Bulls to bowl in the Bahamas

The UB football team has been invited to play in the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl, it was announced yesterday. The Bulls will face Charlotte of Conference USA in Nassau, Bahamas, on Dec. 20. It will mark the second straight year and fourth time in school history UB will play in a bowl game. 

UB won five of its last six games to finish the regular season 7-5 overall and 5-3 in Mid-American Conference play. Running the ball and defense have been the keys to success for the Bulls this season. UB leads the MAC in rushing offense, averaging 254.2 yards per game, as well as in total defense, allowing 293.1 yards per contest.

It will be the Bulls’ first-ever meeting with Charlotte. The 49ers are 7-5 on the season and finished with a 5-3 conference mark. Charlotte is led by quarterback Chris Reynolds, who has thrown for 2,366 yards and 21 touchdowns on the year. 

“On behalf of President Satish Tripathi, I’m honored and very excited to accept a bowl invitation from the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl,” Athletic Director Mark Alnutt said. “I’m proud of the season our football program, under the guidance of head coach Lance Leipold, has had, which afforded us the ability to play a very important 13th game. The Bahamas Bowl provides a destination that will definitely create memorable moments for our student-athletes, coaches, staff and our fans. We look forward to making the trip south and sharing this first-class experience with a very good Charlotte program.”

The Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl is played at Thomas Robinson Stadium in Nassau. The game is scheduled to kick off at 2 p.m. (EST), and will air nationally on ESPN. 

“We are extremely excited to earn an invitation to the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl,” Leipold said. “Our past conference participants have raved about the experience and hospitality, and our program is thrilled for this opportunity. Coach [Will] Healy and his staff have done a tremendous job at Charlotte, and we are looking forward to the challenge of playing his team.”

Tickets to the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl go on sale at the UB Athletics Ticket Office starting at 9 a.m. today. Ticket information can be found on the UB Athletics’ website. 

Fans interested in traveling to the Bahamas for the game should visit MakersWantedBahamasBowl.com; click on the “Bowl Travel” tab and select “Atlantis Bahamas.”