2009 Sun Belt Conference football season explained
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.
Previous season
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
Preseason poll
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
- Troy – 72 (5)
- Arkansas State – 69
- Florida Atlantic – 61 (1)
- Middle Tennessee – 52
- Florida International - 43 (1)
- Louisiana-Lafayette – 39 (1)
- Louisiana-Monroe – 34 (1)
- North Texas – 18
- Western Kentucky - 17
Award watch lists
Regular season
Index to colors and formatting |
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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
Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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September 3 | 6:00 p.m. | Troy | | | | L 31-14 | 14,514 |
September 3 | 6:30 p.m. | North Texas | | | | W 20-10 | 16,054 |
September 5 | 12:20 p.m. | Western Kentucky | | | | L 63-7 | 98,761 |
September 5 | 5:00 p.m. | Middle Tennessee | | | | L 37-14 | 75,000 |
September 5 | 6:00 p.m. | | Arkansas State | | | W 61-0 | 21,056 |
September 5 | 6:00 p.m. | | Louisiana-Lafayette | | | W 42–19 | 41,357 |
September 5 | 6:00 p.m. | Louisiana-Monroe | | | | L 59-20 | 101,096 |
September 5 | 7:00 p.m. | Florida Atlantic | | | FSN | L 49-3 | 85,719 | |
Week Two
Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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September 12 | 11:20 a.m. | Troy | | | | 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. | | Louisiana-Lafayette | Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA | | W 17-15 | 16,431 |
September 12 | 6:00 p.m. | | Louisiana-Monroe | | | W 58-0 | 9,330 |
September 12 | 6:00 p.m. | | Middle Tennessee | | | W 31-14 | 28,105 |
September 12 | 6:00 p.m. | | North Texas | | | L 31-30 in 2OT | 16,674 |
September 12 | 7:00 p.m. | Florida International | | | | L 40-14 | 92,012 |
September 12 | 7:30 p.m. | | Western Kentucky | | ESPNU | L 35-13 | 20,568 | |
Week Three
Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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September 19 | 12:20 p.m. | North Texas | - 4 Alabama
| Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL | | L 53-7 | 92,012 |
September 19 | 2:30 p.m. | Middle Tennessee | | | | W 32-31 | 43,167 |
September 19 | 2:30 p.m. | | Troy | | | W 27-14 | 21,182 |
September 19 | 5:00 p.m. | Florida International | | | | L 23-15 | 45,273 |
September 19 | 6:00 p.m. | Louisiana-Lafayette | | | ESPNU | L 31-3 | 92,443 |
September 19 | 7:00 p.m. | Florida Atlantic | | | | L 38-16 | 72,017 |
September 19 | 7:00 p.m. | | Western Kentucky | Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY | | L 28-7 | 19,044 |
September 19 | 9:00 p.m. | Louisiana-Monroe | | | FSN | L 38-14 | 43,780 | |
Week Four
Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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September 26 | 3:30 p.m. | Troy | Arkansas State | | | TROY 30-27 | 23,641 |
September 26 | 4:00 p.m. | Louisiana-Monroe | Florida Atlantic | | | 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 | | | MTSU 37-21 | 22,346 |
September 26 | 6:00 p.m. | Western Kentucky | | | | L 38-22 | 29,009 |
September 26 | 7:00 p.m. | | Florida Atlantic | | | L 41-31 | 11,047 | |
Week Five
Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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October 3 | 11:00 a.m. | Arkansas State | | | | L 24-21 | 67,989 |
October 3 | 2:30 p.m. | Florida International | Louisiana-Monroe | Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA | | ULM 48-35 | 17,610 |
October 3 | 4:00 p.m. | | Florida Atlantic | Lockhart Stadium • Ft. Lauderdale, FL | | L 30-28 | 15,744 | |
Week Six
Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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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
Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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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. | | 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
Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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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 | | | | L 36-13 | 68,203 | |
Week Nine
Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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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 | | | | 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
Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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November 7 | 2:00 p.m. | Florida Atlantic | Alabama Birmingham | | | 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
Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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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 | | | | 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
Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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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. | | 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
Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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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
Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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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
Bowl Game | Date | Stadium | City | Television | Matchup/Results | Attendance | Payout (US$) |
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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 |
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Attendance
Team | Stadium (capacity) | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6 | Total | Average | % of Capacity |
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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 |
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Notes and References
- Web site: College Football Preview, 2009 Preseason Sun Belt Conference Football Poll . 2009-10-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100102125853/http://collegefootballpoll.com/season_preview_2009_sunbelt_coaches.html . 2010-01-02 . dead .
- Web site: The Bronko Nagurski Charlotte Touchdown Club . https://web.archive.org/web/20081205010320/http://www.touchdownclub.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=show_page&page_id=5 . 2008-12-05 . dead . 2009-10-02 .
- Web site: Rimington Trophy . https://web.archive.org/web/20090522130030/http://rimingtontrophy.com/watchlist/ . 2009-05-22 . live . 2009-10-02 .
- Web site: The Rotary Lombardi Award Website - 2009 Contenders . Hugo Aguilar . https://web.archive.org/web/20091214132054/http://www.rotarylombardiaward.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=95&Itemid=56 . 2009-12-14 . dead . 2009-10-02 .
- Web site: News / Allstate Sugar Bowl . 2009-10-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110930144506/http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site.php?pageID=19&newsID=61 . 2011-09-30 . dead .
- Web site: PB Sports Commission - Lou Groza.
- Web site: FWAA > News > Outland Trophy Watch List.
- Web site: Home . biletnikoffaward.com.
- Web site: News – Walter Camp Football Foundation.
- Web site: Archived copy . 2009-10-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091222012347/http://smu.edu/athleticforum/news/2009CandidatesRelease.pdf . 2009-12-22 . dead .
- Web site: 2009 O'Brien Quarterback Award Watch List Announced - Davey O'Brien . 2009-10-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090807084807/http://blog.daveyobrien.org/2009/08/03/2009-o%E2%80%99brien-quarterback-award-watch-list-announced/ . 2009-08-07 . dead .