The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and (aside from all-star exhibition games that followed the bowl games) concluded with the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the Alabama Crimson Tide, defeating the Texas Longhorns for the National Championship by the score of 37–21.
This season saw two milestones related to the Heisman Trophy:
For the first time, two previous Heisman winners played in the same season—2008 winner Sam Bradford for Oklahoma and 2007 winner Tim Tebow of Florida.
For the first time since 1946, the top three vote-getters from the previous season all returned—Bradford, Colt McCoy of Texas, and Tebow.
The NCAA football rules committee proposed several rule changes for 2009. Before these rules were officially adopted, these proposals had to be approved by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel. The rule changes include the following:
If the home team wears colored jerseys, the visiting team may also wear colored jerseys; so long as the two teams have agreed to do so. This comes after a traditional USC-UCLA game where both teams wore their home uniforms. Previously, the visiting team would be charged a first-half timeout for illegal equipment.
If the punter carries the ball outside of the tackle box, he is no longer protected under the roughing the kicker penalty.
Deliberately grabbing the chin strap is now included as part of the face mask penalty.
The edge of the tackle box is defined as being five yards to the left and right of the snapper, rather than two parallel lines from the position of the offensive tackles.
Periods will not be extended for plays that result in loss of down (i.e. illegal forward pass).
If a defensive player is injured, the play clock will be reset to 40 seconds. The play clock will be reset to 25 seconds for an injury to an offensive player.
No teams upgraded from FCS (Division I-AA), leaving the number of FBS (Division I-A) schools fixed at 120.
There was only one conference change in 2009, with Western Kentucky leaving the Independent ranks to become the 9th member of the Sun Belt.
Brandon West of Western Michigan set the NCAA Division I FBS records for career all-purpose yards and career kick return yards. On November 14, West broke the record of 7,573 all-purpose yards set by DeAngelo Williams of Memphis. Against Michigan State on November 7, West broke the record of 2,945 return yards set by Jessie Henderson of SMU. West finished the season setting the records at 3,118 kick return yards and 7,764 total yards.
Russell Wilson of North Carolina State set a new Division I record for most passes attempted without an interception, breaking the previous record of 325 set by André Woodson of Kentucky from 2006–07. Wilson broke the record in the third quarter of the Pack's 45–14 win over Gardner-Webb on September 19. The streak ended at 379 on October 3 against Wake Forest. Wilson's last interception had been in the third quarter of the Wolfpack's game against Clemson on September 13, 2008.
Texas' Colt McCoy picked up his 43rd career win as a starting quarterback, breaking the previous FBS record of 42 by Georgia's David Greene, with a 51–20 win over Kansas on November 21. The record was extended to 45 with wins over Texas A&M in the regular-season finale and Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship Game. However, his streak ended at the BCS Championship when he was injured early in the first quarter, and the Longhorns lost 37-21.
C. J. Spiller of Clemson set a new record for career kickoff return touchdowns on the opening kickoff of the Tigers' game against archrival South Carolina on November 28. His seventh career TD return broke the previous record held by Anthony Davis of USC and Ashlan Davis of Tulsa.
Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour set a new FBS record for most combined career touchdowns passing, rushing, and receiving in the MAC Championship Game against Ohio. His two TD passes in the game gave him a career total of 148, surpassing the previous record of 147 held by Colt Brennan of Hawaiʻi and Graham Harrell of Texas Tech. In the GMAC Bowl, he passed for a TD and ran for another, ending his career with a total of 150 TDs.
On December 12, 2009 against rival Army, Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs ran for his 24th rushing touchdown on the season, giving him the single-season record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.
On December 30, 2009 in the Humanitarian Bowl against Idaho, Bowling Green wide receiver Freddie Barnes broke the single-season record for receptions, accumulating 155 total receptions on the year.
New, renovated, or expanded stadiums
Two FBS teams opened new stadiums on September 12:
Akron opened InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field against Morgan State, winning 41–0.
Minnesota christened their new TCF Bank Stadium with a win, defeating Air Force 20–13.
Missouri expanded Faurot Field from 68,349 to 71,004.
One unusual aspect of this season was that every conference in Division I FBS, even those that did not contest a championship game, had an undisputed champion. This last happened in 1983.
In July 2011, the NCAA released its findings in a 2-year investigation into allegations of a Georgia Tech player receiving $321 of clothing from a runner for an agent. While, no conclusive evidence was brought against the player, actions taken by the GT athletic department were perceived as an attempt to hinder the NCAA investigation into this offense. Despite requesting the investigation be kept a secret, the Georgia Tech AD informed Coach Paul Johnson of the investigation and the players in question found out as well. The NCAA determined that the Player should have been declared ineligible for the final three games of GT 2009 season. To punish Georgia Tech for an accused "Lack of Cooperation" and hindering the investigation, they were required to vacate the ACC Championship game win, along with other penalties. As such, there is currently no official 2009 ACC Champion. GT plans to appeal the decision.
Bowl Challenge Cup standings
* Does not meet minimum game requirement of three teams needed for a conference to be eligible. (In any case, "Independent" is not a conference, rather, it is the lack of one.)
The Heisman Trophy is given to the year's most outstanding player
Awards and honors
Walter Camp Award (top player): Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
Maxwell Award (top player): Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
AP Player of the Year: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
Bronko Nagurski Trophy (defensive player): Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
Campbell Trophy (academic award, formerly the Draddy Trophy): Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player): Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
Dave Rimington Trophy (center): Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida
Davey O'Brien Award (quarterback): Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
Dick Butkus Award (linebacker): Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama
Doak Walker Award (running back): Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford
Fred Biletnikoff Award (wide receiver): Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame
Jim Thorpe Award (defensive back): Eric Berry, CB, Tennessee
John Mackey Award (tight end): Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida
Johnny Unitas Award (Sr. quarterback): Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
Lombardi Award (top lineman): Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
Lott Trophy (defensive impact): Jerry Hughes, DE, TCU
Lou Groza Award (placekicker): Kai Forbath, K, UCLA
Manning Award (quarterback): Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
Outland Trophy (interior lineman): Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
Ray Guy Award (punter): Drew Butler, P, Georgia
Sammy Baugh Trophy (quarterback, specifically passer): Case Keenum, QB, Houston
Ted Hendricks Award (defensive end): Jerry Hughes, DE, TCU
Wuerffel Trophy (humanitarian-athlete): Tim Hiller, QB, Western Michigan
The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award: Brian Kelly, Cincinnati
AP Coach of the Year: Gary Patterson, TCU
Paul "Bear" Bryant Award (head coach): Chris Petersen, Boise State
Walter Camp Coach of the Year (head coach): Gary Patterson, TCU
Bobby Bowden National Collegiate Coach of the Year Award: Nick Saban, Alabama
Broyles Award (assistant coach): Kirby Smart, Alabama
Note:
All dates in November and December were in 2009; all January dates were in 2010.
Incoming coaches who were the designated replacement for their predecessors are in bold italics.
On December 26, Florida head coach Urban Meyer announced his resignation due to health concerns, effective after the Gators' Sugar Bowl appearance. However, Meyer had a change of heart and announced the following day that he would instead take an indefinite leave of absence, and expected to be back coaching by the start of the 2010 season. Offensive coordinator Steve Addazio took over Meyer's duties in his absence. Meyer returned from his self-imposed leave in time for Florida's 2010 spring practice.
1. December 5 - 2009 SEC Championship - CBS - 1 Florida vs 2 Alabama - 17.969 Million viewers
2. December 5 - 2009 Big 12 Championship - ESPN on ABC - 3 Texas vs 22 Nebraska - 12.693 Million viewers
3. September 12 - ESPN - 3 USC vs 8 Ohio State - 10.586 Million viewers
4. October 10 - CBS - 4 LSU vs 1 Florida - 10.496 Million viewers
5. October 17 - Red River Rivalry - ESPN on ABC - 20 Oklahoma vs 3 Texas - 8.713 Million Viewers
6. September 7 - ESPN - Miami vs 18 Florida State - 8.406 Million viewers
7. September 12 - ESPN on ABC - 18 Notre Dame vs Michigan - 8.391 Million viewers
8. November 27 - Iron Bowl - CBS - 2 Alabama vs Auburn - 8.124 Million viewers
9. October 3 - ESPN on ABC Regional - 8 Oklahoma vs 17 Miami & California vs 7 USC - 7.834 Million viewers
10. November 28 - CBS - Florida State vs 1 Florida - 7.491 Million viewers
