Starks, Packers Win Super Bowl
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By WKBW Sports
February 6, 2011
ARLINGTON, TX - (WKBW) Another trophy is headed to Western New York. Niagara Falls native and former University at Buffalo running back James Starks helped the Green Bay Packers defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday night 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV.
Starks, a rookie, started for the Packers. He ran the ball eleven times for 52 yards.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was the game's most valuable player. He tossed three touchdowns.
Below is more on Starks' championship night:
ARLINGTON, TX (UB) Former University at Buffalo star James Starks became the first former Bull to win a Super Bowl in 42 years as the Green Bay Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25, on Sunday night.
Starks, who led the Packers with 52 yards rushing on 11 carries a robust 4.7 yards per game becomes the first former UB player to win the sports biggest prize since UB Hall of Famer Gerry Philbin was part of the New York Jets Super Bowl III champions.
Starks was a big part of three Packers scoring drives as he started the game and was the only Packer running back to carry the ball in the game. The Niagara Falls native had three carries for 17 yards on Green Bay's first touchdown drive as the Packers started the game fast.
Leading 14-3, the Packers forced a second Pittsburgh first-half interception and Starks ripped off a 12-yard run that set up a four-play touchdown drive to put the Pack up 21-3. Then in the second half with the Packers clinging to a 28-25 lead, Starks had a 14-yard burst, his longest of the game, as Green Bay drove down for their insurance field goal in the final three minutes, which held up for the victory Green Bay's fourth Super Bowl crown.
Starks appearance in the Super Bowl was the second straight by a UB player and he became the fifth former Bull to be a part of the game, joining Philbin, Gemara Williams (New England Patriots, Super Bowl XLII) and Jamey Richard and Drew Willy with the Indianapolis Colts in last year's Super Bowl XLIV. Philbin, Richard and Starks are the three to see action in Super Bowl games.
Starks finished a dream playoff in which the sixth round draft choice bounced back from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the first 10 weeks of his rookie season. Starks rushed for 313 yards in four post-season games to helped lead the Packers to their first world championship since 1998. He also became just the second player in NFL history to gain 200 yards more in the post-season than in the regular season.
Starks rushed for 3,140 yards and scored 37 touchdowns in just three seasons with the Bulls after missing his entire senior season to a shoulder injury. Starks was one of 15 former Mid-American Conference players to participate in the game, including Green Bay receiver Greg Jennings (Western Michigan) who scored a pair of touchdowns.