Start date September 5, 2009 | Number of teams 8 | |
League NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) Duration September 3, 2009through January 2, 2010 Champion Cincinnati Bearcats football | ||
The 2009 Big East football season was an NCAA football season that was played from September 5, 2009, to January 2, 2010. The Big East Conference consists of 8 football members: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, South Florida, Syracuse, and West Virginia. Cincinnati won the Big East Championship for the second consecutive year and was invited to the Allstate Sugar Bowl where they lost to Florida 51–24. Overall the Big East went 4–2 in Bowl Games.
Contents
Previous season
Cincinnati (11-3) was the Big East champions and got the conference's automatic bid into the BCS and went to the Fedex Orange Bowl, losing to ACC champion Virginia Tech 20-7.
Five other Big East teams went to bowl games in 2008, finishing bowl play with a record of 4-2 as a conference. Connecticut (8-5) beat Buffalo 38-20 in the International Bowl. Pittsburgh (9-4) lost to Oregon State 3-0 in the Brut Sun Bowl. Rutgers (8-5) beat North Carolina State 29-23 in the PapaJohns.com Bowl. South Florida (8-5) beat Memphis 41-14 in the magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl. And West Virginia (9-4) beat North Carolina 31-30 in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. The only two teams not to go to a bowl game were Louisville (5-7) and Syracuse (3-9).
Preseason poll
The 2009 Big East Preseason Poll was announced at the Big East Media Day in Newport, RI on August 4. Pittsburgh was chosen as the favorite to win the conference.
Big East Media Poll
- Pittsburgh – 161 (8)
- West Virginia – 151 (5)
- Cincinnati – 144 (8)
- South Florida – 130 (3)
- Rutgers – 126
- Connecticut – 74
- Louisville – 51
- Syracuse – 27
Regular season
All times Eastern time.
Rankings reflect that of the USA Today Coaches poll for that week until week eight when the BCS rankings will be used.
Week One
Players of the Week
Week Two
Players of the Week
Week Three
Players of the Week
Week Four
Players of the Week
Week Five
Players of the Week
Week Six
Players of the Week
Week Seven
On October 18, UConn cornerback Jasper Howard was stabbed to death during a fight at an on campus dance. Howard had a career high 11 tackles and forced a 3rd quarter fumble to earn the game ball just hours before his death.
Players of the Week
Week Eight
Players of the Week
Week Nine
Players of the Week
Week Ten
Players of the Week
Week Eleven
Players of the Week
Week Twelve
Players of the Week
Week Thirteen
Players of the Week
Week Fourteen
Players of the Week
Records against other conferences
As of games through week 13
Big East Conference Awards
The following individuals received postseason honors as voted by the Big East Conference football coaches.