Buffalo-Connecticut: Mitch Picks The International Bowl

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