# 2008 Buffalo Bulls football team

The 2008 Buffalo Bulls football team represented the University at Buffalo in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. 2008 was a season of firsts for the Bulls. With a 40–34 double overtime win over Bowling Green on November 21, the Bulls won the MAC East division and gained a berth to the MAC Championship for the first time. The Bulls won their first conference championship by beating #12 ranked and previously undefeated Ball State, 42–24 on December 5. The win was also Buffalo's first against a ranked opponent and ensured a winning season for the first time since Buffalo returned to the top-level of college football in 1999. They earned an invitation to the International Bowl at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, their first trip to a bowl game in their history, exactly fifty years after the Bulls turned down their only previous bowl bid, to the Tangerine Bowl, when they were told by the bowl's organizers that their two black players would not be allowed to play. The Bulls also received their first votes in the USA Today Coaches' Poll after winning the MAC Championship when UTEP coach Mike Price voted the Bulls #23 on his ballot. On December 16, Buffalo announced head coach Turner Gill agreed to a contract extension and a raise. Gill's contract now runs through 2013 and makes him one of the highest-paid coaches in the MAC. The ending of the season was bittersweet as the Bulls lost to the Connecticut Huskies 38-20 in the International Bowl, but the Bulls were able to give about two dozen members of the 1958 Bulls team the bowl experience they missed by inviting them to be honorary captains for the game.

## Notable players

* Drew Willy, Quarterback
* Naaman Roosevelt, Wide receiver
* James Starks, Running back
* Ronald Hilaire, Defensive Lineman

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 28 | 7:00 pm | UTEP* | University at Buffalo StadiumAmherst, NY | TWCSN | W 42–17 | 16,656 |
| September 6 | 6:00 pm | at Pittsburgh* | Heinz FieldPittsburgh, PA | ESPN+ | L 16–27 | 42,494 |
| September 13 | 12:00 pm | Temple | University at Buffalo StadiumAmherst, NY | ESPN+ | W 30–28 | 18,333 |
| September 20 | 2:00 pm | at No. 5 Missouri* | Faurot FieldColumbia, MO | | L 21–42 | 65,566 |
| September 27 | 4:00 pm | at Central Michigan | Kelly/Shorts StadiumMount Pleasant, MI | | L 25–27 | 21,032 |
| October 11 | 3:30 pm | Western Michigan | University at Buffalo StadiumAmherst, NY | TWCSN | L 28–34 $^{OT}$ | 15,025 |
| October 18 | 3:30 pm | Army* | University at Buffalo StadiumAmherst, NY | TWCSN | W 27–24 $^{OT}$ | 21,719 |
| October 28 | 7:00 pm | at Ohio | Peden StadiumAthens, OH | ESPNU | W 32–19 | 10,042 |
| November 4 | 7:30 pm | Miami (OH) | University at Buffalo StadiumAmherst, NY | ESPN2 | W 37–17 | 16,058 |
| November 13 | 7:00 pm | at Akron | Rubber BowlAkron, OH | ESPNU | W 43–40 $^{4OT}$ | 18,516 |
| November 21 | 6:00 pm | at Bowling Green | Doyt Perry StadiumBowling Green, OH | BCSN | W 40–34 $^{2OT}$ | 13,284 |
| November 28 | 2:00 pm | Kent State | University at Buffalo StadiumAmherst, NY | TWCSN | L 21–24 | 13,754 |
| December 5 | 8:00 pm | vs. No. 12 Ball State | Ford FieldDetroit, MI (MAC Championship) | ESPN2 | W 42–24 | 12,871 |
| January 3 | 12:00 pm | vs. Connecticut* | Rogers CentreToronto, ON (International Bowl) | ESPN2 | L 20–38 | 40,184 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from USA Today/Coaches Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in EST time |||||||

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: — = Not ranked :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Final |
| AP | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Coaches | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Harris | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Not released |
| BCS | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Not released |