2018 Dollar General Bowl

2018 Dollar General Bowl
20th Dollar General Bowl
Buffalo Bulls Troy Trojans
(10–3) (9–3)
MAC Sun Belt
32 42
Head coach: 
Lance Leipold		 Head coach: 
Neal Brown
1234 Total
Buffalo 71078 32
Troy 77721 42
DateDecember 22, 2018
Season2018
StadiumLadd–Peebles Stadium
LocationMobile, Alabama
MVPSawyer Smith (QB, Troy)[1]
FavoriteBuffalo by 2.5[2]
RefereeJeff Flanagan (ACC)
Attendance31,818
PayoutUS$1,500,000 [3]
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN
AnnouncersAnish Shroff, Ahmad Brooks and Roddy Jones
International TV coverage
NetworkESPN Deportes
Dollar General Bowl
 < 2017  2020 (Jan.) > 

The 2018 Dollar General Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 22, 2018.[4] It was the 20th edition of the Dollar General Bowl, and one of the 2018–19 bowl games concluding the 2018 FBS football season. The game was sponsored by the Dollar General chain of variety stores.[a]

Teams

The game was played between teams from the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and the Sun Belt Conference.

Troy Trojans

Main article: 2018 Troy Trojans football team

On November 29, college football news organizations reported that Troy would play in the Dollar General Bowl,[6] which was confirmed via an official announcement on December 2.[7] The Trojans entered the bowl with a 10–3 record (7–1 in conference). This was Troy's third consecutive bowl appearance, following victories in the 2016 Dollar General Bowl and 2017 New Orleans Bowl.

Buffalo Bulls

Main article: 2018 Buffalo Bulls football team

Buffalo received and accepted a bid to the Dollar General Bowl on December 2.[7] The Bulls had a 10–3 record on the year (7–1 in conference), losing to Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship Game.[8] This was Buffalo's third bowl appearance, after losses in the 2009 International Bowl and 2013 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP UB TROY
1 13:12 5 75 1:48 UB Jaret Patterson 11-yard touchdown run, Adam Mitcheson kick good 7 0
1 11:47 3 74 1:25 TROY Tray Eafford 60-yard touchdown reception from Sawyer Smith, Tyler Sumpter kick good 7 7
2 11:11 14 96 5:58 UB Kevin Marks 1-yard touchdown run, Adam Mitcheson kick good 14 7
2 6:15 8 42 2:34 TROY Damion Willis 7-yard touchdown reception from Sawyer Smith, Typer Sumpter kick good 14 14
2 0:52 10 41 3:16 UB 41-yard field goal by Adam Mitcheson 17 14
3 9:41 10 75 5:19 TROY B.J. Smith 2-yard touchdown run, Tyler Sumpter kick good 17 21
3 5:23 UB Fumble recovery returned 93 yards for touchdown by Tyrone Hill, Adam Mitcheson kick good 24 21
4 14:13 12 69 6:10 TROY Damion Willis 2-yard touchdown reception from Sawyer Smith, Tyler Sumpter kick good 24 28
4 11:25 3 48 0:51 TROY Sidney Davis 45-yard touchdown reception from Sawyer Smith, Tyler Sumpter kick good 24 35
4 7:24 10 69 4:01 UB K. J. Osborn 3-yard touchdown reception from Tyree Jackson, 2-point pass good 32 35
4 3:09 1 20 0:05 TROY Sidney Davis 20-yard touchdown run, Tyler Sumpter kick good 32 42
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 32 42

Statistics

1 2 3 4 Total
Bulls 7 10 7 8 32
Trojans 7 7 7 21 42
Statistics UB TROY
First downs 20 21
Plays–yards 68–376 75–433
Rushes–yards 33–102 31–113
Passing yards 274 320
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–35–1 31–44–0
Time of possession 26:37 33:23
Team Category Player Statistics
Buffalo Passing Tyree Jackson 20/35, 274 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing Jaret Patterson 15 car, 67 yds, 1 TD
Receiving Antonio Nunn 4 rec, 87 yds
Troy Passing Sawyer Smith 31/44, 320 yds, 4 TD
Rushing B.J. Smith 20 car, 93 yds, 1 TD
Receiving Damion Willis 13 rec, 101 yds, 2 TD

Notes

  1. ^ The bowl has undergone various name changes during its history, with this being the last of three editions contested as the Dollar General Bowl. Dollar General ended its sponsorship of the bowl in May 2019.[5]

References

  1. ^ @DEwiseTrojan (December 22, 2018). "Sawyer Smith the Dollar General Bowl MVP after throwing 4 TDs to no INTs" (Tweet). Retrieved December 22, 2018 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Fawkes, Ben (December 10, 2018). "Odds for every 2018-19 CFB bowl game". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  3. ^ "2018 Bowl Schedule". CFP.com. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  4. ^ "2018-19 College Football Playoff and bowl schedule". ESPN. May 2, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  5. ^ "Mobile's college bowl game no longer called 'Dollar General Bowl'". WKRG-TV. May 29, 2019. Archived from the original on May 31, 2019. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  6. ^ "Sun Belt Bowls Determined; Georgia Southern, Troy Learn Their Destinations". November 29, 2018.
  7. ^ a b "TROY TROJANS AND BUFFALO BULLS TO FACE OFF IN DOLLAR GENERAL BOWL – Dollar General Bowl". Archived from the original on December 3, 2018. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  8. ^ Lenzi, Rachel (December 22, 2018). "UB loses to Troy, 42-32, in the Dollar General Bowl". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on September 29, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2019.