2009 Cincinnati Bearcats football team
Encyclopedia
The 2009
Cincinnati Bearcats football team represented the University of Cincinnati
in the college football
season of 2009–2010
. The team, coached by Brian Kelly
, played its home games in Nippert Stadium
.
The 2009 season was arguably the best in Cincinnati's 125-year football history. The Bearcats won a school-record 12 games and finished the regular season fourth in both major media polls, their highest ranking ever. They won their second consecutive Big East Conference
championship and played in their second consecutive Bowl Championship Series
game, the Sugar Bowl
vs Florida
. It was also only the second major bowl appearance in school history.
The Bearcats finished third in the 2009 Bowl Championship Series
rankings. The Bearcats became the first team from a BCS conference to finish the regular season unbeaten and be left out of the BCS Championship Game since Auburn
in 2004.
Head coach Brian Kelly resigned at the end of the regular season to take the head coaching job at Notre Dame. Offensive coordinator Jeff Quinn
coached the Bearcats in the Sugar Bowl. Butch Jones
began coaching the team in 2010.
The Bearcats were defeated by Florida 51–24 in the Sugar Bowl to end their undefeated season.
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
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 concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
Cincinnati Bearcats football team represented the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
in the college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
season of 2009–2010
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
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 concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
. The team, coached by Brian Kelly
Brian Kelly (coach)
Brian Keith Kelly is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame, a position he has held since the 2010 season...
, played its home games in Nippert Stadium
Nippert Stadium
Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio is the University of Cincinnati's football stadium, home to their Bearcats football team in rudimentary form since 1901, and as a complete stadium since 1924, making it the fourth oldest playing site and fifth oldest stadium in college football.In 1895, the...
.
The 2009 season was arguably the best in Cincinnati's 125-year football history. The Bearcats won a school-record 12 games and finished the regular season fourth in both major media polls, their highest ranking ever. They won their second consecutive Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
championship and played in their second consecutive Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
game, the Sugar Bowl
2010 Sugar Bowl
The 2010 Sugar Bowl Game was an American college football bowl game that was part of the Bowl Championship Series for the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season and was the 76th Sugar Bowl...
vs Florida
2009 Florida Gators football team
The 2009 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2009 college football season...
. It was also only the second major bowl appearance in school history.
The Bearcats finished third in the 2009 Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
rankings. The Bearcats became the first team from a BCS conference to finish the regular season unbeaten and be left out of the BCS Championship Game since Auburn
2004 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2004 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. Auburn compiled a record of 13–0, winning the Southeastern Conference championship and finishing the season ranked #2 in both the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll...
in 2004.
Head coach Brian Kelly resigned at the end of the regular season to take the head coaching job at Notre Dame. Offensive coordinator Jeff Quinn
Jeff Quinn (American football)
Jeff Quinn is a college football coach who is the head coach of the University at Buffalo football team. He is the 24th head coach in University at Buffalo football history...
coached the Bearcats in the Sugar Bowl. Butch Jones
Butch Jones
-External links:*...
began coaching the team in 2010.
The Bearcats were defeated by Florida 51–24 in the Sugar Bowl to end their undefeated season.
Schedule
Rankings
| Poll | Pre | Wk 1 | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP | -- | 23 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 8 |
| Coaches | -- | 23 | 21 | 15 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 9 |
| Harris | Not released | 10 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | ||||
| BCS | Not released | 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | |||||||