The 2009 NCAA Division I FCS football season, the 2009 season of college football for teams in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), began in August 2009 and concluded with the 2009 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game on December 18, 2009, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, won by Villanova 23–21 over Montana.
Conference changes and new programs School 2008 Conference 2009 Conference Bryant FCS Independent NEC Iona Dropped Program Marist Pioneer Old Dominion New Program FCS Independent
FCS team wins over FBS teams September 3 – Villanova 27, Temple 24 September 5 – Richmond 24, Duke 16 September 5 – William & Mary 26, Virginia 14 September 12 – New Hampshire 23, Ball State 16 September 19 – Central Arkansas 28, Western Kentucky 7
Notable upsets August 27 – 26, 20 OT (Division II over Division I FCS) September 5 – 27, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 3 (Division II over Division I FCS) September 5 – 20, Bethune-Cookman 6 (Division II over Division I FCS) September 5 – 31, 6 (Division II over Division I FCS non-scholarship) September 5 – 45, Wagner 42 (Division II over Division I FCS) September 12 – 35, Campbell 28 OT (Division III over Division I FCS non-scholarship) September 12 – Lenoir-Rhyne 42, Davidson 0 (Division II over Division I FCS non-scholarship) September 12 – 13, Dayton 10 (Division II over Division I FCS non-scholarship) September 26 – 34, 24 (Division III over Division I FCS non-scholarship) September 26 – 23, Savannah State 21 (USCAA over Division I FCS) September 26 – 33, Idaho State 22 (Division II over Division I FCS) October 17 – Sioux Falls 28, North Dakota 13 (NAIA over Division I FCS) November 14 – 35, Savannah State 20 (NAIA over Division I FCS) November 26 – 21, Alabama State 0 (Division II over Division I FCS)
Eastern Illinois coach's death On Saturday, November 28, just hours after Eastern Illinois lost to Southern Illinois 48–7 in the first round of the FCS playoffs, Eastern Illinois' offensive coordinator Jeffrey O. Hoover, age 41, was killed in a car accident. The single-vehicle accident occurred south of Effingham when Hoover, his family and EIU strength coach Eric Cash struck a deer while driving home from Carbondale, the home of SIU.
Hoover's death was the second Eastern Illinois coaching death within a month. On November 4, women's basketball assistant coach Jackie Moore, 28, died after collapsing during a workout on campus.
Conference standings
Conference champions Automatic berths Big Sky Conference – Montana Colonial Athletic Association – Villanova Missouri Valley Football Conference – Southern Illinois Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Illinois (Jacksonville State had the best record in conference play, but was not eligible for the FCS playoffs because of APR violations.) Patriot League – Holy Cross Southern Conference – Appalachian State Southland Conference – Stephen F. Austin
Invitation Great West Conference – UC Davis Big South Conference – Liberty and Stony Brook, co-champions Northeast Conference – Central Connecticut State Pioneer Football League – Butler and Dayton, co-champions; Butler received the conference's berth in the Gridiron Classic.
In order to be eligible for the playoffs, these teams must have a minimum of eight Division I wins, with at least two against teams in automatic bid conferences. They also must be ranked an average of 16 or better in the national rankings, made up of the following components: The Sports Network media poll The FCS Coaches poll A variation of the Gridiron Power Index, using only five of the computer rankings used in that system
No team in the invitational conferences qualified. Starting in 2010, the Big South and NEC will become automatic bid conferences with the expansion of the playoff field to 20 teams.
Abstains Ivy League – Penn (8–2, 7–0) Southwestern Athletic Conference – Prairie View A&M (9–1, 7–0)
(Overall Record, Conference Record)
Postseason NCAA Division I playoff bracket
* Host institution
SWAC Championship Game Date Location Venue West Div. Champion East Div. Champion Result December 12 Birmingham, Alabama Legion Field Prairie View A&M Alabama A&M Prairie View A&M 30–24
Gridiron Classic The Gridiron Classic is an annual game between the champions of the Northeast Conference and the Pioneer Football League that has been held since December 2006.
Date Location Venue NEC Champion PFL Champion Result December 5 Indianapolis Butler Bowl Central Connecticut State Butler Butler 28–23
Final poll standings
Standings are from The Sports Network final poll.
Rank Team Record1 Villanova Wildcats 14–12 Montana Grizzlies 14–13 Appalachian State Mountaineers 11–34 William & Mary Tribe 11–35 Richmond Spiders 11–26 Southern Illinois Salukis 11–27 New Hampshire Wildcats 10–38 South Carolina State Bulldogs 10–29 Elon Phoenix 9–310 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks 10–311 South Dakota State Jackrabbits 8–412 McNeese State Cowboys 9–313 Eastern Washington Eagles 8–414 Holy Cross Crusaders 9–315 Prairie View A&M Panthers 9–116 Jacksonville State Gamecocks 8–317 Weber State Wildcats 7–518 Northern Iowa Panthers 7–419 Eastern Illinois Panthers 8–420 Penn Quakers 8–221 Colgate Raiders 9–222 Liberty Flames 8–323 Florida A&M Rattlers 8–324 Lafayette Leopards 8–325 Texas State Bobcats 7–4
Standings are from the FCS Coaches final poll. Rank Team Record1 Villanova Wildcats 14–12 Montana Grizzlies 14–1T-3 Appalachian State Mountaineers 11–3T-3 William & Mary Tribe 11–35 Richmond Spiders 11–26 Southern Illinois Salukis 11–27 New Hampshire Wildcats 10–38 South Carolina State Bulldogs 10–29 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks 10–310 Elon Phoenix 9–311 South Dakota State Jackrabbits 8–412 McNeese State Cowboys 9–313 Eastern Washington Eagles 8–414 Holy Cross Crusaders 9–315 Eastern Illinois Panthers 8–416 Jacksonville State Gamecocks 8–317 Weber State Wildcats 7–518 Northern Iowa Panthers 7–419 Prairie View A&M Panthers 9–120 Colgate Raiders 9–221 Liberty Flames 8–322 Florida A&M Rattlers 8–323 Penn Quakers 8–224 Texas State Bobcats 7–425 Lafayette Leopards 8–3
References