2009 International Bowl

This past weekend we went to Toronto with a bunch of our fellow UB Alumni to watch the University at Buffalo Bulls play the University of Connecticut Huskies in the 2009 International Bowl, UB's first bowl game in school history. For those of you that follow UB athletics or went to school at UB know that the football team has been the laughing stock of Division I football since its inception in 1999.
When we were attending UB in the early part of the 2000s, many people only went to the football games to see the halftime show (Shaggy, Village People, Tony Hawk) or to see the other team (Syracuse, Rutgers). This year, fans were going to see the Bulls as Turner Gill has turned the UB Bulls from duds to studs. UB earned their spot to play in this game by pulling an upset over nationally ranked #12 Ball State for the MAC Championship. Finally, a sports team, other than the Bisons and Bandits, has won a championships for Buffalo. Maybe the Bills and Sabres should take some notes.

Anyways, two car loads of us drove up to Toronto on Saturday for the noon kickoff. When I purchased the tickets from the UB ticket office I had no idea where we would be sitting, since the tickets were general admission to the Buffalo Fan Section.

Well, our seats were not to bad......

Yes, that is the endzone over my left shoulder. We were front row. It was great! Everything happened in at this end of the field. Like UCONN turning over the ball 5 times in the first half with fumbled kickoff returns.Some of the crew that went up to the game with us. There is another row of friends behind us, but I could not get everyone in the picture.

This is UB junior tailback, James Stark, diving over the goal like to put UB up 20-10 in the 2nd quarter. UB went on to have a 20-17 lead going into halftime. Not bad for playing the school with Donald Brown, the #1 rusher in the nation.
Here UB QB Drew Willy takes on the snap.

After a questionable interception in the Buffalo endzone that was run back 100yds for a touchdown, Greg and Kristina were in disbelief along with a crowd of, an International Bowl record, 40,184 fans, of which roughly 30,000 were wearing the Royal Blue and White of the Bulls, just witnessed in the 4th quarter to put UCONN up 38-20. There picture was taken by a photographer and going to be in the paper the next day of local paper in Buffalo. These faces said it all:

After getting home. I immediately turned on the game that I had DVR'd from the live broadcast on ESPN2 to see the interception. The play was reviewed at the game, but a replay was never shown on the big screen. After watching the the play and seeing the TV replays, the interception was clean after the UB receiver could not hold on to the ball in his endzone. If you look closely at the game and knew where we were sitting, you would have been able see us during the game.

Unfortunately, UB lost to UCONN 38-20. But, being in the Rogers Centre, you won't have know that was the case. All the fans stayed until the last second of the game. This is something I have never seen...I could not believe that the fans were sticking around to the end to make sure they did not miss a second of the University at Buffalo’s magical 2008 season.

What a great season! Thank you Turner Gill for turning UB football into a respectable and competitive force.