2008 Buffalo Bulls football team
| 2008 Buffalo Bulls football | |
|---|---|
MAC champion MAC East Division champion | |
| Conference | Mid-American Conference |
| East Division | |
| Record | 8–6 (5–3 MAC) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Turner Gill (1st season) |
| Captains |
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| Home stadium | University at Buffalo Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| East Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Buffalo x$ | 5 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling Green | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Temple | 4 | – | 4 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Akron | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kent State | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Miami (OH) | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ball State x | 8 | – | 0 | 12 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Central Michigan | 6 | – | 2 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Michigan | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Illinois | 5 | – | 3 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Toledo | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Michigan | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Buffalo 42, Ball State 24 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2008 Buffalo Bulls football team represented the University at Buffalo as a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by third-year head coach Turner Gill, the Bulls compiled an overall record of 8–6 with a mark of 5–3 in conference play, winning the MAC's East Division title. Buffalo advanced to the MAC Championship Game, where the Bulls defeated Ball State to win the conference crown. Buffalo closed out the season with a loss to Connecticut in the International Bowl. The team played home games at the University at Buffalo Stadium in Amherst, New York.
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 Game for the first time. The win over Ball State in the conference title game was 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. The International Bowl was the program's first appearance in a bowl game, coming 50 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 African American players would not be allowed to play.[1] About two dozen members of the 1958 Buffalo Bulls football team, which declined the Tangerine Bowl, served as honorary captains for the International Bowl. The Bulls received their first votes in the Coaches Poll after winning the MAC Championship Game, when UTEP coach Mike Price voted the Bulls No. 23 on his ballot.
On December 16, Buffalo announced that Gill had agreed to a contract extension and a raise.[2]
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 28 | 7:00 pm | UTEP* | TWCSN | W 42–17 | 16,656 | |
| September 6 | 6:00 pm | at Pittsburgh* | ESPN Plus | L 16–27 | 42,494 | |
| September 13 | 12:00 pm | Temple |
| ESPN Plus | W 30–28 | 18,333 |
| September 20 | 2:00 pm | at No. 5 Missouri* | L 21–42 | 65,566 | ||
| September 27 | 4:00 pm | at Central Michigan | L 25–27 | 21,032 | ||
| October 11 | 3:30 pm | Western Michigan |
| TWCSN | L 28–34 OT | 15,025 |
| October 18 | 3:30 pm | Army* |
| TWCSN | W 27–24 OT | 21,719 |
| October 28 | 7:00 pm | at Ohio | ESPNU | W 32–19 | 10,042 | |
| November 4 | 7:30 pm | Miami (OH) |
| ESPN2 | W 37–17 | 16,058 |
| November 13 | 7:00 pm | at Akron | ESPNU | W 43–40 4OT | 18,516 | |
| November 21 | 6:00 pm | at Bowling Green | BCSN | W 40–34 2OT | 13,284 | |
| November 28 | 2:00 pm | Kent State |
| TWCSN | L 21–24 | 13,754 |
| December 5 | 8:00 pm | vs. No. 12 Ball State | ESPN2 | W 42–24 | 12,871 | |
| January 3 | 12:00 pm | vs. Connecticut* | ESPN2 | L 20–38 | 40,184 | |
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Rankings
| 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 | |||
| BCS | Not released | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Not released | ||||||
References
- ^ "All Or Nothing". ESPN. November 20, 2008. Archived from the original on December 10, 2008. Retrieved December 9, 2008.
- ^ "Gill extended through 2013". ESPN. December 16, 2008. Archived from the original on December 17, 2008. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
- ^ "Buffalo Bulls Schedule 2008". ESPN. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
- ^ "2008 Buffalo Bulls Schedule and Results". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved September 2, 2025.