2009 International Bowl: Connecticut Huskies vs. Buffalo Bulls

[sbcaptain2]

From Rogers Centre in beautiful Toronto, Ontario

The 2009 International Bowl

Connecticut Huskies (7-5) (3-4)

VS

Buffalo Bulls (8-5) (5-3)

Date: Saturday, January 3, 2009
Time: 12:00pm EST

[Hongbit]

Why is this game played on January 3rd?

[sbcaptain2]

RB Donald Brown #1 in FBS in rushing with 1,822 yards


WR Naaman Roosevelt #3 in FBS in receiving with 1,312 yards

[sbcaptain2]

Originally Posted by Hongbit

Why is this game played on January 3rd?

Just to fill space between New Year's and the Championship game.

[DTroppens]

Why not?
If it's played people will watch.

[Hongbit]

Originally Posted by DTroppens

Why not?
If it's played people will watch.

Actually, outside UB & UConn fans almost nobody will watch this game on January 3rd. It will be on directly opposite the AFC wildcard game which starts a half hour later. Pittsburgh/Georgetown & Tennessee/Kansas college hoops game are also on at the same time.

Lesser bowls are supposed to be played prior to Jan 1st. Had this game been played on 12/21, 12/22, 12/29 it would have a much wider audience.

[DTroppens]

I'll watch it.

[EatEmUpTigers711]

I'll definitely be flipping between it & the playoff game.

[DTroppens]

I generally don't watch NFL football if it's not the Lions or directly impacts the Lions since I've gotten out of fantasy football. So my TV will certainly be on this bowl game instead of an NFL football game. Of course I am a bit of an idiot.

[sbcaptain2]

Originally Posted by DTroppens

I generally don't watch NFL football if it's not the Lions or directly impacts the Lions since I've gotten out of fantasy football. So my TV will certainly be on this bowl game instead of an NFL football game. Of course I am a bit of an idiot.

When I have the option, I always choose to watch college football over the NFL.

[DTroppens]

Originally Posted by sbcaptain2

When I have the option, I always choose to watch college football over the NFL.

What bothers me about college football is the offensive orientation of it. When you watch a game you feel as though you have to score to keep up more often than not. Besides that though I like the dynamics of college football better. I like the idea of smaller schools beating the big ones and knowing every night there's a good chance I'm going to see a team I haven't seen yet this year - especially with those ESPN weekday games.

The college bowl season is enjoyable for that reason. Good teams or mediocre. Great conferences or not-so-good conferences - you get to see a lot of variety during the games.

[Ingefanclub]

I will be rooting for the Bulls and watching the game.

[JayVee7777]

Originally Posted by Hongbit

Why is this game played on January 3rd?

The Canadian exchange rate...

[A2 Buffalonian]

Originally Posted by Ingefanclub

I will be rooting for the Bulls and watching the game.

Awesome!



Of course I'll be watching, I'll be at the game!

[DTroppens]

I will be 100 percent pulling for Buffalo. This is the time of year us MAC brothers and sisters need to stick together. It's about making the entire conference looking good - not just one program.

GO BULLS!

[T.O. Tiger Fan]

I might actually go check this one out. It's walking distance from where I live and I'm sure cheap tickets will be available the day of the game.

[sbcaptain2]

I'll be driving out to Toronto tomorrow morning. Hopefully the weather isn't too bad. Go Huskies!

[Ingefanclub]

Buffalo led 20-10 after getting 5 turnovers but from that point on Connecticut scored 28 unanswered points to easily win. Donald Brown looked very good and the UConn defense stimied Buffalo. Willy was way off target for the Bulls.

The MAC is 0-4 now with Ball State the only hope for a win.
At one point UConn had 33 run plays and 1 pass play.

[T.O. Tiger Fan]

Very good crowd for the game today - just over 40,000. It helped that Buffalo is less than a 2 hour drive from Toronto.

[EatEmUpTigers711]

Really thought Buffalo was going to pull this one out but Brown just blew up and UConn dominated in the second half.

[A2 Buffalonian]

What a joke. UBs run defense was horrid, and their offense was way to conservative. Stack 9 in the box and make the UCONN QB throw, he was horrible. +4 in turnovers, and the other team completed like 2 passes, and we lost.

I'm still infuriated. Luckily it was still a very successful season, and UBs best ever, its sort of calming after letting than sink in.


/rant

[Ingefanclub]

Originally Posted by A2 Buffalonian

What a joke. UBs run defense was horrid, and their offense was way to conservative. Stack 9 in the box and make the UCONN QB throw, he was horrible. +4 in turnovers, and the other team completed like 2 passes, and we lost.

I'm still infuriated. Luckily it was still a very successful season, and UBs best ever, its sort of calming after letting than sink in.


/rant

The Connecticut QB ended up 4 for 6 for 49 yards. I think UConn decided that all they need to do is hand the ball off to Brown and no reason to pass. 49 rushes for 358 yards. I hope the Lions get some of those UConn lineman they were unstoppable.

[sbcaptain2]

Originally Posted by Ingefanclub

I hope the Lions get some of those UConn lineman they were unstoppable.

Senior left tackle Will Beatty is pretty darn good. He's also got good size at 6'6'' 310 lbs.

[sbcaptain2]

Frankly, it was quite obvious to me right from the start that UConn was flat out better. I don't want to sound arrogant or anything, but Buffalo didn't have the talent to stick around in this game. The UConn special teams was uncharacteristically bad in the first half, once we got that straightened out, we were fine. Even down 20-10 in the first half there was no doubt in my mind that UConn was going to win. UConn's defense is real good. Buffalo didn't see anything like them in the MAC.

[Ingefanclub]

Originally Posted by sbcaptain2

Frankly, it was quite obvious to me right from the start that UConn was flat out better. I don't want to sound arrogant or anything, but Buffalo didn't have the talent to stick around in this game. The UConn special teams was uncharacteristically bad in the first half, once we got that straightened out, we were fine. Even down 20-10 in the first half there was no doubt in my mind that UConn was going to win. UConn's defense is real good. Buffalo didn't see anything like them in the MAC.

I kind of agree with you that UConn had more talent but Ball State was also a better team than Buffalo and Buffalo beat the stuffing out of them.

The reason Buffalo beat Ball State was turnovers. Buffalo forced several Ball State turnovers. The same thing happened in this bowl game except that Buffalo wasn't really forcing turnovers ...it was UConn turning the ball over on special teams on bad plays.

Ball State would have creamed Buffalo had the turnover battle been even in that game but a stat in the International Bowl showed Buffalo was one of the nations leading team in forcing turnovers so that is really no fluke it is the way the Bulls play.

I just chalked this UConn game up to the fact that the Huskies match up very well with the Bulls. THat and Lorenzen when healthy makes the Husky team much better... had he not gotten hurt UConn may have been a top 20 club.

[DTroppens]

Originally Posted by sbcaptain2

Frankly, it was quite obvious to me right from the start that UConn was flat out better. I don't want to sound arrogant or anything, but Buffalo didn't have the talent to stick around in this game. The UConn special teams was uncharacteristically bad in the first half, once we got that straightened out, we were fine. Even down 20-10 in the first half there was no doubt in my mind that UConn was going to win. UConn's defense is real good. Buffalo didn't see anything like them in the MAC.

I agree with most of this post. Although down 20-10 and shooting yourself in the foot hardly made you feel "no doubt." When those things start happening, you never can tell how that creates a psyche on both teams.

Buffalo looked like a joke trying to stop Conn's ground game. And I think most of the MAC teams would've had just as great issues trying to do so. I'm glad CMU's D didn't have to go against that ground game.

So much good happened for Buffalo and yet they got blown out. The MAC is showing that it may be the worst 1A football conference during this bowl season. Even the top games the MAC can put in as a feather to their cap came against bad Big 10 teams and the Big Ten is proving just how good it was this year.

[sbcaptain2]

Originally Posted by DTroppens

I agree with most of this post. Although down 20-10 and shooting yourself in the foot hardly made you feel "no doubt." When those things start happening, you never can tell how that creates a psyche on both teams.

Maybe not "no doubt," but you would be surprised by how much confidence there was in the UConn fan section.

[DTroppens]

Originally Posted by sbcaptain2

Maybe not "no doubt," but you would be surprised by how much confidence there was in the UConn fan section.

Don't be thumping your chest too much there.

[Hongbit]

I've got to give a ton of credit to UConn. They've created a blueprint on how to make the move up to FBS. 9 seasons ago, they began their first season in FBS as an independent playing in a 15,000 seat stadium and was generally regarded as one of worst teams in the country. Making matters worse they were situated right smack in the middle of a recruiting wasteland barren of any type of high school talent. Less than a decade later they play in a new stadium in a BCS conference and have gone to bowl games in 3 of the last 5 seasons. Impressive work by Mr. Randy Edsall.

[bobb]

Wonder if Barclay showed up to cheer on his pick,Turner Gill.
Ohhhh,that's right,he has more pressing personal matters to handle.

[sbcaptain2]

Originally Posted by DTroppens

Don't be thumping your chest too much there.

I actually have several friends that go to MAC schools, so I root for them when they arn't playing my school. I grew up in Kalamazoo.