Buffalo Bulls Football

This Saturday, September 19, the Knights play the Buffalo Bulls at home at Bright House Networks Stadium under the lights.

This game between the two teams not only marks their fifth matchup ever, but the opportunity to honor the 1958 Buffalo Bulls football squad, a team which turned down an Orlando bowl bid because the team's two African-American players would not have been allowed to participate.

Members of the historic 1958 team will be in attendance at the game and will be honored at halftime.

The bowl bound team of 1958 was a hot topic during last year's college football season, when the 2008 Mid-American Conference champion Buffalo Bulls received their first bowl bid since the storied 1958 season, on the 50th anniversary of the event.

That faithful year—when the two point conversion was first introduced to NCAA football, the Bulls team—which featured two African American players, Willie Evans and the late Mike Wilson, were invited to play in the Tangerine Bowl organized by the Elks Lodge.

The use of the stadium was controlled by the departed Orlando High School Athletics Association, who forbade interracial athletic events. In a show of solidarity to their teammates, the entire team voted not to play in the bowl game.

Gerry Gergley, an early pioneer of the UCF athletics program, was a member of the 1958 Bulls team. Gergley started both the varsity wrestling and golf teams, and also served as UCF's first strength coach.

Gergley was most notably an integral figure in forming the UCF football team along with the late Dr. Jack O'Leary. He was inducted into the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008, and still attends many athletic events at the Orlando campus.

The idea of honoring the 1958 Bulls team started with Orange County mayor Rich Crotty, a 1972 UCF graduate. The Office of the Orange County mayor, along with UCF Athletics and Florida Citrus Sports, decided to celebrate Buffalo's visit to Orlando as soon as possible after their 50th anniversary celebration.

Buffalo's athletic association spoke with the team, who were extremely excited about the proposition. They are thrilled that their story still touches the Orlando community and they are very excited to finally come together as one in the Sunshine State.

Read Jessica's article at Examiner.com Orlando.

UTEP Coach Mike Price spoke to thousands Friday night and guaranteed a victory over Buffalo the next day. However, his team did not respond mentally, as the Miners committed 12 penalties for 101 yards, including a holding call that brought back the tying score, in their 23-17 loss to Buffalo. The Bulls weren’t so innocent either, committing 10 penalties for 80 yards.

The Miners started off the game well, returning the opening kickoff outside their 30 yard line before fizzling out and missing a 48 yard field goal. The Bulls then went 3 and out before the Miners struck first. The Miners second drive took eight plays and 63 yards before junior Jason Williams ran in from a yard away to give the Miners a 7-0 lead.

That lead did not last because of a pivotal span of eight minutes in which the Bulls scored 16 points. That included a 13 play, 60 yard drive that ended in a two yard touchdown run by junior Brandon Thermilus. On the ensuing kickoff, senior Jeff Moturi misjudged the kickoff and was tackled at the one yard line. After three plays totaling four yards, the Miners’ senior punter Greg Hiett had the snap go over his head, and was recovered by the Miners in the end zone for a safety. Junior Dominic Cook then took the kickoff 62 yards inside the Miners 30 before senior running back Mario Henry put the Bulls up 16-7 with a six yard run.

Unfortunately, the woes for the Miners’ and bad snaps didn’t end with the punt. Twice, junior quarterback Trevor Vittatoe had the ball snapped over his head, resulting in a loss of yardage. Vittatoe did end up 27/45 for 233 yards and rushed for 19 on six carries.

The Bulls came out for the second half and padded their lead when sophomore quarterback Zach Maynard dumped the ball off to senior wide-out Namaan Roosevelt who ran 42 yards for the touchdown and with that became the Bulls all-time leader in touchdown receptions.  Maynard went 12/19 for 159 and ran for 19 yards on five carries.

The Miners did respond though with a 17 yard run by junior James Thomas II and a 31 yard field goal by freshman Logan Barrett. That made the score 23-17 and the Bulls got the ball back with 5:32 to play. The Bulls tried to monopolize the clock but a key stop on third and two, gave the Miners hope.

The Miners received the ball at their own 20 yard line with 3:22 to go in the game. After short passes led the Miners deep into Bulls territory, Vittatoe found Thomas II in the corner of the end zone for what should have been the game tying score with under 30 seconds to go. However, junior Rod Huntley was called for holding on the play forcing the Miners back to the Bulls 42 with 14 seconds to go. Vittatoe’s two Hail Marys were unsuccessful and the Bulls squeaked out another victory.

For the Bulls, Thermilus ran 79 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown, Henry ran for 55 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown and Roosevelt caught five balls for 91 yards and a score. In the loss, junior Donald Buckram ran for 108 yards on 14 carries while junior Kris Adams caught nine balls for 98 yards and Moturi caught six for 38 yards.

 

The defending MAC Champion Buffalo Bulls started last year's title run with a big 42-17 home thrashing of the University of Texas at El Paso Miners in their first ever meeting. Now it is the Miners turn to host the Bulls and there is no doubt that revenge is on the mind of the Miners.

Last August in Buffalo, the Bulls' Drew Willy went 10-16 for 221 yards and four touchdowns while Trevor Vittatoe went 20-37 for 199 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. Bulls' senior running back James Starks ran for 179 yards last year, but is out for the season with a shoulder injury. His replacement this year, Brandon Thermilus ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns in last year's contest. For the Miners, Terrell Jackson was bottled up for only 67 yards on the ground.

This year however, it will be a different story. The Miners are expected to contend for a Conference USA crown and the Bulls will look to stay atop the MAC East. UTEP returns 15 starters from last year's team including eight on the offensive side of the ball. The Bulls however return nine from the defensive side of the ball.

Quarterbacks: EDGE: UTEP The Miners return their starting quarterback who has thrown for 58 touchdowns over a two year span meanwhile the Bulls send out a first time starter.

Running Backs: EDGE: BUFFALO The Miners throw the ball way too much to have an effective ground game and the Bulls ground game ripped up the Miners defense last year.

Wide Receivers: EDGE: BUFFALO This was a hard pick but with Naaman Roosevelt on your team it is hard to go against the Bulls but the Miners do return two of their three top wideouts from last season.

Tight Ends: EDGE: BUFFALO The Bulls combination of seniors Jesse Rack and Kyle Brey will be better than a pass happy team who rarely use their tight ends to catch.

Offensive Line: EDGE: UTEP The Miners return four of their five lineman while the Bulls return two. Familiarity will be a key for the Miners line.

Defensive Line: EDGE: UTEP The Miners start two seniors and a junior in their 3-4 scheme while the Bulls only return two from their 4-3 scheme.

Linebackers: EDGE: BUFFALO The Bulls return all three linebackers, all of whom made big impacts last year while the Miners shuffle out young inexperienced linebackers in the middle.

Secondary: EDGE: BUFFALO The Bulls return the two best safties in the MAC and their secondary also picked off the Miner's junior quarterback three times last August. The Miners do start all seniors in the back but the Bulls just seem to be able to get the big play when needed.

Special Teams: EDGE: BUFFALO Let's just remember that the Bulls caused the UCONN Huskies havoc during last year's International Bowl with their special teams turnovers but the Miners do have a stronger kicker.

Prediction: BUFFALO 28 UTEP 24. The Bulls experience on defense coupled with UTEP's poor run defense should lead to the Bulls walking out of El Paso with a W.

As the 2009 College Football season fast approaches us, the Buffalo Bulls are looking at some major obstacles. The Bulls will need to fill two tremendous holes in their offense. With the season ending shoulder injury to Buffalo's all time leading rusher in James Starks and the graduation of four year starting quarterback Drew Willy, the Bulls will need to find suitable replacements and in a hurry.

At the quarterback position, Coach Turner Gill has decided to hand the reins over to sophomore Zach Maynard. Maynard is a very athletic and physical lefty who could add a new wrinkle to the offense that Willy never could. Maynard is a career 1-3 passing but showed us a glimpse at what he could do with his 41 yard scamper against Miami on national TV.

In the backfield the Bulls will have to rely on junior Brandon Thermilus and senior Mario Henry. The two could be a Lendale White/Chris Johnson tandem with Thermilus' size and Henry's agility. However, we should expect to see Thermilus take a majority of the carries unlike in the Titans offense.

At wide receiver, the Bulls have arguably the best unknown college athlete in senior Naaman Roosevelt. Roosevelt was named to the preseason Biletnikoff watch list and is coming off a record year with 104 receptions for 1,402 yards and 13 TDs. Roosevelt is also a prolific kick returner and a solid year should put him on the map for Draft Day 2010. Senior Brett Hamlin is the second choice for Maynard. Hamlin is a good third down target who scored five times last season on 38 grabs.

At tight end, the Bulls return senior Jesse Rack who is a good blocker but has excellent hands. Rack is expected to be one of the better tight ends in the MAC. The Bulls also have junior Kyle Brey, the son of Notre Dame Men's Basketball coach Mike Brey. Brey is a physically daunting blocker who played some fullback in his time with the Bulls.

The offensive line is another glaring need for the Bulls. They return senior tackle Andrew West and junior guard Peter Bittner both of whom will be keys to keeping Maynard clean. The Bulls also get redshirt junior Jordan Jerrold back from injury who could contend for a starting position.

Defensivly, the Bulls seem to be set with nine returning starters including an entire linebacking corps and secondary. The Bulls one concern should be on the line where only senior Dane Robinson returns. The Bulls will hope that juniors Bruno Lapointe and Anel Montanez will step up and plug up the opposing running game and put pressure on the opposing quarterback.

At linebacker, the Bulls should be set with sophomore Scott Pettigrew and juniors Raphael Akobundu and Justin Winters. The trio will be much more effective this year considering last year's breakthrough statistics.

In the secondary, the return of safties Davonte Shannon (junior) and Mike Newton (senior) are crucial to this hard hiting secondary. The pair are the heart and soul of the defense and are the game changers on that side of the ball. Joining them will be senior Kendrick Hawkins and juniors Josh Thomas and Dominic Cook all of whom should see extensive time in the secondary.

Now, taking a look at the Bulls 2009 schedule.

@ UTEP 9/5 W

Pittsburgh 9/12 L

@ UCF 9/19 W

@ Temple 9/26 W

Central Michigan 10/3 L

Gardner Webb 10/10 W

Akron 10/17 W

@Western Michigan 10/24 L

Bowling Green 11/3 W

Ohio 11/10 W

@ Miami 11/18 W

@ Kent State 11/27 W

That makes my prediction 9-3 (6-2 MAC). Central Michigan and Pitt just seem to be too good even though the games are at home. Western Michigan barely edged out a victory last year on the road, so at home I expect the Broncos to be even better.

According to a source close to the team, UB Bulls tailback James Starks will miss the opening of the 2009-10 season due to an undisclosed shoulder injury. If surgery is needed, he may need to sit out his entire senior season.

The source said Starks had an MRI Friday, which revealed the injury.

Starks' backup Brandon Thermilus was named starter at today's practice. Thermilus, a junior, saw an expanded role last season, carrying the ball 100 times for 454 yards and seven scores. It is expected that he and senior tailback Mario Henry will anchor the team's rushing attack during Starks' absence.

Starks has been an intricate part of the Bulls offense since joining the squad as a freshman in 2006. He was a standout last season, rushing for over 1,300 yards for the MAC Champion Bulls.

The Niagara Falls native's 16 touchdowns were the most ever for the UB football program since joining the Division I ranks.

This season, the Bulls offense was to be led by Starks and fellow Western New Yorker, wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt. Both were predicted to be mid to late round selections in the upcoming 2010 NFL Draft.

The Bulls open their season Sept. 5 at UTEP.

Updated: Aug. 25, 11:00 am

Despite earlier reports from The Buffalo News, UB Bulls running back James Starks will in fact miss the entire 2009-10 season after an MRI on Friday discovered a labral tear in his shoulder.

Starks, a fifth year senior, will not have eligibility remaining after this season.

"The doctors did an MRI that revealed James had a labral tear that required surgery," head coach Turner Gill said in a press release sent out Tuesday morning. "He tried rehab and practices but it was too painful for him to play. Therefore he will have the surgery now and miss the season. It will be a 4-6 month recovery period. Doctors have told me that they anticipate he will make a complete recovery and I believe he will have an opportunity to play at the next level.

"On behalf of the staff and his teammates we want to thank James for all of his outstanding contributions to the University at Buffalo football program, the University and the Western New York community," he said. "He is scheduled to graduate in December, and of course, will remain a part of this program."

Starks is the school's all-time leading rusher with 3,140 yards, 34 rushing touchdowns, and 222 points, and he ranks fifth in all-purpose yardage with 3,830 yards. He had been named to the preseason watch list for the Doak Walker Memorial trophy, given to the nation's top running back.

"Injuries are, and will always be, a huge part of football," said Gill in the release, "but this one is particularly painful because of what James has meant to this program and community. However, this is an incredible opportunity for a group of very talented running backs that we have to step up and help us achieve our goals this season."

http://www.ubathletics.buffalo.edu/football/news/ftb08-25-2009-starks.shtml

With the College Football season fast approaching, it is time to look at the Mid-American Conference and preview the 2009 season. I am going through the schedule week by week highlighting key match-ups and predicting each and every game with a MAC team.

Week 1:

North Texas at Ball State (Thurs)

Troy at Bowling Green (Thurs)

Coastal Carolina at Kent State (Thurs)

Villanova at Temple (Thurs)

Army at Eastern Michigan

Northern Illinois at Wisconsin

Toledo at Purdue

Akron at Penn State

Miami vs. Kentucky (at Cincinnati)

Connecticut at Ohio

Central Michigan at Arizona- Central Michigan has been picked by many to win the MAC West and MAC Championship. This early game in PAC-10 country is an early test of this preseason favorite. In the end, Arizona should be just too much. Arizona

 

Western Michigan at Michigan- Imagine, it was just two years ago that Applachain State went into the Big House and shocked the Wolverines. Last season, the 3-9 Toledo Rockets pulled off the Big House upset. Nobody knows what Wolverine team will show up but most people believe that Western Michigan will challenge Central Michigan for the division crown. This is the perfect recipe for another Big House surprise. Western Michigan

 

Buffalo at UTEP- Last year, the Buffalo Bulls walked into the season with hopes of just finishing above 500. The Bulls not only thrashed the Miners 42-17 opening weekend at home, they went on to win the MAC Championship and their first bowl appearance. This season, the Bulls won’t fly under the radar. The Miners will be ready for the some revenge but… Buffalo

 

Week 2

Colorado at Toledo, 9 pm (ESPN) (Fri)

New Hampshire at Ball State

Eastern Michigan at Northwestern

Western Illinois at Northern Illinois

Western Michigan at Indiana

Morgan State at Akron

Bowling Green at Missouri

Kent State at Boston College

Miami at Boise State

Ohio at North Texas

Central Michigan at Michigan State- Another intriguing inter-Michigan battle. Sparty hopes to rebound from last year’s disappointing season. For the Chippewas, this is going to be a test. However, Sparty will not accept a out of conference loss like this at home. Michigan State

Pittsburgh at Buffalo- Last year, the Bulls went to Heinz Field and held their own against the Panthers. This year, the Bulls will play at home but there shouldn’t be a difference. It will be close but Pittsburgh.

 

Week 3

Ball State at Army

Alcorn State at Central Michigan

Eastern Michigan at Michigan

Northern Illinois at Purdue

Toledo  vs. Ohio State (at Cleveland)

Indiana at Akron

Bowling Green at Marshall

Buffalo at UCF

Iowa State at Kent State

Cal Poly at Ohio

Temple at Penn State

 

Miami at Western Michigan- This marks the beginning of MAC play! The Redhawks will look to find their winning ways against a Broncos team that is ready to claim a MAC title. Western Michigan

 

Week 4

Ball State at Auburn

Akron at Central Michigan

Idaho at Northern Illinois

Toledo at FIU

Hofstra at Western Michigan

Boise State at Bowling Green

Miami at Kent State

Ohio at Tennessee

 

Buffalo at Temple- This early season clash may very well be the deciding factor in who wins the MAC East. The Bulls needed a Hail Mary last year to beat the Owls but with the Owls looking as strong as they ever have looked in the MAC, the Bulls might have some issues. Nonetheless, it will be another close game but Buffalo.

 

Week 5

Toledo at Ball State

Temple at Eastern Michigan

Western Michigan at Northern Illinois

Ohio at Bowling Green

Kent State at Baylor

Cincinnati at Miami

Central Michigan at Buffalo- This could be a preview of the MAC Championship game. Last year, the Bulls went to Mount Pleasant and lost 27-25. This year, Chippewas have to go to Buffalo which could cause issues. The key words are “could cause issues.” Central Michigan

 

Week 6

Ball State at Temple

Eastern Michigan at Central Michigan

Western Michigan at Toledo

Bowling Green at Kent State

Gardner Webb at Buffalo

Miami at Northwestern

 

Ohio at Akron- This could be another pivotal MAC East game. The Zips and Bobcats are sure to the teams that will stir up the pot in the East. Most people expect that either Buffalo or Temple will win the division but the winner of this game could stir the pot. There is some reason why Ohio can lose so many players yet still be a nuisance… coaching which is why I choose Ohio

 

Week 7

Bowling Green at Ball State

Kent State at Eastern Michigan

Northern Illinois at Toledo

Akron at Buffalo

Miami at Ohio

Army at Temple

Central Michigan at Western Michigan- This is the game many predict will decide who represents the MAC West in the MAC Championship Game. The Chippewas are led by fourth year starting quarter Dan LeFevour. The Broncos are led by quarterback Tim Hiller. The difference in this game is going to be the defense and to me the better defense will win. Central Michigan

Week 8

Ball State at Eastern Michigan

Central Michigan at Bowling Green

Northern Illinois at Miami

Temple at Toledo

Akron at Syracuse

Kent State at Ohio

 

Buffalo at Western Michigan- This was another close game for the Buffalo “Cardiac Kids” Bulls. The loss at home to the Broncos was one the Bulls would like to forget having given the Broncos the chance to tie late in the game. The OT loss sparked the Bulls chaotic overtime run into the MAC East Division Championship and an MAC Championship. The Bulls will look to exact revenge on the road but the Broncos will be hungry to avenge the last week’s loss to the Chippewas. Buffalo

 

Week 9

Ohio at Ball State

Eastern Michigan at Arkansas

Akron at Northern Illinois

Toledo at Miami

Western Michigan at Kent State

Temple at Navy

 

Central Michigan at Boston College- This game is only intriguing because of the timing of it. The Eagles take time out of their tough ACC schedule to face arguably the best team in the MAC. The Eagles should be on upset alert if they want to look ahead past the Chippewas. Central Michigan

 

Week 10

Bowling Green at Buffalo (Tues)

Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois (Thurs)

Miami at Temple, (Thurs)

Kent State at Akron

Western Michigan at Michigan State- Sparty once again hosts a prolific MAC team from Michigan. The Spartans should have an easier time with the Broncos than with the Chippewas but again, timing is everything so State should be on alert. Michigan State

Week 11

Toledo at Central Michigan (Wed)

Ball State at Northern Illinois (Thurs)

Bowling Green at Miami (Thurs)

Temple at Akron (Fri)

Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan

Ohio at Buffalo, 7 pm (Tues)- This is an interesting game. The Bobcats will travel to Buffalo with the sole purpose of ruining the Bulls title hopes but not so fast. The Bobcats lost 13 starters from last season, and the Bulls ripped the Bobcats up last season. Buffalo

 

Week 12

Central Michigan at Ball State (Wed)

Buffalo at Miami (Wed)

Eastern Michigan at Toledo (Fri)

Akron at Bowling Green (Fri)

Northern Illinois at Ohio

Kent State at Temple- The Golden Flashes are a hard working team and if you take them lightly then you will be in trouble. The Owls, looking at success for the first time since joining the MAC probably will stumble sometime in MAC play. Kent State

 

Week 13

Ball State at Western Michigan (Tues)

Northern Illinois at Central Michigan (Fri)

Eastern Michigan at Akron (Fri)

Toledo at Bowling Green (Fri)

Buffalo at Kent State (Fri)

Temple at Ohio (Fri)- This game again is one that can shift the balance of power in the East. Ohio could be in a chance to win the East but Temple could be as well. Temple

 

Now with the season over we look at the predicted standings.

EAST

 

1. Buffalo 10-2 (7-1)

2. Temple 8-4 (6-2)

3. Ohio 8-4 (6-2)

4. Kent State 6-6 (5-3)

5. Akron 4-8 (3-5)

6. Bowling Green 2-10 (2-6)

7. Miami 0-12 (0-8)

WEST

 

1. Central Michigan 10-2 (8-0)

2. Western Michigan 9-3 (6-2)

3. Toledo 6-6 (5-3)

4. Northern Illinois 4-8 (2-6)

5. Ball State 4-8 (1-7)

6. Eastern Michigan 0-12 (0-8)

December 4, 2009

 

Central Michigan vs. Buffalo- In a rematch of an earlier game the two 10-2 teams of the MAC square off for the title. The Bulls once again are underdogs to a superior team on paper. The Chippewas come in strong with a perfect 8-0 conference record. The Bulls play spectacular defense but the lack of experience at quarterback sends them back to Toronto in 2010. Central Michigan

 

BOWLS!!

 

Motor City- Central Michigan

GMAC- Western Michigan

International- Buffalo

Wildcard Bowl- Temple

 

Top 5 Players to Watch Out For:

1. Dan LeFevour- QB Central Michigan
2. MiQuale Lewis- RB Ball State
3. James Starks- RB Buffalo
4. Naamen Roosevelt- WR Buffalo
5. Tim Hiller- QB Western Michigan

There it is my in-depth preview of the MAC. Stay Tuned for my in-depth preview of the defending MAC Champs, the Buffalo Bulls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Naaman Roosevelt once said he chose the University of Buffalo because he wanted to help turn the struggling program around. Being the star wide receiver of a team that went 8-5 and won the Mid-American Conference championship last season, Roosevelt has done just that.

Despite the fact that the city of Buffalo has ties to such famous people Millard Fillmore and Grover Cleveland and that Naaman has a presidential surname, Roosevelt gets as much attention as someone from the Green Party.

Last season, Roosevelt was tied for third in the Football Bowl Subdivision in catches with 104 and was fourth in receiving yards with 1,402. Along with those great stats, Naaman Roosevelt scored 13 touchdowns to aid him in being named first-team All-MAC as a junior.

At 6', 187 pounds, Roosevelt is strong enough to gain position on his defenders. He is a tremendous route runner with an ability to run in and out of his cuts with great acceleration.

Naaman Roosevelt also has a great sense for the dramatic. At UB Stadium, he caught a 35-yard Hail Mary pass from Drew Willy with no time remainding to defeat Temple 30-28.

Roosevelt scored three touchdowns in the Bulls' defeat of Ball State 42-24 in the MAC Championship game. Nathan Roosevelt's first touchdown as a Bull came in his freshman year on a 94-yard kick return.

Roosevelt is already tied for the most receiving touchdowns in Buffalo Bulls' history with 18. If he catches at least 43 passes and obtains 813 receiving yards, Roosevelt would be the all-time leader for the University of Buffalo in those two categories.

Going into 2009, Roosevelt will have to adjust to catching passes from a new quarterback. Zach Maynard is the most likely candidate to take over for Drew Willy.

With his ability to know when to come off a route to help a pressured quarterback, Roosevelt should be able to equal, if not improve upon, his statistics from last season.

With all the press that Terrell Owens obtained when he signed with the Buffalo Bills, it would be funny if the most productive wide receiver in the city of Buffalo turns out to a Bull and not a Bill.

A lot of discussion has been made about the Big Ten expanding in the recent months.

While most people suggest teams like Syracuse, Pittsburgh or Rutgers, I think they are overlooking the most beneficial choice. The State University of New York at Buffalo.

Now there are several reasons why the Big Ten may want to expand. One of the reasons they do not is competition. The reality is the Big Ten is not looking to bring in a powerhouse program. If they expand and the team that joins so happens to be one is just a bonus.

The way I see it, the Big Ten should have three criteria for possible expansion. Those are:

1. The University should be in the East to provide for an East and West division.
2. The University must be a major research facility.
3. The University must be located in a major TV market.

The University of Buffalo fits all three of these criteria. UB would fit in well with an East division. The University of Buffalo is a major research facility and Buffalo would be one of the largest networks in the Big Ten—only behind Chicago, Columbus and Detroit.

Now some may say that UB is not up to the caliber of the Big Ten. While this is true...does it matter?  JoPa is not crying about having better teams to play. He wants more teams to play.

He wants a conference championship game and he wants to straighten the eastern focus of the league.

Another item to consider is UB could develop into a powerhouse program if it is provided the opportunity. Right now fan support is low but this is not because people in Buffalo do not like football.

In fact, the opposite is true. Buffalo and the Western New York region has one of the most active football fan bases in the US. The challenge is most of those fans are for the Buffalo Bills. I do not know many fans who have the stamina to attend both a college game on Saturday and a NFL game on Sunday, let alone the desire to pay for tickets to both.

The opportunity is the Buffalo Bills may not be in Buffalo in 10 years. They are already playing games in Toronto and most likely will move once the current owner passes away. When this happens, there will be a huge void in Western New York for football.

The ability to upgrade facilities and collect large donations are in direct correlation to the caliber of competition a team plays. Playing teams like Akron, Ball State and Toledo do not open the check books of boosters and taxpayers like Michigan, Penn State and Ohio State would.

Willy can easily play in the Buffalo winter as he as prove the last few years.

The International Bowl   Rogers Centre   Toronto, ON

Buffalo (8-5) vs. Connecticut (7-5)

January 3, 2009    12 EST   The Line: Connecticut -6

Overview:

When I think International I didn't exactly think Canada, I was thinking more along the lines of how the NFL plays a game in Europe every year. Well in College Football apparently International is Canada, Toronto to be exact.

While one of the arguments for the bowl system is to reward the teams for a good season, I'm not so sure Toronto in early January is such a fantastic prize.

Buffalo are the MAC Champions. The Bulls shocked the world by knocking off a then undefeated Ball State team as 15 point underdogs in the championship game to get to this point.

Turner Gil and his coaching staff are unknown no longer as his name has already become a regular on the lists every time a big time coach is canned or decides to leave. In just a few short years Gil has turned a perennial doormat into a bowl team, no small feat.

Connecticut started the season by winning their first five games and then went on to win only twice in their last seven, while one of those wins was a blowout of eventual conference champion Cincinnati, the trademark of the second half was games lost to team with a decent record. While UConnn was right in a lot of those games, they didn't do what they needed in order to walk away with the win.They will need to play well in order to win this one.

See Mitch's International Bowl Pick against the spread