Buffalo Announces 2009 Football Schedule

Two home games to air on ESPN2; Bulls open home slate with Pittsburgh

BUFFALO, NY - Coming off a season that saw its first bowl appearance and Mid-American Conference championship, the University at Buffalo’s 2009 schedule features four games on the ESPN family of networks and a strong non-conference schedule that features Pittsburgh, UCF and the University of Texas-El Paso.

Once again in 2009, Buffalo will play six home games and six road games, including a visit to UB Stadium by Big East power Pittsburgh, who will open the home portion of the schedule on Saturday, September 12 at UB Stadium. The Bulls home schedule also features three straight home dates in early October as well as a pair of games that will be featured on ESPN2 against Mid-American Conference rivals in November.

Buffalo will host Central Michigan, in a clash of the past three MAC Champions, on Saturday, October 3. The following week, Football Championship Series member Gardner-Webb makes a visit to UB Stadium, while the Zips of Akron round out the three-week homestand with a game on October 17.

UB closes its home schedule with a pair of mid-week nationally-televised games against MAC rivals Bowling Green (Tues., Nov. 3), who the Bulls defeated to clinch the MAC East title last season, and Ohio (Tues., Nov. 10) on ESPN2.

The following week Buffalo will travel to Oxford, OH to face the RedHawks of Miami for another game that will air on ESPN (either ESPNU or ESPN2). Buffalo will conclude its regular season with another ESPN game at Kent State (ESPNU or ESPN 360), the day after Thanksgiving (Nov. 27).

The Bulls open the 2009 season on the road at UTEP, a team Buffalo defeated 42-17 to open the 2008 campaign, on Saturday, Sept. 5. Other road games include trips to Florida for a battle against UCF (Sept. 19), a MAC East showdown with Temple (Sept. 26) and a rematch with Western Michigan (Oct. 24), a team the Bulls lost to in overtime last season.

“There is no question that our program has reached a level of national notoriety and this schedule will afford us further opportunities for people to know what Buffalo Bulls football is all about,” said head coach Turner Gill. “We are thankful to the MAC office for granting us multiple national television opportunities – two of them at home. I think the enthusiasm of our students, community and alumni for UB football will be on full display for all of our home games this season. ”

Those wishing to reserve tickets for the 2009 season can contact the UB Ticket Office at 716-645-6666 or go to the following link on UB's website: http://www.ubathletics.buffalo.edu/tickets/requests.shtml.

Click here for the complete 2009 Schedule