2009 Sun Belt Conference football season

The 2009 Sun Belt Conference football season was an NCAA football season that was played from September 3, 2009, to January 6, 2010. The Sun Belt Conference consists of 9 football members: Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Troy, and Western Kentucky who becomes a full-time member in 2009 after 2 seasons as an independent and conditional member who played a limited Sun Belt schedule after transitioning from the Football Championship Subdivision. Troy won the Sun Belt Championship and played in the GMAC Bowl where they lost in two overtimes to Central Michigan. Middle Tennessee was the only other Sun Belt member to be invited to a bowl game, the New Orleans Bowl, where they defeated Southern Mississippi.

2009 Sun Belt Conference football season
LeagueNCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision)
Sportfootball
DurationSeptember 3, 2009
through January 6, 2010
Number of teams9
TV partner(s)ESPN
2010 NFL Draft
Top draft pickAlex Carrington
Picked byBuffalo Bills, 72nd overall
Regular season
ChampionTroy
Season MVPLevi Brown
Football seasons
← 2008
2010 →
2009 Sun Belt Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Troy $   8 0     9 4  
Middle Tennessee   7 1     10 3  
Louisiana–Monroe   5 3     6 6  
Florida Atlantic   5 3     5 7  
Louisiana–Lafayette   4 4     6 6  
Arkansas State   3 5     4 8  
FIU   3 5     3 9  
North Texas   1 7     2 10  
Western Kentucky   0 8     0 12  
  • $ – Conference champion

Previous season

edit

Troy (8–5) were the Sun Belt champions and lost to Southern Mississippi in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl 30–27.

Three other Sun Belt teams, Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, and Louisiana-Lafayette, were bowl eligible with records of 6-6, but only Florida Atlantic was invited to a bowl game, the Motor City Bowl defeating Central Michigan 24–21.

Preseason

edit

Preseason poll

edit

The 2009 Sun Belt coaches preseason poll was announced during a two-day media web-based event on July 20 and 21.[1] Defending champion Troy was selected as the favorite to win the conference.

Sun Belt Coaches Poll

edit
  1. Troy – 72 (5)
  2. Arkansas State – 69
  3. Florida Atlantic – 61 (1)
  4. Middle Tennessee – 52
  5. Florida International - 43 (1)
  6. Louisiana-Lafayette – 39 (1)
  7. Louisiana-Monroe – 34 (1)
  8. North Texas – 18
  9. Western Kentucky - 17

Award watch lists

edit
Award School Player
Bronko Nagurski Trophy[2] Troy Brandon Lang
Dave Rimington Trophy[3] Florida International Brad Serini
Louisiana-Lafayette Chris Fisher
Middle Tennessee Mark Thompson
Troy Danny Franks
Lombardi Award[4] Arkansas State Alex Carrington
Louisiana-Lafayette Brad Bustle
Louisiana-Lafayette Chris Fisher
Louisiana-Monroe Cardia Jackson
Troy Danny Franks
Troy Brandon Lang
Troy Boris Lee
Troy Cameron Sheffield
Troy Bear Woods
Manning Award[5] Arkansas State Corey Leonard
Florida Atlantic Rusty Smith
Troy Levi Brown
Lou Groza Award[6] Arkansas State Josh Arauco
Troy Sam Glusman
Outland Trophy[7] Louisiana-Lafayette Chris Fisher
Fred Biletnikoff Award[8] Florida Atlantic Cortez Gent
Florida International T. Y. Hilton
Troy Jerrel Jernigan
Walter Camp Award[9] Florida Atlantic Rusty Smith
Doak Walker Award[10] Arkansas State Reggie Arnold
Middle Tennessee Phillip Tanner
Troy DuJuan Harris
Davey O'Brien Award[11] Florida Atlantic Rusty Smith

Regular season

edit
Index to colors and formatting
Sun Belt member won
Sun Belt member lost
Sun Belt teams in bold

All times reflect the local time for that team (Central Time-Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee, North Texas and Troy. Eastern Time- Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Western Kentucky). Conference games times are that of the home team.

Rankings reflect that of the USA Today Coaches poll for that week until week eight when the BCS rankings will be used.

Week One

edit
Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance
September 3 6:00 p.m. Troy Bowling Green Doyt Perry StadiumBowling Green, OH L 31-14 14,514
September 3 6:30 p.m. North Texas Ball State Scheumann StadiumMuncie, IN ESPNU W 20-10 16,054
September 5 12:20 p.m. Western Kentucky Tennessee Neyland StadiumKnoxville, TN L 63-7 98,761
September 5 5:00 p.m. Middle Tennessee Clemson Memorial StadiumClemson, SC L 37-14 75,000
September 5 6:00 p.m. Mississippi Valley State Arkansas State ASU StadiumJonesboro, AR W 61-0 21,056
September 5 6:00 p.m. Southern Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun FieldLafayette, LA W 42–19 41,357
September 5 6:00 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe #2 Texas Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial StadiumAustin, TX FSN L 59-20 101,096
September 5 7:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic #22 Nebraska Memorial StadiumLincoln, NE FSN L 49-3 85,719

Week Two

edit
Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance
September 12 11:20 a.m. Troy #1 Florida Ben Hill Griffin StadiumGainesville, FL L 56-6 90,349
September 12 1:00 p.m. Arkansas State #18 Nebraska Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE FSN L 38-9 85,035
September 12 6:00 p.m. Kansas State Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA W 17-15 16,431
September 12 6:00 p.m. Texas Southern Louisiana-Monroe Malone StadiumMonroe, LA W 58-0 9,330
September 12 6:00 p.m. Memphis Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd StadiumMurfreesboro, TN W 31-14 28,105
September 12 6:00 p.m. Ohio North Texas Fouts FieldDenton, TX L 31–30 in 2OT 16,674
September 12 7:00 p.m. Florida International #4 Alabama Bryant–Denny StadiumTuscaloosa, AL L 40-14 92,012
September 12 7:30 p.m. South Florida Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY ESPNU L 35-13 20,568

Week Three

edit
Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance
September 19 12:20 p.m. North Texas #4 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL SEC Network L 53-7 92,012
September 19 2:30 p.m. Middle Tennessee Maryland Byrd StadiumCollege Park, MD W 32-31 43,167
September 19 2:30 p.m. Alabama-Birmingham Troy Movie Gallery StadiumTroy, AL W 27-14 21,182
September 19 5:00 p.m. Florida International Rutgers Rutgers StadiumPiscataway, NJ L 23-15 45,273
September 19 6:00 p.m. Louisiana-Lafayette Louisiana State Tiger StadiumBaton Rouge, LA ESPNU L 31-3 92,443
September 19 7:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic South Carolina Williams-Brice StadiumColumbia, SC L 38-16 72,017
September 19 7:00 p.m. Central Arkansas Western Kentucky Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY L 28-7 19,044
September 19 9:00 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe Arizona State Sun Devil StadiumTempe, AZ FSN L 38-14 43,780

Week Four

edit
Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance
September 26 3:30 p.m. Troy Arkansas State ASU StadiumJonesboro, AR CST TROY 30-27 23,641
September 26 4:00 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe Florida Atlantic Lockhart StadiumFt. Lauderdale, FL ULM 27-25 14,229
September 26 6:00 p.m. Louisiana-Lafayette #24 Nebraska Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE FSN L 55-0 86,304
September 26 6:00 p.m. Middle Tennessee North Texas Fouts FieldDenton, TX MTSU 37-21 22,346
September 26 6:00 p.m. Western Kentucky Navy Navy–Marine Corps Memorial StadiumAnnapolis, MD L 38-22 29,009
September 26 7:00 p.m. Toledo Florida Atlantic FIU StadiumMiami, FL L 41-31 11,047

Week Five

edit
Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance
October 3 11:00 a.m. Arkansas State #17 Iowa Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA ESPN2 L 24-21 67,989
October 3 2:30 p.m. Florida International Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA Sun Belt Network ULM 48-35 17,610
October 3 4:00 p.m. Wyoming Florida Atlantic Lockhart Stadium • Ft. Lauderdale, FL L 30-28 15,744

Week Six

edit
Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance
October 6 7:00 p.m. Middle Tennessee Troy Movie Gallery Stadium • Troy, AL ESPN2 TROY 31-7 17,108
October 10 6:00 p.m. North Texas Louisiana-Lafayette Cajan Field • Lafayette, LA Sun Belt Network ULL 38-34 12,141
October 10 7:00 p.m. Florida International Western Kentucky Houchens Industries - L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY FIU 37-20 13,574

Week Seven

edit
Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance
October 13 7:00 p.m. Arkansas State Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA ESPN2 ULM 16-10 14,378
October 17 11:30 a.m. Mississippi State Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, Tennessee ESPNU L 27-6 23,882
October 17 5:00 p.m. Louisiana-Lafayette Western Kentucky Houchens Industries Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY ULL 30-22 11,919
October 17 6:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic North Texas Fouts Field • Denton, TX Sun Belt Network UNT 40-44 23,319
October 17 7:00 p.m. Troy Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami, FL TROY 42-33 10,142

Week Eight

edit
Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance
October 24 2:30 p.m. North Texas Troy Movie Gallery Stadium • Troy, AL TROY 50-26 20,032
October 24 2:30 p.m. Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, Tennessee MTSU 62-24 17,787
October 24 4:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA FAU 51-29 21,135
October 24 6:00 p.m. Florida International Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, AR ASU 27-10 18,779
October 24 6:00 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe Kentucky Commonwealth StadiumLexington, KY L 36-13 68,203

Week Nine

edit
Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance
October 31 12:00 p.m. Louisiana-Lafayette Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami, FL FIU 20–17 in OT 8,593
October 31 2:30 p.m. Arkansas State Louisville Papa John's Cardinal StadiumLouisville, KY L 21-13 21,497
October 24 3:15 p.m. Western Kentucky North Texas Fouts Field • Denton, TX Sun Belt Network UNT 68-49 11,214
October 31 4:00 p.m. Middle Tennessee Florida Atlantic Lockhart Stadium • Ft. Lauderdale, FL MTSU 27-20 15,568
October 31 6:00 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe Troy Movie Gallery Stadium • Troy, AL TROY 42-21 17,106

Week Ten

edit
Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance
November 7 2:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic Alabama Birmingham Legion FieldBirmingham, AL L 56-29 17,283
November 7 2:30 p.m. Louisiana-Lafayette Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, AR Sun Belt Network ULL 21-18 16,215
November 7 3:00 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe North Texas Fouts Field • Denton, TX ULM 33-6 12,167
November 7 3:30 p.m. Florida International Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, Tennessee MTSU 48-21 17,808
November 7 5:00 p.m. Troy Western Kentucky Houchens Industries Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY TROY 40-20 16,747

Week Eleven

edit
Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance
November 14 3:00 p.m. Western Kentucky Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA ULM 21-18 16,229
November 14 3:15 p.m. Louisiana-Lafayette Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, Tennessee Sun Belt Network MTSU 34-17 16,411
November 14 4:00 p.m. Arkansas State Florida Atlantic Lockhart Stadium • Ft. Lauderdale, FL FAU 35-18 16,218
November 14 6:30 p.m. Troy Arkansas Razorback StadiumFayetteville, AR L 56-20 66,442
November 14 7:00 p.m. North Texas Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami, FL FIU 35-28 11,128

Week Twelve

edit
Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance
November 21 12:30 p.m. Florida International #1 Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL L 62-3 90,473
November 21 3:00 p.m. Army North Texas Fouts Field • Denton, Texas L 17-13 23,647
November 21 3:15 p.m. Florida Atlantic Troy Movie Gallery Stadium • Troy, AL TROY 47-21 16,638
November 21 3:30 p.m. Arkansas State Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, Tennessee Sun Belt Network MTSU 38-14 19,111
November 21 6:00 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA ULL 21-17 8,689

Week Thirteen

edit
Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance
November 28 2:00 p.m. North Texas Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, AR ARST 30-26 8,754
November 28 3:30 p.m. Middle Tennessee Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA MTSU 11,896
November 28 4:00 p.m. Western Kentucky Florida Atlantic Lockhart Stadium • Ft. Lauderdale, FL FAU 29-23 14,671
November 28 6:00 p.m. Troy Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA TROY 48-31 12,245

Week Fourteen

edit
Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance
December 3 7:00 p.m. Arkansas State Western Kentucky Houchens Industries - L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY ARST 24-20 4,513
December 5 7:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami, FL FAU 28-21 10,108

Bowl games

edit
Bowl Game Date Stadium City Television Matchup/Results Attendance Payout (US$)
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl December 20, 2009 Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, LA ESPN Middle Tennessee 42, Southern Miss 32 30,228 $325,000
GMAC Bowl January 6, 2010 Ladd–Peebles Stadium Mobile, AL ESPN Central Michigan 44, Troy 41 2OT 34,486 $750,000

Attendance

edit
Team Stadium (capacity) Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Game 4 Game 5 Game 6 Total Average % of Capacity
Arkansas State ASU Stadium (30,964) 21,056 23,631 18,779 16,215 8,754 88,435 17,687 57.1
Florida Atlantic Lockhart Stadium (20,450) 14,229 15,744 15,568 16,218 14,671 76,460 15,286 74.7
Florida International FIU Stadium (20,000) 11,047 10,142 8,593 11,128 10,108 51,018 10,204 51.0
Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field (31,000) 41,357 16,431 12,141 21,135 8,689 12,245 111,998 18,666 60.2
Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium (30,427) 9,330 17,610 14,378 16,229 11,896 69,443 13,889 45.6
Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium (31,000) 28,105 23,882 17,787 17,808 16,411 19,111 120,104 20,017 64.6
North Texas Fouts Field (30,000) 16,674 22,346 23,319 11,214 12,167 85,720 17,144 57.1
Troy Movie Gallery Stadium (30,000) 21,182 17,108 20,032 17,106 16,638 92,066 18,413 61.4
Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium (22,000) 20,568 19,044 13,574 11,919 16,747 4,513 86,365 14,394 65.4

References

edit
  1. ^ "College Football Preview, 2009 Preseason Sun Belt Conference Football Poll". Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
  2. ^ "The Bronko Nagurski Charlotte Touchdown Club". Archived from the original on December 5, 2008. Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  3. ^ "Rimington Trophy". Archived from the original on May 22, 2009. Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  4. ^ Hugo Aguilar. "The Rotary Lombardi Award Website - 2009 Contenders". Archived from the original on December 14, 2009. Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  5. ^ "News / Allstate Sugar Bowl". Archived from the original on September 30, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
  6. ^ "PB Sports Commission - Lou Groza".
  7. ^ "FWAA > News > Outland Trophy Watch List".
  8. ^ "Home". biletnikoffaward.com.
  9. ^ "News – Walter Camp Football Foundation".
  10. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 22, 2009. Retrieved October 24, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ^ "2009 O'Brien Quarterback Award Watch List Announced - Davey O'Brien". Archived from the original on August 7, 2009. Retrieved October 24, 2009.