TORONTO — Connecticut's Donald Brown showed he has nothing left to prove at the college level.

Brown ran for a career-best 261 yards in his final college game, helping the Huskies overcome five first-half fumbles to beat Buffalo, 38-20, in the International Bowl yesterday.

After becoming the 14th player in major college history to run for 2,000 yards in a season, the junior running back broke the bad news to UConn fans.

"OK, tell them, bud," coach Randy Edsall said, slapping Brown on the back at the postgame interview table.

"I'm not coming back," Brown said. "I'm going to pursue the NFL."

He then apologized for saying three weeks ago that he planned to return to Connecticut for his senior season.

The nation's leading rusher said he made the commitment to return to stop speculation and negate a potential distraction for his team heading into the game at Toronto.

"I apologize for quote, unquote lying, but I did it to protect my team," Brown said. "They mean the world to me, so I'm willing to put my neck on the line for them."

Brown scored on a 45-yard run and then added a career-best 75-yarder to set up quarterback Tyler Lorenzen's touchdown run.

Lorenzen then put the Huskies ahead for good 10 minutes into the third quarter by completing his first pass, a 4-yarder to tight end Steve Brouse for a 24-20 lead.

The Huskies (8-5) won their second of three bowl appearances since joining the Big East in 2004.

The Mid-American champion Bulls (8-6) had their breakout season under coach Turner Gill end with a loss in their bowl debut. Buffalo scored all its points off turnovers.

BUFFALO 3 17 0 0 — 20

CONNECTICUT 7 10 7 14 — 38

FIRST QUARTER

Buff—FG Principe 38, 4:26.

Conn—D.Brown 45 run (Teggart kick), 4:07.

SECOND QUARTER

Conn—FG Teggart 32, 14:11.

Buff—Long recovered fumble in end zone (Principe kick), 11:36.

Buff—FG Principe 29, 8:22.

Buff—Starks 4 run (Principe kick), 7:55.

Conn—Lorenzen 13 run (Teggart kick), 4:01.

THIRD QUARTER

Conn—Brouse 4 pass from Lorenzen (Teggart kick), 5:22.

FOURTH QUARTER

Conn—Lorenzen 15 run (Teggart kick), 4:44.

Conn—Deleston 100 interception return (Teggart kick), 2:15.

A—40,184.

             Buff Conn

First downs 10 19

Rushes-yards 19-24 49-358

Passing 213 49

Comp-Att-Int 29-43-1 4-6-0

Return Yards 8 146

Punts-Avg. 10-43.5 3-42.0

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 6-5

Penalties-Yards 5-25 3-29

Time of Possession 33:06 26:54

RUSHING—Buffalo, Starks 13-25, Thermilus 3-5, Willy 3-(minus 6). Connecticut, D.Brown 29-261, Todman 7-62, Lorenzen 12-32, Sherman 1-3.

PASSING—Buffalo, Willy 29-43-1-213. Connecticut, Lorenzen 4-6-0-49.

RECEIVING—Buffalo, Starks 11-21, Roosevelt 8-90, Hamlin 4-54, Rack 3-22, E.Jackson 2-17, Rice 1-9. Connecticut, K.Moore 1-18, Butler 1-16, Sherman 1-11, Brouse 1-4.