Taking over at their own 40-yard line after the kickoff went out of bounds, the Bulls drove down the field, scoring the game-winning touchdown on a 35-yard desperation heave from Drew Willy to wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt with no time remaining on the clock. Buffalo's record following the last-second win was 2–1, marking the first time since 1969 that the Bulls had a record over .500 beyond Week 1 as a Division I-A team. The last time the Bulls had started a season 2–1 was 1998, while they were still played in Division I-AA.
The Bulls proceeded to lose their next three games. Buffalo was unable to keep up with No. 5-ranked Missouri
, losing 42–21 in a game that Missouri saw as a tuneup for their later season. In the next contest, against MAC opponent Central Michigan
, down nine points with under three minutes left Buffalo scored on a 65-yard pass to James Starks, recovered an onside kick
to retain possession, and attempted a game-winning field goal—but A.J. Principe's 46-yard kick hit the right goalpost to give Central Michigan the victory. In the next game, against the Western Michigan Broncos
, also in the MAC, Buffalo squandered a two-touchdown advantage with just over five minutes left, allowing the Broncos to win the game in overtime. Buffalo's overall record fell to 2–4, 1–2 in the MAC.
Bouncing back, Buffalo won their next five games. Against Army
, Buffalo reversed the result of the Western Michigan game, coming back from a two-touchdown deficit to win in overtime. Handling conference opponents Ohio and Miami (Ohio) with relative ease, Buffalo continued conference play by beating Akron
in a four-hour, four-overtime slugfest, 43–40, in Akron's final football game at the Rubber Bowl
. In their next game, against Bowling Green
, the Bulls found themselves down 21–0 midway through the third quarter, but still managed to come back for their third overtime win of the season. With the win, Buffalo clinched the MAC East championship and ensured that they would have their first winning regular season since moving to Division I-A; the final regular season game, a 24–21 loss to Kent State
, was only a formality. The Bulls finished the regular season with a overall record of 7–5, 5–3 within the conference.
Buffalo's opponent in the 2008 MAC Championship Game would be the No. 12-ranked Ball State Cardinals
, who had gone undefeated in winning the MAC West. Ball State was a two-touchdown favorite entering the game; Buffalo in its history was 0–5 against the Cardinals. The Bulls struck first with a touchdown late in the first quarter; Ball State responded with a touchdown and a field goal in the second quarter to take a 10–7 lead at the half. The two teams traded touchdowns early in the third quarter. Disaster then struck for Ball State: on two consecutive possessions late in the third quarter, after having driven into the red zone, the Cardinals fumbled the ball. Buffalo returned both of these fumbles for touchdowns and took a lead they would not surrender. The Bulls won the game 42–24, earning their first-ever MAC Championship as well as their first-ever win over a ranked opponent in nine attempts.
was no fluke. In 2007, Connecticut earned their first Big East co-championship, albeit after losing to their fellow co-champion, West Virginia
, 66–21. A loss to Wake Forest
in the 2007 Meineke Car Care Bowl
—the team's second bowl appearance all-time—gave the Huskies a final 2007 record of 9–4. In the Big East preseason media poll, UConn was picked to finish 6th overall in the conference.
UConn started the season strong, winning their first five games. The Huskies easily won their first game 35–3 against Division I-Football Championship Subdivision (Division I-FCS) opponent Hofstra
. The second game, at Temple, was played as the remnants of Hurricane Hanna
hit Philadelphia. UConn won 12–9 in overtime as Donald Brown ran for a then-career high 214 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown. Connecticut next avenged their loss to Virginia
from 2007, winning the rematch 45–10. Baylor
was next on the schedule; the Huskies pulled out the win in a back-and-forth game, 31–28. Connecticut opened Big East conference play in their next game against Louisville
. The game was not decided until UConn linebacker
Lawrence Wilson
returned an interception for a touchdown with 2:45 left in the fourth quarter, giving the Huskies a 26–21 lead they would not relinquish. This was the second straight season where Connecticut won their first five games; before 2007, they had not opened a season so successfully since 1995, when they won their first six straight. Following the game, UConn achieved their first and only ranking of the year, appearing at No. 24 in the Associated Press
(AP) and Harris polls and No. 23 in the Coaches' poll. However, starting quarterback Tyler Lorenzen
broke his foot in the Louisville game; the Huskies would be forced to rely on backup Zach Frazer for the next few games.
The Huskies were unable to match their early success in the second half of the season, losing five of their next seven games. Everything went wrong for UConn in their game at North Carolina
, as Frazer was intercepted three times and three Connecticut punts were blocked; North Carolina won in a blowout, 38–12. Against Big East rival Rutgers, UConn lost 12–10 as kicker
Tony Ciaravino missed three field goals, including one with 1:09 left in the game that hit the right goalpost. The Huskies bounced back in their next game against eventual Big East champion Cincinnati, winning in a blowout 40–16. While not ranked in any of the polls, after the win Connecticut found itself No. 25 in the BCS standings. The Huskies would promptly give up that honor, losing to West Virginia 35–13 after leading 10–0 at the end of the first quarter and 13–7 at halftime. UConn would win the next week at Big East bottom-dweller Syracuse
, 39–14, as Lorenzen returned from his injury. This would prove to be their last win of the regular season, as the Huskies finished with losses to South Florida (17–13) and No. 23-ranked Pittsburgh (34–10). Connecticut ended the regular season with a record of 7–5, 3–4 within the Big East conference.
In the weeks leading up to the game, media coverage focused on the achievements of the Buffalo Bulls. Buffalo had been one of the least-successful programs in college football from their transition to Division I-A in 1999 to 2006, during which they had a cumulative record of 12–79. In 2008, the Bulls had their first winning season since 1996, won five games in a row for the first time since 1986, beat a ranked team for the first time in program history with their upset victory over Ball State in the MAC Championship Game, and would be making the first bowl appearance in school history. The turnaround of the Buffalo program brought acclaim to Bulls head coach Turner Gill
, who had taken over the team in 2007.
Comparatively, Connecticut was an afterthought heading into the game. Pre-bowl coverage of UConn focused on NCAA rushing leader Donald Brown, who was considering foregoing his senior season to enter the 2009 NFL Draft. Brown indicated before the game that he had decided to return to UConn for the 2010 season.
and Auburn
. In neither case was Gill hired; Syracuse opted for New Orleans Saints
offensive coordinator
Doug Marrone
, while Auburn passed him over in favor of Iowa State
head coach Gene Chizik
, a move that prominent former National Basketball Association
(NBA) player, Basketball Hall-of-Famer
, and Auburn alumnus Charles Barkley
claimed was due to racism. Gill ended up signing a contract extension with Buffalo.
UConn head coach Randy Edsall
, who had been with the Huskies since 1999, was also rumored to be a candidate for the Syracuse job. Edsall, a Syracuse alumnus, denied any interest. Offensive coordinator
Rob Ambrose
accepted the head coaching position at Towson
, his alma mater
; he would stay to coach UConn during the bowl game, however.
. There was one catch: the team's African-American players—starting running back Willie Evans
and backup defensive end Mike Wilson—would not be allowed to play. The Tangerine Bowl Stadium
was controlled by the Orlando High School Athletic Association, who prohibited integrated
football games. University officials and the coaching staff decided to allow the team to vote on whether they would accept the bowl bid. Before secret ballots could be passed out, the players unanimously decided to reject the bid.
Surviving members of the 1958 Bulls team were invited to the 2009 International Bowl and were honored before the game. The Reverend Jesse Jackson
spoke at the kickoff luncheon prior to the game, paying tribute to the legacy of the 1958 team.
margin was 6th best in the nation, at +1.15.
The Bulls were led offensively by the triple threat of quarterback Drew Willy
, running back James Starks
, and wide receiver Namaan Roosevelt. The three combined to break 14 single-season school records, including most points scored in a season (404). Willy, heading into his final game as a Buffalo Bull, had already surpassed the 3,000-yard mark in passing on the season, throwing for 25 touchdowns against only five interceptions. Starks, while not seen as the same caliber of player as UConn's Donald Brown, had run for over 1,300 yards and caught 41 passes for 340 yards, scoring 16 touchdowns on the year. Roosevelt was seen as the top playmaker, going over the 100-yard mark in each of Buffalo's last five games and scoring at least once in his last seven.
. Described as "the ultimate workhorse", Brown led the NCAA in rushing going into the game with 1,822 yards. He had already tied the school single-season rushing touchdown record with 17 scores. His dominant performance led to him being named the Big East offensive player of the year as well as an All-American
by multiple organizations. Somewhat surprisingly, he was not a finalist for the Doak Walker Award
, annually given to the best running back in college football; the award was eventually won by Shonn Greene
of Iowa
. UConn's rushing attack was supplemented by the efforts of quarterback Tyler Lorenzen and running back Jordan Todman.
The Huskies struggled to pass the ball all season, only completing four touchdown passes as a team heading into the International Bowl. Lorenzen completed under half of his passing attempts on the season. He threw for 820 yards with more interceptions (eight) than touchdowns (two). Nevertheless, before the game Randy Edsall confirmed that Lorenzen would be the starting quarterback for UConn in the International Bowl. This would be his ninth appearance at quarterback on the season; he missed four games with a broken right foot.
Buffalo did have one strength on defense: forcing turnovers. The Bulls recovered 20 fumbles and caught eight interceptions on the year. Buffalo's turnover margin of +1.15 was 6th best in the nation.
The Huskies had several standout players on defense. One was defensive end
Cody Brown
, who led UConn with 14 tackles for a loss (TFL) and nine sacks
while also being named to the All-Big East first team. Cornerback
Jasper Howard
was another standout player: he had 37 tackles and four interceptions on the year while also leading the Big East in punt returns.
, and Doug Flutie
, all with ties to Canada, were the announcers for the television broadcast, which aired on ESPN2
. The game was watched by over 2 million households with a rating of 2.12, both the highest in International Bowl history. Prior to the game, spread bettors
favored Connecticut to win by four and a half points.
to their own 24-yard line. They were unable to move the ball in three plays, and punted
the ball to Connecticut. The Huskies took possession on their own 18-yard line and drove down the field with alternating rushes by running back
Donald Brown
and quarterback
Tyler Lorenzen
, earning two first downs. On 2nd down and 5 from the UConn 49-yard line, Lorenzen was sacked
by Buffalo's Sherrod Lott and fumble
d; the ball was recovered by UConn right tackle Mike Hicks
, allowing the Huskies to retain possession. A holding penalty
on the next play called on UConn left tackle William Beatty
set up 3rd-and-24. Donald Brown rushed for fifteen yards but was unable to reach the first-down marker, forcing UConn to punt.
Buffalo took over at their own 19-yard line and promptly earned their 1st first down of the game on a 10-yard pass from quarterback Drew Willy
to wide receiver
Naaman Roosevelt
. The Bulls' drive stalled from there, forcing them to punt. The punt struck the ground and hit UConn's Jonathan Jean-Louis, who was attempting to block for the punt return; Buffalo recovered the loose ball, giving them back possession at the Connecticut 23-yard line. The Bulls were unable to move the ball any closer to the end zone
, and settled for a 38-yard field goal
by kicker
A. J. Principe, giving them a 3–0 lead with 4:26 remaining in the first quarter.
The ensuing kickoff was returned by UConn running back Jordan Todman 45 yards to the Buffalo 45-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage
, Donald Brown broke through the Buffalo defense and ran the length of the field for the first touchdown
of the day. UConn kicker Dave Teggart's extra point attempt
was good, giving UConn their first lead of the day, at 7–3.
Buffalo got the ball back at their own 21-yard line and were only able to advance it to their 34-yard line before punting the ball back to Connecticut. UConn cornerback
Jasper Howard
returned the ball 26 yards to the Bulls' 41-yard line. The Huskies handed the ball to Donald Brown for five straight running plays, advancing the ball to the Buffalo 19-yard line as the first quarter clock expired. At the end of the first quarter, UConn held a 7–3 lead and looked to be in position to score more when the second quarter began.
The Bulls began their next drive at their own 26-yard line, but went three-and-out. Buffalo punter Peter Fardon kicked the ball over the head of UConn returner Jasper Howard; rather than let the ball go, he ran backwards chasing after it. Trying to grab the ball over his shoulder, he muffed
the catch, and the ball bounced into the end zone, where it was recovered by Buffalo's Ray Anthony Long for a Bull touchdown. The special-teams miscue by Howard allowed Buffalo to tie the game at 10–10 with 11:36 remaining in the second quarter.
UConn's turnover woes continued on their next possession when, on their second play from scrimmage after receiving Buffalo's kickoff, Tyler Lorenzen was sacked, causing him to fumble the ball. The Bulls recovered and drove down the field to the UConn 12-yard line where they were stopped. Principe kicked a 29-yard field goal giving Buffalo back the lead, at 13–10.
The ensuing kickoff saw yet another Connecticut special-teams blunder. UConn running back Robbie Frey misplayed the ball off of the kickoff, letting it roll back into the end zone. Frey recovered the loose ball; if he had simply taken a knee, by rule it would have been a touchback
and the Huskies would have gotten the ball at their own 20-yard line. Instead, Frey carried the ball out of the end zone, was hit at the 4-yard line, and fumbled. Buffalo recovered and promptly scored on a 4-yard touchdown run by Bull running back James Starks
, giving themselves a 20–10 lead. UConn had committed its fifth fumble of the game, four of which were recovered by Buffalo. All of Buffalo's 20 points were directly off of UConn turnovers.
Connecticut fumbled the ball for the sixth time on the next possession; this time Donald Brown was responsible for dropping the ball. Buffalo recovered for the fifth time, but was unable to score, punting to ball back to UConn with 4:37 left in the half. Brown made up for his earlier mistake by breaking off a 75-yard run before being caught from behind. On the next play Tyler Lorenzen ran the ball in to the end zone from 13 yards out. Neither team scored for the remainder of the first half, making the score 20–17 Buffalo going into halftime.
Connecticut received the ball to start the third quarter and drove down the field on rushing plays by Donald Brown, Jordan Todman and Tyler Lorenzen, before the drive stalled at the Buffalo 36-yard line. UConn punter Desi Cullen's punt was downed at the Buffalo 1-yard line, pinning them against their own end zone. The Bulls were unable to move the ball, punting the ball back to UConn after three plays. Starting from their own 44-yard line, the Huskies drove to within the Buffalo 10-yard line; an offside penalty on Buffalo's Jerry Housey gave UConn a 1st-and-goal at the Buffalo 4-yard line. Connecticut used a play-action pass, only their second pass attempt of the game, to fool the Bulls; UConn tight end
Steve Brouse was wide open in the end zone, catching the ball for the touchdown and giving Connecticut back the lead at 24–20 with 5:22 left in the third quarter.
Buffalo received the ball off the kickoff on their own 28-yard line. Losing eight yards on their three plays, Buffalo once again punted the ball to Connecticut. UConn drove to the Buffalo 25-yard line and attempted a 42-yard field goal; the kick by Dave Teggart was blocked. Buffalo got the ball back with less than a minute left in the quarter and completed two passes, moving the ball 13 yards down the field before the quarter expired. The score remained in Connecticut's favor, 24–20.
Buffalo began the final quarter with the ball in a 2nd-and-11 situation and were unable to convert the first down. UConn received Buffalo's punt and were also unable to move the ball, going three-and-out and punting back to the Bulls. On their next possession Buffalo managed to get a first down off of a Drew Willy pass to tight end Jesse Rack, but were unable to move the ball further than UConn's 49-yard line and punted again.
Connecticut took over at their own 32-yard line and, after throwing only two passes in the first three quarters, completed three passes over 10 yards apiece to move down the field. On a 2nd-and-5 from the Buffalo 15-yard line, Tyler Lorenzen scored his second rushing touchdown of the game. UConn's lead was extended to 31–20 with less than five minutes left in the game.
Receiving the ball at their own 8-yard line following a penalty on the kickoff return, Buffalo began to move down the field, with Drew Willy completing a 38-yard pass to wideout Brett Hamlin and a 29-yard pass to Naaman Roosevelt. On 3rd-and-4 from the Connecticut 19-yard line, Willy completed a ten-yard pass to James Starks, giving the Bulls a 1st-and-goal. Starks rushed for four yards on first down; on second down, Willy threw an incomplete pass intended for Roosevelt. On 3rd-and-goal from the Husky 5-yard line, Willy attempted a pass that was deflected and intercepted
by UConn safety Dahna Deleston, who returned the ball 100 yards for the game-sealing touchdown. UConn won the game 38–20.
Rutgers
running back Ray Rice
ran for 280 yards and four touchdowns.
Brown's dominant rushing performance was supplemented by RB Jordan Todman's 62 yards on seven attempts, QB Tyler Lorenzen's 32 yards on twelve attempts, including two touchdowns, and fullback
Anthony Sherman's three yards on one attempt; in total Connecticut ran for 358 yards. The Huskies attempted to pass only six times during the game; Lorenzen completed four of them for 49 yards and a touchdown. Four different UConn receivers caught one pass each: wide receiver Kashif Moore (18 yards), cornerback and sometime wide receiver Darius Butler (16 yards), fullback Anthony Sherman (11 yards), and tight end Steve Brouse (4 yards and a touchdown).
Buffalo's offensive performance was in some ways the opposite of Connecticut's: while UConn dominated on the ground and barely passed the ball, Buffalo struggled with the run but had a good day passing. The Bulls ran for a total of 24 yards on the game; James Starks accounted for 25 yards on thirteen carries and scored a touchdown, while RB Brandon Termilus ran three times for five yards. Their total was partially offset by Drew Willy, who lost six yards on three rushing attempts. Willy had a much more successful day passing, completing 29 out of 43 passes for 213 yards and one interception. Namaan Roosevelt led the Buffalo receivers with 90 yards on eight catches; of the five other Bulls who received passes, WR Brett Hamlin caught four passes for 54 yards, TE Jesse Rack caught three for 22 yards, RB Starks caught 11 for 21 yards, WR Ernest Jackson caught two for 17 yards, and WR Gary Rice caught one for 9 yards.
Connecticut dominated Buffalo statistically in the first half, gaining 225 yards to the Bulls' 94, led by Donald Brown's 208 yards rushing. Buffalo won the turnover battle however, recovering five UConn fumbles. The Bulls scored 20 points off UConn turnovers in the first half, but were held scoreless in the second half when the Huskies stopped turning the ball over.
In a press conference after the game, Brown announced that he would not return for his senior season and enter the NFL Draft, saying he told the media he said he was staying to take the focus off of himself prior to the game. Brown was drafted 27th overall by the Indianapolis Colts
, becoming the first UConn player ever drafted in the first round. Three other UConn players were drafted in the second round: Darius Butler 41st overall by the New England Patriots
, William Beatty 60th overall by the New York Giants
, and defensive end
Cody Brown
63rd overall by the Arizona Cardinals
. Tight end Martin Bédard was drafted 15th overall in the second round of the Canadian Football League
's (CFL) 2009 Draft
. Buffalo did not have any players drafted by either league in 2009; in the 2010 NFL Draft
James Starks was selected in the sixth round, 193rd overall, by the Green Bay Packers
. UConn cornerback Robert McClain
was also drafted by the NFL in 2010, in the seventh round, 249th overall, by the Carolina Panthers
.
In the offseason Connecticut hired Joe Moorhead as their new offensive coordinator, replacing the departed Rob Ambrose
. Turner Gill returned to coach Buffalo in 2009
. Following that season, however, he left to take over the football program at the University of Kansas
.
Connecticut and Buffalo resumed their rivalry on September 25, 2010
, playing a regular season game at UConn's Rentschler Field. Although the score was tied 14–14 at halftime, the Huskies pulled away in the second half after changing quarterbacks, winning the rematch 45–21.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
between the Connecticut Huskies
Connecticut Huskies football
The Connecticut Huskies football team is a collegiate football team that competes in NCAA Division I-A and the Big East Conference. Connecticut first fielded a team in 1896, and participated in Division I-AA until 1999. The Huskies began their two-year Division I-A transition period in 2000, and...
(UConn) and the Buffalo Bulls
Buffalo Bulls football
The Buffalo Bulls football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University at Buffalo located in the U.S. state of New York. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Mid-American Conference. Buffalo's first...
at the Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on January 3, 2009. The game was the final contest of the 2008 NCAA Division I-Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-FBS) football season for both teams, and ended in a 38–20 victory for Connecticut. UConn represented the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
(Big East) in the game; Buffalo entered as the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
(MAC) champion.
Connecticut was selected as a participant in the 2009 International Bowl following a 7–5 regular season
Season (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...
where they won their first five games, only to lose five of their last seven contests. Facing the Huskies were the Buffalo Bulls with a regular season record of 8–5, highlighted by an upset win over then-No. 12 and undefeated Ball State
2008 Ball State Cardinals football team
The 2008 Ball State Cardinals football team represented Ball State University in the Mid-American Conference during the 2008–2009 college football season. Brady Hoke, in his sixth season at Ball State, was the head coach until December 15, when he resigned to become the head coach at San Diego State...
in the 2008 MAC Championship Game
2008 MAC Championship Game
The 2008 Marathon MAC Championship Game was played on December 5, 2008 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. The game featured the winner of each division of the Mid-American Conference. The game featured the Ball State Cardinals, of the West Division, and the Buffalo Bulls, of the East Division...
. Pre-game media coverage focused on the legacy of the 1958 Buffalo Bulls, the first team from the university to be invited to a bowl game. When told that the two African-American members of the team would not be allowed to play because of segregation
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
, the team elected to refuse the bowl bid. Buffalo would not play in a bowl until this game, 50 years later.
The game began at 12:00 PM EST
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
. Connecticut, led by running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Donald Brown's
Donald Brown (American football)
Donald Eugene Brown II is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was the starting running back for the University of Connecticut Huskies from 2006 to 2008.-High school career:Brown attended Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, New...
208 yards rushing, dominated the first half statistically, but found themselves down 20–10 midway through the second quarter because they committed six fumbles, five of which were recovered by Buffalo. UConn would close the gap to 20–17 by halftime, and take the lead for good late in the third quarter off a 4-yard touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
pass
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
from quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Tyler Lorenzen
Tyler Lorenzen
Tyler John Lorenzen is an American football tight end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
to tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Steve Brouse. The Connecticut victory was sealed when, late in the fourth quarter, Buffalo quarterback Drew Willy
Drew Willy
Drew Willy is an American football quarterback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
threw a pass that was intercepted by UConn safety Dahna Deleston and returned 100 yards for a touchdown.
UConn junior running back Donald Brown
Donald Brown (American football)
Donald Eugene Brown II is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was the starting running back for the University of Connecticut Huskies from 2006 to 2008.-High school career:Brown attended Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, New...
was named player of the game. He finished with 261 rushing yards and one touchdown; his 2,083 rushing yards for the 2008 season was best in the NCAA. Following the game, Brown declared his eligibility for the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
; he would become the first Connecticut player ever drafted in the first round. Three other UConn players were drafted in the second round.
Team selection
The International Bowl had contracts with the Big East and Mid-American ConferenceMid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
s that allowed them to select one team from each conference to participate in their annual game. By virtue of being the Big East champion Cincinnati
2008 Cincinnati Bearcats football team
The 2008 Cincinnati Bearcats football team represents the University of Cincinnati in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team, coached by Brian Kelly, plays its homes game in Nippert Stadium. Kelly is in his second full season with the Bearcats after coaching them to a 31–21 win...
was awarded an automatic Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
berth; they would play in the 2009 Orange Bowl
2009 Orange Bowl
The 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl game was the 75th edition of the annual college football bowl game known as the Orange Bowl. It pitted the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference champion Virginia Tech Hokies against the Big East Conference champion Cincinnati Bearcats on January 1, 2009 at Dolphin Stadium in...
. The Gator Bowl
2009 Gator Bowl
The 2009 Gator Bowl was played on January 1, 2009 as part of the 2008 College Football season. It featured the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who finished tied for first in the Big 12 Conference's North Division with Missouri, and the Clemson Tigers, who finished fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference's...
and Sun Bowl
2008 Sun Bowl
The 2008 Brut Sun Bowl, part of the 2008–09 NCAA Division I FBS bowl season, was played on December 31, 2008 at the stadium of the same name on the campus of the University of Texas at El Paso in El Paso, Texas. The 75th annual contest pitted the Pittsburgh Panthers and the Oregon State Beavers....
shared the second pick of Big East teams; after the Gator Bowl opted to select Big 12 member Nebraska
2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Bo Pelini and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska....
and the Sun Bowl learned that they would not be allowed to select Notre Dame
2008 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 2008 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2008 college football season. The team's head football coach is Charlie Weis. The Irish play their home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana...
, Pittsburgh
2008 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
The 2008 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2008 college football season. The season was the fourth under head coach Dave Wannstedt, who was looking to achieve his first winning season with the Panthers...
received the Sun Bowl invitation. The Meineke Car Care Bowl
2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl
The 2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl was the seventh edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game started at 1:00 PM US EST on Saturday, December 27, 2008. The game, telecast on ESPN, pitted the North Carolina Tar Heels...
, which had the third selection, picked West Virginia
2008 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 2008 West Virginia Mountaineers football team competed on behalf of West Virginia University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Bill Stewart, who took over after he led the Mountaineers to a 2008 Fiesta Bowl victory over the #3 Oklahoma Sooners as the...
. The fourth, fifth, and sixth selections of Big East teams belonged collectively to the International Bowl, PapaJohns.com Bowl
2008 PapaJohns.com Bowl
The 2008 PapaJohns.com Bowl was the third edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The game was played starting at 2 PM US CST on Monday, December 29, 2008...
, and St. Petersburg Bowl
2008 St. Petersburg Bowl
The 2008 magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl was the inaugural edition of the new college football bowl game, and was played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida...
, which, in consultation with the Big East, decided which schools were the best fit for each bowl. There were three remaining bowl-eligible Big East teams: Connecticut, Rutgers
2008 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team
After losing star halfback Ray Rice to the NFL Draft, Rutgers faced a rebuilding season. Senior Mike Teel was forced to step up his game at quarterback without being able to rely on Rice so frequently. Rutgers started off very slowly, dropping 5 of the first 6 games, including two to Big East...
, and South Florida
2008 South Florida Bulls football team
The 2008 South Florida Bulls football team will represent the University of South Florida in the 2008 college football season. Their head coach is Jim Leavitt, and the USF Bulls will play all of their home games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. The 2008 college football season is only the...
. The previous season, Rutgers had played in the International Bowl and South Florida had appeared in the PapaJohns.com Bowl; bowls in general dislike inviting the same team in consecutive years, on the theory that fans are less likely to want to travel to the same destination they were at the year before. Additionally, the St. Petersburg Bowl, in its inaugural year, sought to have local team South Florida play in their game to drive local attendance. Therefore, the teams were apportioned among the bowls as follows: South Florida to the St. Petersburg Bowl, Rutgers to the PapaJohns.com Bowl, and Connecticut to the International Bowl. On December 7, 2008, UConn formally accepted the bowl invitation, the third in their history.
Buffalo accepted an invitation to the International Bowl following their victory over then-undefeated Ball State
2008 Ball State Cardinals football team
The 2008 Ball State Cardinals football team represented Ball State University in the Mid-American Conference during the 2008–2009 college football season. Brady Hoke, in his sixth season at Ball State, was the head coach until December 15, when he resigned to become the head coach at San Diego State...
in the 2008 MAC Championship Game
2008 MAC Championship Game
The 2008 Marathon MAC Championship Game was played on December 5, 2008 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. The game featured the winner of each division of the Mid-American Conference. The game featured the Ball State Cardinals, of the West Division, and the Buffalo Bulls, of the East Division...
. Although in past years the MAC champion had been invited to the Motor City Bowl
Motor City Bowl
The Little Caesars Pizza Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually since 1997. The first five games were played at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. Starting in 2002, the game was moved to 65,000-seat Ford Field in downtown...
, Buffalo preferred to go to the International Bowl due to Toronto being closer to the school than Detroit, the home of the Motor City Bowl. The game marked the first bowl for the Bulls after their first MAC Championship since moving to Division I-A and joining the MAC in 1999.
The Bulls and Huskies had been frequent opponents during the previous decade as both programs made the transition from Division I-AA to Division I-A. The two teams played each other in six consecutive seasons from 1999 to 2005, with Connecticut winning five of the six contents. The 2005 game, won by UConn 38–0, was the most recent meeting between the two teams. Overall, the Huskies and Bulls had played each other 16 times since their first meeting in 1939, with Connecticut holding a 12–4 advantage in the all-time series. Prior to the 2008 season, Buffalo and UConn had signed a contract to play a four-game, home-and-home series beginning in 2010.
Buffalo
2007 Buffalo Bulls football team
The 2007 Buffalo Bulls football team is representing the University of Buffalo in the 2007 NCAA Division I-Bowl Subdivision college football season. The team plays in the East Division of the Mid-American Conference.-Schedule:-NFL selections:...
, where they shared the MAC East championship but did not appear in the championship game due to a 31–28 loss to fellow division co-champion Miami (Ohio)
2007 Miami RedHawks football team
The 2007 Miami RedHawks football team represented the Miami University in the college football season of 2007. The team was coached by Shane Montgomery and played their homes game in Yager Stadium in Oxford, Ohio.-Pre-season:...
. Their 5–7 final record, while not good enough to qualify for a bowl game, was still the best by a Buffalo team since they had moved up to Division I-A in 1999. With 10 starters returning on offense and eight on defense, the 2008 team was predicted to be perhaps the most talented team in Bulls history; however, due to their challenging schedule, their final record was predicted to be no better than 3–9.
Buffalo opened the season stronger than expected, with a dominant home win over the University of Texas-El Paso
2008 UTEP Miners football team
The 2008 UTEP Miners football team represented the University of Texas at El Paso in the college football season of 2008-2009. The team's head football coach is Mike Price...
(UTEP), 42–17. This was followed by a closer-than-predicted loss at heavily favored Pittsburgh, 27–16. Buffalo's third game and conference opener, versus Temple
2008 Temple Owls football team
The 2008 Temple Owls football team represented Temple University in the college 2008 football season. They competed in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision . Temple competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference East Division...
, was a back-and-forth contest that came down to the final play of the game. Keeping the game within seven points for the first three quarters, the Bulls first took the lead with 2:27 left in the fourth quarter, on a 25-yard field goal by A.J. Principe. Temple responded with a nine-play, 74-yard drive capped by a 11-yard touchdown catch by wide receiver Bruce Francis, his second score of the game, to take a 28–24 lead with only 38 seconds remaining. Taking over at their own 40-yard line after the kickoff went out of bounds, the Bulls drove down the field, scoring the game-winning touchdown on a 35-yard desperation heave from Drew Willy to wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt with no time remaining on the clock. Buffalo's record following the last-second win was 2–1, marking the first time since 1969 that the Bulls had a record over .500 beyond Week 1 as a Division I-A team. The last time the Bulls had started a season 2–1 was 1998, while they were still played in Division I-AA.
The Bulls proceeded to lose their next three games. Buffalo was unable to keep up with No. 5-ranked Missouri
2008 Missouri Tigers football team
The 2008 Missouri Tigers football team represented the University of Missouri in college football's 2008 season. The team was coached by Gary Pinkel, who returned in his eighth season with Mizzou, and played their home games at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium.Quarterback Chase Daniel returned for...
, losing 42–21 in a game that Missouri saw as a tuneup for their later season. In the next contest, against MAC opponent Central Michigan
2008 Central Michigan Chippewas football team
The 2008 Central Michigan Chippewas football team represented Central Michigan University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the 2008 season. Central Michigan competed as a member of the West Division of the Mid-American...
, down nine points with under three minutes left Buffalo scored on a 65-yard pass to James Starks, recovered an onside kick
Onside kick
In American and Canadian football, an onside kick is a type of kick used at a kickoff or other free kick, or scrimmage kick or other kick during play, in which the ball is kicked favorably for the kicking team to avoid giving away the ball...
to retain possession, and attempted a game-winning field goal—but A.J. Principe's 46-yard kick hit the right goalpost to give Central Michigan the victory. In the next game, against the Western Michigan Broncos
2008 Western Michigan Broncos football team
The 2008 Western Michigan Broncos football team represents Western Michigan University in the 2008 NCAA football season. The WMU football team is coached by Bill Cubit and play their homes game in Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan....
, also in the MAC, Buffalo squandered a two-touchdown advantage with just over five minutes left, allowing the Broncos to win the game in overtime. Buffalo's overall record fell to 2–4, 1–2 in the MAC.
Bouncing back, Buffalo won their next five games. Against Army
2008 Army Black Knights football team
The 2008 Army Black Knights football team represented the United States Military Academy in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the 2008 season...
, Buffalo reversed the result of the Western Michigan game, coming back from a two-touchdown deficit to win in overtime. Handling conference opponents Ohio and Miami (Ohio) with relative ease, Buffalo continued conference play by beating Akron
2008 Akron Zips football team
The 2008 Akron Zips football team represented The University of Akron in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the football season...
in a four-hour, four-overtime slugfest, 43–40, in Akron's final football game at the Rubber Bowl
Rubber Bowl
The Rubber Bowl is a stadium in Akron, Ohio primarily used for American football. From 1940 to 2008, it served as the home field of the University of Akron's Zips football team...
. In their next game, against Bowling Green
2008 Bowling Green Falcons football team
The 2008 Bowling Green Falcons football team represents Bowling Green State University, which will celebrate its 90th season of collegiate football in the 2008 season. The team's head football coach is Gregg Brandon...
, the Bulls found themselves down 21–0 midway through the third quarter, but still managed to come back for their third overtime win of the season. With the win, Buffalo clinched the MAC East championship and ensured that they would have their first winning regular season since moving to Division I-A; the final regular season game, a 24–21 loss to Kent State
2008 Kent State Golden Flashes football team
The 2008 Kent State Golden Flashes football team represented the Kent State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the 2008 season. Kent State competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference , and played their home...
, was only a formality. The Bulls finished the regular season with a overall record of 7–5, 5–3 within the conference.
Buffalo's opponent in the 2008 MAC Championship Game would be the No. 12-ranked Ball State Cardinals
2008 Ball State Cardinals football team
The 2008 Ball State Cardinals football team represented Ball State University in the Mid-American Conference during the 2008–2009 college football season. Brady Hoke, in his sixth season at Ball State, was the head coach until December 15, when he resigned to become the head coach at San Diego State...
, who had gone undefeated in winning the MAC West. Ball State was a two-touchdown favorite entering the game; Buffalo in its history was 0–5 against the Cardinals. The Bulls struck first with a touchdown late in the first quarter; Ball State responded with a touchdown and a field goal in the second quarter to take a 10–7 lead at the half. The two teams traded touchdowns early in the third quarter. Disaster then struck for Ball State: on two consecutive possessions late in the third quarter, after having driven into the red zone, the Cardinals fumbled the ball. Buffalo returned both of these fumbles for touchdowns and took a lead they would not surrender. The Bulls won the game 42–24, earning their first-ever MAC Championship as well as their first-ever win over a ranked opponent in nine attempts.
Connecticut
The Huskies entered 2008 seeking to prove their success the previous season2007 Connecticut Huskies football team
The 2007 Connecticut Huskies football team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2007 college football season as a member of the Big East Conference. The team was coached by Randy Edsall and played its home games at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut...
was no fluke. In 2007, Connecticut earned their first Big East co-championship, albeit after losing to their fellow co-champion, West Virginia
2007 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 2007 West Virginia Mountaineers football team began play on September 1, 2007. The team was coached by Rich Rodriguez until he announced on December 16, 2007 that he was leaving West Virginia to coach the Michigan Wolverines. The head coaching position remained vacant after his announcement,...
, 66–21. A loss to Wake Forest
2007 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team
The 2007 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Jim Grobe in his seventh season at the school and played its home games at BB&T Field. The team began its season with an Atlantic Coast...
in the 2007 Meineke Car Care Bowl
2007 Meineke Car Care Bowl
The 2007 Meineke Car Care Bowl, one of 27 non-BCS bowl games played after the 2007 NCAA football regular season, took place on Saturday, December 29, 2007 with a 1:00PM EST kickoff at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina...
—the team's second bowl appearance all-time—gave the Huskies a final 2007 record of 9–4. In the Big East preseason media poll, UConn was picked to finish 6th overall in the conference.
UConn started the season strong, winning their first five games. The Huskies easily won their first game 35–3 against Division I-Football Championship Subdivision (Division I-FCS) opponent Hofstra
Hofstra University
Hofstra University is a private, nonsectarian institution of higher learning located in the Village of Hempstead, New York, United States, about east of New York City: less than an hour away by train or car...
. The second game, at Temple, was played as the remnants of Hurricane Hanna
Hurricane Hanna (2008)
Hurricane Hanna was the deadliest storm of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm was the eighth tropical cyclone and fourth hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. It formed east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands on August 28...
hit Philadelphia. UConn won 12–9 in overtime as Donald Brown ran for a then-career high 214 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown. Connecticut next avenged their loss to Virginia
2008 Virginia Cavaliers Football Team
The 2008 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was Virginia's 55th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference . The Cavaliers were led by...
from 2007, winning the rematch 45–10. Baylor
2008 Baylor Bears football team
The 2008 Baylor Bears football team represented Baylor University in the college football season of 2007-2008. The team was led by head coach Art Briles in his first year in the position. They played their home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas....
was next on the schedule; the Huskies pulled out the win in a back-and-forth game, 31–28. Connecticut opened Big East conference play in their next game against Louisville
2008 Louisville Cardinals football team
The 2008 Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in the 2008 college football season. The team, led by Steve Kragthorpe in his second year at the school, plays their home games in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium and are in their fourth year in the Big East...
. The game was not decided until UConn linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Lawrence Wilson
Lawrence Wilson
Lawrence Jamel Wilson is an American football linebacker for the Carolina Panthers. He finished his collegiate career second in tackles all-time for the Huskies. In both his junior and senior seasons, he led the Big East in tackles and was selected to the All-Big East First Team. He finished...
returned an interception for a touchdown with 2:45 left in the fourth quarter, giving the Huskies a 26–21 lead they would not relinquish. This was the second straight season where Connecticut won their first five games; before 2007, they had not opened a season so successfully since 1995, when they won their first six straight. Following the game, UConn achieved their first and only ranking of the year, appearing at No. 24 in the Associated Press
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
(AP) and Harris polls and No. 23 in the Coaches' poll. However, starting quarterback Tyler Lorenzen
Tyler Lorenzen
Tyler John Lorenzen is an American football tight end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
broke his foot in the Louisville game; the Huskies would be forced to rely on backup Zach Frazer for the next few games.
The Huskies were unable to match their early success in the second half of the season, losing five of their next seven games. Everything went wrong for UConn in their game at North Carolina
2008 North Carolina Tar Heels football team
The 2008 North Carolina Tar Heels football team began their season on August 30 against McNeese State at Kenan Memorial Stadium. The team originally went 4–4 in conference play and 8–5 overall, but in 2011, North Carolina vacated all its wins from the 2008 and 2009 seasons.-Recruiting:The Tar...
, as Frazer was intercepted three times and three Connecticut punts were blocked; North Carolina won in a blowout, 38–12. Against Big East rival Rutgers, UConn lost 12–10 as kicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Tony Ciaravino missed three field goals, including one with 1:09 left in the game that hit the right goalpost. The Huskies bounced back in their next game against eventual Big East champion Cincinnati, winning in a blowout 40–16. While not ranked in any of the polls, after the win Connecticut found itself No. 25 in the BCS standings. The Huskies would promptly give up that honor, losing to West Virginia 35–13 after leading 10–0 at the end of the first quarter and 13–7 at halftime. UConn would win the next week at Big East bottom-dweller Syracuse
2008 Syracuse Orange football team
The 2008 Syracuse Orange football team is the football team representing Syracuse University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Orange is coached by Greg Robinson and plays their home games in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York....
, 39–14, as Lorenzen returned from his injury. This would prove to be their last win of the regular season, as the Huskies finished with losses to South Florida (17–13) and No. 23-ranked Pittsburgh (34–10). Connecticut ended the regular season with a record of 7–5, 3–4 within the Big East conference.
Pregame buildup
Turner Gill
Turner Hillery Gill is an American football coach who most recently served as the head coach at Kansas from 2010-2011, and was one of 11 African-American head coaches in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision at the time of his hiring.-College:Gill graduated from Arlington Heights High...
, who had taken over the team in 2007.
Comparatively, Connecticut was an afterthought heading into the game. Pre-bowl coverage of UConn focused on NCAA rushing leader Donald Brown, who was considering foregoing his senior season to enter the 2009 NFL Draft. Brown indicated before the game that he had decided to return to UConn for the 2010 season.
Coaching change rumors
Following the regular season, speculation surrounded whether Turner Gill would leave Buffalo for another school's head coaching position. He was identified as a candidate at two schools: SyracuseSyracuse Orange football
The Syracuse Orange football program is a college football team that represents Syracuse University. The team is a member of the Big East Conference, which is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I conference that is part of the Football Bowl Subdivision...
and Auburn
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
. In neither case was Gill hired; Syracuse opted for New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Doug Marrone
Doug Marrone
Douglas Charles Marrone is an American football coach. He currently serves as head coach of the Syracuse University Orange, replacing Greg Robinson...
, while Auburn passed him over in favor of Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones football
The Iowa State Cyclones football team represents Iowa State University in college football. The Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. ISU started playing football in 1892, however, it did not become an official sport until 1894...
head coach Gene Chizik
Gene Chizik
Eugene "Gene" Chizik is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of the Auburn University football team, a position he has held since the 2009 season. Chizik's 2010 Auburn Tigers football team completed a 14–0 season with a victory over Oregon in the BCS...
, a move that prominent former National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) player, Basketball Hall-of-Famer
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
, and Auburn alumnus Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
claimed was due to racism. Gill ended up signing a contract extension with Buffalo.
UConn head coach Randy Edsall
Randy Edsall
Randy Douglas Edsall is an American college football coach. He is currently the head coach at the University of Maryland. Edsall was the head coach at the University of Connecticut from 1999 until the 2011 Fiesta Bowl, and oversaw the program's promotion from the NCAA Division I–AA level to...
, who had been with the Huskies since 1999, was also rumored to be a candidate for the Syracuse job. Edsall, a Syracuse alumnus, denied any interest. Offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Rob Ambrose
Rob Ambrose
-References:...
accepted the head coaching position at Towson
Towson Tigers football
The Towson Tigers football team represents Towson University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision . The Tigers compete within the Colonial Athletic Association...
, his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
; he would stay to coach UConn during the bowl game, however.
Legacy of the 1958 Buffalo Bulls
While the 2009 International Bowl marked the first appearance of the Buffalo Bulls in a bowl game, it was not the first time the school had been invited to a bowl. Fifty years earlier, the 1958 Buffalo Bulls team finished with a record of 8–1. They were awarded the Lambert Cup, given to the best small college team in the eastern US, and received a bid to play in the 1958 Tangerine Bowl, where they would face Florida StateFlorida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. There was one catch: the team's African-American players—starting running back Willie Evans
Willie Evans (running back)
Willie Evans was a running back for the University at Buffalo football team in the late 1950s. In 1958, the Buffalo Bulls refused an offer to play Florida State University in the Tangerine Bowl because Evans and backup defensive end Mike Wilson were not welcome to play in Orlando because they were...
and backup defensive end Mike Wilson—would not be allowed to play. The Tangerine Bowl Stadium
Citrus Bowl
The Florida Citrus Bowl is a stadium in Orlando, Florida, USA, built for football, which currently seats around 70,000 people....
was controlled by the Orlando High School Athletic Association, who prohibited integrated
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
football games. University officials and the coaching staff decided to allow the team to vote on whether they would accept the bowl bid. Before secret ballots could be passed out, the players unanimously decided to reject the bid.
Surviving members of the 1958 Bulls team were invited to the 2009 International Bowl and were honored before the game. The Reverend Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
spoke at the kickoff luncheon prior to the game, paying tribute to the legacy of the 1958 team.
Buffalo offense
Buffalo featured a high-powered, high-tempo, balanced offense that was good at not committing turnovers. During the regular season the Bulls averaged 380.5 offensive yards per game, 45th best in the nation, and scored an average of 31.3 points per game, 31st best. Buffalo's turnoverTurnover (football)
In American football, a turnover occurs when the team with the ball loses possession of the ball, which is then gained by the other team. The two events that are officially classified as "turnovers" are fumbles or interceptions In American football, a turnover occurs when the team with the ball...
margin was 6th best in the nation, at +1.15.
The Bulls were led offensively by the triple threat of quarterback Drew Willy
Drew Willy
Drew Willy is an American football quarterback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
, running back James Starks
James Starks
James Darell Starks is an American football running back for the Green Bay Packers. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, .-High school:James attended high school in Niagara Falls, New York...
, and wide receiver Namaan Roosevelt. The three combined to break 14 single-season school records, including most points scored in a season (404). Willy, heading into his final game as a Buffalo Bull, had already surpassed the 3,000-yard mark in passing on the season, throwing for 25 touchdowns against only five interceptions. Starks, while not seen as the same caliber of player as UConn's Donald Brown, had run for over 1,300 yards and caught 41 passes for 340 yards, scoring 16 touchdowns on the year. Roosevelt was seen as the top playmaker, going over the 100-yard mark in each of Buffalo's last five games and scoring at least once in his last seven.
Connecticut offense
Especially compared to Buffalo, the UConn offense was extremely unbalanced; the Huskies ranked 19th in the nation in running, averaging 204.6 yards per game, but only 106th in the nation in passing, averaging 147.3 yards per game. Connecticut's offense was centered around running back Donald BrownDonald Brown (American football)
Donald Eugene Brown II is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was the starting running back for the University of Connecticut Huskies from 2006 to 2008.-High school career:Brown attended Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, New...
. Described as "the ultimate workhorse", Brown led the NCAA in rushing going into the game with 1,822 yards. He had already tied the school single-season rushing touchdown record with 17 scores. His dominant performance led to him being named the Big East offensive player of the year as well as an All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
by multiple organizations. Somewhat surprisingly, he was not a finalist for the Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
, annually given to the best running back in college football; the award was eventually won by Shonn Greene
Shonn Greene
-New York Jets:On April 26, 2009 the New York Jets traded up 12 spots to select Greene in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. On August 30 Greene made an appearance in the Jets preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. He rushed twice for six yards as well as catching an 85-yard pass...
of Iowa
Iowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. UConn's rushing attack was supplemented by the efforts of quarterback Tyler Lorenzen and running back Jordan Todman.
The Huskies struggled to pass the ball all season, only completing four touchdown passes as a team heading into the International Bowl. Lorenzen completed under half of his passing attempts on the season. He threw for 820 yards with more interceptions (eight) than touchdowns (two). Nevertheless, before the game Randy Edsall confirmed that Lorenzen would be the starting quarterback for UConn in the International Bowl. This would be his ninth appearance at quarterback on the season; he missed four games with a broken right foot.
Buffalo defense
The Buffalo defense was described as "among the worst in the MAC, meaning it's among the worst in college football". In Division I-FBS, the Bulls ranked 84th in total defense, allowing an average of 408 yards per game. Buffalo's run defense was 83rd in the country, allowing 141.1 yards per game; their pass defense was ranked 97th, allowing almost 250 yards per game. The Bulls allowed other teams to score an average of 27 points against them per game, which ranked 73rd in the country.Buffalo did have one strength on defense: forcing turnovers. The Bulls recovered 20 fumbles and caught eight interceptions on the year. Buffalo's turnover margin of +1.15 was 6th best in the nation.
Connecticut defense
Conversely, UConn boasted one of the better defenses in the country. The Huskies allowed the 10th-fewest yards per game in the nation with 281 yards allowed. Connecticut was especially good against the pass; they allowed an average of only 165 yards per game, seventh-best in the country. No UConn opponent passed for more than 259 yards during the regular season.The Huskies had several standout players on defense. One was defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Cody Brown
Cody Brown
Cody Dion Brown is an American football linebacker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
, who led UConn with 14 tackles for a loss (TFL) and nine sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
while also being named to the All-Big East first team. Cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Jasper Howard
Jasper Howard
Jasper Tyrone Howard , was a cornerback for the University of Connecticut Huskies from 2007 to 2009. He was fatally stabbed on October 18, 2009, hours after UConn's win over the Louisville Cardinals.- Early life :...
was another standout player: he had 37 tackles and four interceptions on the year while also leading the Big East in punt returns.
Game summary
The 2009 International Bowl kicked off on January 3, 2009, at 12:00 PM in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Official attendance was listed at 40,184, the highest in the history of the International Bowl. The attendance record was largely due to Buffalo fans; an estimated 30,000 attended the game. John Saunders, Jesse PalmerJesse Palmer
Jesse James Palmer is a Canadian-born sports commentator and former college and professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League for four seasons in the early 2000s...
, and Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie
Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
, all with ties to Canada, were the announcers for the television broadcast, which aired on ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
. The game was watched by over 2 million households with a rating of 2.12, both the highest in International Bowl history. Prior to the game, spread bettors
Spread betting
Spread betting is any of various types of wagering on the outcome of an event, where the pay-off is based on the accuracy of the wager, rather than a simple "win or lose" outcome, such as fixed-odds betting or parimutuel betting. A spread is a range of outcomes and the bet is whether the outcome...
favored Connecticut to win by four and a half points.
First quarter
Buffalo received the ball first to begin the game, and returned the opening kickoffKickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
to their own 24-yard line. They were unable to move the ball in three plays, and punted
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
the ball to Connecticut. The Huskies took possession on their own 18-yard line and drove down the field with alternating rushes by running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Donald Brown
Donald Brown (American football)
Donald Eugene Brown II is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was the starting running back for the University of Connecticut Huskies from 2006 to 2008.-High school career:Brown attended Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, New...
and quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Tyler Lorenzen
Tyler Lorenzen
Tyler John Lorenzen is an American football tight end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
, earning two first downs. On 2nd down and 5 from the UConn 49-yard line, Lorenzen was sacked
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
by Buffalo's Sherrod Lott and fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
d; the ball was recovered by UConn right tackle Mike Hicks
Mike Hicks (American football)
Mike Hicks is an American football player who plays for the Jacksonville Sharks. He played as a wide receiver for the University of Mississippi before transferring to the University of Tennessee at Martin...
, allowing the Huskies to retain possession. A holding penalty
Holding (American football)
In gridiron football, holding is the illegal restraining of another player who is not in possession of the ball. Holding is banned in most football leagues because it does not allow fair play of the game and increases the risk for injury....
on the next play called on UConn left tackle William Beatty
William Beatty (American football)
William Keith Beatty is an American football offensive tackle for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is currently the starting Left Tackle. He was drafted by the Giants in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
set up 3rd-and-24. Donald Brown rushed for fifteen yards but was unable to reach the first-down marker, forcing UConn to punt.
Buffalo took over at their own 19-yard line and promptly earned their 1st first down of the game on a 10-yard pass from quarterback Drew Willy
Drew Willy
Drew Willy is an American football quarterback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
to wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Naaman Roosevelt
Naaman Roosevelt
Naaman Roosevelt is an American football wide receiver with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League...
. The Bulls' drive stalled from there, forcing them to punt. The punt struck the ground and hit UConn's Jonathan Jean-Louis, who was attempting to block for the punt return; Buffalo recovered the loose ball, giving them back possession at the Connecticut 23-yard line. The Bulls were unable to move the ball any closer to the end zone
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
, and settled for a 38-yard field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
by kicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
A. J. Principe, giving them a 3–0 lead with 4:26 remaining in the first quarter.
The ensuing kickoff was returned by UConn running back Jordan Todman 45 yards to the Buffalo 45-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage
Line of scrimmage
In American and Canadian football a line of scrimmage is an imaginary transverse line beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun...
, Donald Brown broke through the Buffalo defense and ran the length of the field for the first touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
of the day. UConn kicker Dave Teggart's extra point attempt
Convert
The convert or try, in American football known as "point after", and Canadian football "Point after touchdown", is a one-scrimmage down played immediately after a touchdown during which the scoring team is allowed to attempt to score an extra one point by kicking the ball through the uprights , or...
was good, giving UConn their first lead of the day, at 7–3.
Buffalo got the ball back at their own 21-yard line and were only able to advance it to their 34-yard line before punting the ball back to Connecticut. UConn cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Jasper Howard
Jasper Howard
Jasper Tyrone Howard , was a cornerback for the University of Connecticut Huskies from 2007 to 2009. He was fatally stabbed on October 18, 2009, hours after UConn's win over the Louisville Cardinals.- Early life :...
returned the ball 26 yards to the Bulls' 41-yard line. The Huskies handed the ball to Donald Brown for five straight running plays, advancing the ball to the Buffalo 19-yard line as the first quarter clock expired. At the end of the first quarter, UConn held a 7–3 lead and looked to be in position to score more when the second quarter began.
Second quarter
UConn began the second quarter by having Tyler Lorenzen rush the ball for four yards. On 3rd and 7, Lorenzen attempted his first pass of the game, which was behind Husky wide receiver Michael Smith. Dave Teggart kicked a 32-yard field goal to increase Connecticut's lead to 10–3.The Bulls began their next drive at their own 26-yard line, but went three-and-out. Buffalo punter Peter Fardon kicked the ball over the head of UConn returner Jasper Howard; rather than let the ball go, he ran backwards chasing after it. Trying to grab the ball over his shoulder, he muffed
Muffed punt
In American football, a muffed punt is defined as "touching of the ball prior to possessing the ball."A muffed punt occurs when there is an "uncontrolled touch" of the football by a player on the returning team after it is punted...
the catch, and the ball bounced into the end zone, where it was recovered by Buffalo's Ray Anthony Long for a Bull touchdown. The special-teams miscue by Howard allowed Buffalo to tie the game at 10–10 with 11:36 remaining in the second quarter.
UConn's turnover woes continued on their next possession when, on their second play from scrimmage after receiving Buffalo's kickoff, Tyler Lorenzen was sacked, causing him to fumble the ball. The Bulls recovered and drove down the field to the UConn 12-yard line where they were stopped. Principe kicked a 29-yard field goal giving Buffalo back the lead, at 13–10.
The ensuing kickoff saw yet another Connecticut special-teams blunder. UConn running back Robbie Frey misplayed the ball off of the kickoff, letting it roll back into the end zone. Frey recovered the loose ball; if he had simply taken a knee, by rule it would have been a touchback
Touchback
In American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead behind or above a goal line and the team who is attacking that goal line is responsible for the ball being there. Responsibility is determined by which team gave the ball the impetus...
and the Huskies would have gotten the ball at their own 20-yard line. Instead, Frey carried the ball out of the end zone, was hit at the 4-yard line, and fumbled. Buffalo recovered and promptly scored on a 4-yard touchdown run by Bull running back James Starks
James Starks
James Darell Starks is an American football running back for the Green Bay Packers. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, .-High school:James attended high school in Niagara Falls, New York...
, giving themselves a 20–10 lead. UConn had committed its fifth fumble of the game, four of which were recovered by Buffalo. All of Buffalo's 20 points were directly off of UConn turnovers.
Connecticut fumbled the ball for the sixth time on the next possession; this time Donald Brown was responsible for dropping the ball. Buffalo recovered for the fifth time, but was unable to score, punting to ball back to UConn with 4:37 left in the half. Brown made up for his earlier mistake by breaking off a 75-yard run before being caught from behind. On the next play Tyler Lorenzen ran the ball in to the end zone from 13 yards out. Neither team scored for the remainder of the first half, making the score 20–17 Buffalo going into halftime.
Third quarter
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Steve Brouse was wide open in the end zone, catching the ball for the touchdown and giving Connecticut back the lead at 24–20 with 5:22 left in the third quarter.
Buffalo received the ball off the kickoff on their own 28-yard line. Losing eight yards on their three plays, Buffalo once again punted the ball to Connecticut. UConn drove to the Buffalo 25-yard line and attempted a 42-yard field goal; the kick by Dave Teggart was blocked. Buffalo got the ball back with less than a minute left in the quarter and completed two passes, moving the ball 13 yards down the field before the quarter expired. The score remained in Connecticut's favor, 24–20.
Fourth quarter
Connecticut took over at their own 32-yard line and, after throwing only two passes in the first three quarters, completed three passes over 10 yards apiece to move down the field. On a 2nd-and-5 from the Buffalo 15-yard line, Tyler Lorenzen scored his second rushing touchdown of the game. UConn's lead was extended to 31–20 with less than five minutes left in the game.
Receiving the ball at their own 8-yard line following a penalty on the kickoff return, Buffalo began to move down the field, with Drew Willy completing a 38-yard pass to wideout Brett Hamlin and a 29-yard pass to Naaman Roosevelt. On 3rd-and-4 from the Connecticut 19-yard line, Willy completed a ten-yard pass to James Starks, giving the Bulls a 1st-and-goal. Starks rushed for four yards on first down; on second down, Willy threw an incomplete pass intended for Roosevelt. On 3rd-and-goal from the Husky 5-yard line, Willy attempted a pass that was deflected and intercepted
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
by UConn safety Dahna Deleston, who returned the ball 100 yards for the game-sealing touchdown. UConn won the game 38–20.
Scoring summary
Final statistics
For his performance in the 2009 International Bowl, Connecticut running back Donald Brown was named the player of the game. Brown rushed for 261 yards and one touchdown on 29 attempts. He finished the 2008 college football season with 2,083 rushing yards which led the nation. Brown set several new UConn school records, including the single-season records for rushing yards (2,083), attempts (367), and yards per game (160.2), the career records for rushing yards (3,800) and attempts (698), and the record for consecutive games with at least 100 yards rushing (8). His performance did not break the International Bowl rushing records, however; the previous year2008 International Bowl
The 2008 International Bowl was played on January 5, 2008 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The game featured the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers University—who finished 5th in the Big East Conference—and the Cardinals of Ball State University—who finished co-champions...
Rutgers
2007 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team
For the first time in the history of Rutgers football, the team entered a season ranked - 16th in both the Associated Press and Coaches polls. The Scarlet Knights finished the season with an 8-5 record that included a 52-30 victory over the Ball State Cardinals in the 2008 International Bowl...
running back Ray Rice
Ray Rice
Raymell Maurice Rice is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Rutgers. He is currently ranked as the Baltimore Ravens third all-time rusher in...
ran for 280 yards and four touchdowns.
Brown's dominant rushing performance was supplemented by RB Jordan Todman's 62 yards on seven attempts, QB Tyler Lorenzen's 32 yards on twelve attempts, including two touchdowns, and fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Anthony Sherman's three yards on one attempt; in total Connecticut ran for 358 yards. The Huskies attempted to pass only six times during the game; Lorenzen completed four of them for 49 yards and a touchdown. Four different UConn receivers caught one pass each: wide receiver Kashif Moore (18 yards), cornerback and sometime wide receiver Darius Butler (16 yards), fullback Anthony Sherman (11 yards), and tight end Steve Brouse (4 yards and a touchdown).
Buffalo's offensive performance was in some ways the opposite of Connecticut's: while UConn dominated on the ground and barely passed the ball, Buffalo struggled with the run but had a good day passing. The Bulls ran for a total of 24 yards on the game; James Starks accounted for 25 yards on thirteen carries and scored a touchdown, while RB Brandon Termilus ran three times for five yards. Their total was partially offset by Drew Willy, who lost six yards on three rushing attempts. Willy had a much more successful day passing, completing 29 out of 43 passes for 213 yards and one interception. Namaan Roosevelt led the Buffalo receivers with 90 yards on eight catches; of the five other Bulls who received passes, WR Brett Hamlin caught four passes for 54 yards, TE Jesse Rack caught three for 22 yards, RB Starks caught 11 for 21 yards, WR Ernest Jackson caught two for 17 yards, and WR Gary Rice caught one for 9 yards.
Connecticut dominated Buffalo statistically in the first half, gaining 225 yards to the Bulls' 94, led by Donald Brown's 208 yards rushing. Buffalo won the turnover battle however, recovering five UConn fumbles. The Bulls scored 20 points off UConn turnovers in the first half, but were held scoreless in the second half when the Huskies stopped turning the ball over.
Aftermath
Connecticut's win gave the team a final record of 8–5 and back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2003–04. Buffalo's final record fell to 8–6, which still marked the first winning season for the Bulls since transitioning to Division I-A football in 1999.In a press conference after the game, Brown announced that he would not return for his senior season and enter the NFL Draft, saying he told the media he said he was staying to take the focus off of himself prior to the game. Brown was drafted 27th overall by the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, becoming the first UConn player ever drafted in the first round. Three other UConn players were drafted in the second round: Darius Butler 41st overall by the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, William Beatty 60th overall by the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Cody Brown
Cody Brown
Cody Dion Brown is an American football linebacker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
63rd overall by the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Tight end Martin Bédard was drafted 15th overall in the second round of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
's (CFL) 2009 Draft
2009 CFL Draft
The 2009 CFL Draft took place on May 2, 2009. 48 players were chosen from among 774 eligible players from Canadian Universities across the country, as well as Canadian players playing in the NCAA...
. Buffalo did not have any players drafted by either league in 2009; in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
James Starks was selected in the sixth round, 193rd overall, by the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. UConn cornerback Robert McClain
Robert McClain
Robert "Reggie" McClain is a 7th round draft pick with the Carolina Panthers. He was a cornerback, punt returner, and kick returner with the University of Connecticut Huskies....
was also drafted by the NFL in 2010, in the seventh round, 249th overall, by the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
.
In the offseason Connecticut hired Joe Moorhead as their new offensive coordinator, replacing the departed Rob Ambrose
Rob Ambrose
-References:...
. Turner Gill returned to coach Buffalo in 2009
2009 Buffalo Bulls football team
The 2009 Buffalo Bulls football team represented the University at Buffalo in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season.-Notable players:* Naaman Roosevelt, Wide Receiver, 2008 First Team all-MAC....
. Following that season, however, he left to take over the football program at the University of Kansas
Kansas Jayhawks football
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference....
.
Connecticut and Buffalo resumed their rivalry on September 25, 2010
2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on Thursday, September 2, 2010. The season progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game on Monday, January 10, 2011.-Rule changes for...
, playing a regular season game at UConn's Rentschler Field. Although the score was tied 14–14 at halftime, the Huskies pulled away in the second half after changing quarterbacks, winning the rematch 45–21.
See also
- National Football League in TorontoNational Football League in TorontoThe National Football League has long been rumoured to be considering placing one of its franchises in Canada's largest city, Toronto, Ontario....
– the Bulls were the second football team from Buffalo to play in the Rogers Centre in as many months. On December 7, 2008, the city's NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
team, the BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, played a "home" game there against the Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. - Glossary of American footballGlossary of American footballThe following terms are used in American football and Canadian football, but see also the glossary of Canadian football.-0-9: A formation of the 4-3 defense featuring several dramatic shifts of personnel...
- American football positionsAmerican football positionsIn American football, each team has eleven players on the field at one time. Because the rules allow unlimited substitution between plays, the types of players on the field for each team differ depending on the situation...
External links
- 2009 International Bowl highlights from ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.com (requires Adobe FlashAdobe FlashAdobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
) - Official website of the International Bowl