2018 Dollar General Bowl

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]

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
1 2 3 4 Total Buffalo 7 10 7 8 32 Troy 7 7 7 21 42
Date	December 22, 2018
Season	2018
Stadium	Ladd–Peebles Stadium
Location	Mobile, Alabama
MVP	Sawyer Smith (QB, Troy)[1]
Favorite	Buffalo by 2.5[2]
Referee	Jeff Flanagan (ACC)
Attendance	31,818
Payout	US$1,500,000 [3]
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN
Announcers	Anish Shroff, Ahmad Brooks and Roddy Jones
International TV coverage
Network	ESPN Deportes
Dollar General Bowl  < 2017  2020 (Jan.) >

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]