The Buffalo Wings are a professional indoor football team based in Buffalo, New York. The team was announced in late 2007 as one of the OIF2's eight expansion teams for 2008. The 10-team OIF2 serves as the official developmental league for the 36-team OIFL. Buffalo has fielded numerous teams in both the OIFL and OIF2 in previous seasons.
The franchise is currently in the OIF2's 5-team Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in downtown Buffalo's HSBC Arena. The team's owner is Adam Tupitza, the general manager is Jason Graham, and the head coach is Michael Watts. The team's colors are orange, purple, gray, and white. The team's logo consists of a standing purple buffalo with an extended orange wing. The team's home uniform is a orange jersey and gray pants with purple and white accents. The road uniform is a white jersey and orange pants with purple and gray accents. Additionally, the team has an alternate home uniform with purple jerseys and white pants with gray and orange accents. The team's helmet is orange, with a purple and gray double stripe down the middle, a purple facemask, and the team's logo. The team's first player (and first draft pick) was quarterback Gordon Elmore. Elmore would eventually be relegated to backup status, as QB Spencer Morrow was loaned down from the OIFL to start.
In the team's first ever competitive match, the Wings defeated the rival Toronto Assault by the score of 49-28 in a neutral site scrimmage held in Hamilton, Ontario. The team's first injury also came in this scrimmage. WRDB Tarvaris Holmes became sidelined for over three months with a torn ACL. The team had no problems in their first ever preseason, easily winning two games in late June, one in Eugene, Oregon and one at HSBC Arena.
The first regular season game in Wings history was a success. On Saturday, July 12, the team headed south to Pennsylvania to take on the Philadelphia Colonials. A conference battle that was hyped as the game of the week, the Wings left town with a 52-42 victory sparked by the 4 rushing touchdown effort from RB Brian Cameron. A week later, the Wings played the franchise's first home regular season game. In front of a sold out crowd, the Wings completely obliterated the Carroll County Cannons by the score of 84-16. The Wings remained undefeated throughout the first two months of the regular season, but this finally came to an end in a tough double overtime loss in Cedar Falls by the score of 55-54. Nonetheless, the team went on to win the regular season with a record of 9-1 and clinched the Eastern Conference regular season title. Head coach Michael Watts coached the OIF2 All-Star Team's offense in the annual OIF2-Rookie Classic.
On October 19, 2008, the Wings defeated the D.C. Conspiracy 41-27 in the 2008 Eastern Conference Championship, held at HSBC Arena. The Wings sported their purple alternate uniforms for the team's only home postseason game of 2008. In front of a soldout crowd, RBLB Brian Cameron shined, rumbling for 79 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns as well as a fumble recovery return for a touchdown. With the victory, the Buffalo Wings headed to the OIF2's championship game in Brinkhaven, Ohio.
The 2008 OIF2 Championship, held on October 26, 2008, pitted Buffalo against the Western Conference Champion Eugene Knights. The two clubs were the only OIF2 teams to finish the 2008 regular season with records above .500. In what was proclaimed a battle of two titans, the Wings claimed the title of 2008 OIF2 Champion with a 52-38 victory in the Bombing Square. WRDB Alex Emmons shined, racking up 4 total touchdowns, one via an interception return for a touchdown. DS Ivan Wynne also played a large role in the victory, picking off Eugene QB Scott Johnson twice, returning one for a touchdown.
Following the championship victory, the Wings were offered an invitation into the OIFL for the 2009 season. The team got their first taste of OIFL action in November '08, as they were awarded the number 4 seed in the OIFL's Gravy Bowl postseason tournament. In the Gravy Bowl semifinal, the Wings headed to Fresno, CA to take on the Fresno Bobcats. The Wings made history as the first OIF2 standing team to defeat a OIFL standing team in a postseason tournament with a stunning 33-31 victory. The victory gave the Wings a spot in the Gravy Bowl Championship. The WIngs will head to Baltimore, MD to take on the Baltimore Breakers. The Gravy Bowl champion will receive the number 1 overall selection in the 2009 OIFL Draft.