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. 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 Award School Player Bronko Nagurski Trophy Troy Brandon Lang Dave Rimington Trophy Florida International Brad Serini Louisiana-Lafayette Chris Fisher Middle Tennessee Mark Thompson Troy Danny Franks Lombardi Award Arkansas State Alex Carrington Louisiana-Lafayette Brad Bustle Louisiana-Lafayette Chris Fisher Louisiana-Monroe Cardia Jackson Troy Danny Franks Troy Brandon Lang Troy Boris Lee Troy Cameron Sheffield Troy Bear Woods Manning Award Arkansas State Corey Leonard Florida Atlantic Rusty Smith Troy Levi Brown Lou Groza Award Arkansas State Josh Arauco Troy Sam Glusman Outland Trophy Louisiana-Lafayette Chris Fisher Fred Biletnikoff Award Florida Atlantic Cortez Gent Florida International T. Y. Hilton Troy Jerrel Jernigan Walter Camp Award Florida Atlantic Rusty Smith Doak Walker Award Arkansas State Reggie Arnold Middle Tennessee Phillip Tanner Troy DuJuan Harris Davey O'Brien Award Florida Atlantic Rusty Smith
Regular season Index to colors and formattingSun Belt member wonSun Belt member lostSun 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 September 3 6:00 p.m. Troy Bowling Green Doyt Perry Stadium • Bowling Green, OH L 31-14 14,514 September 3 6:30 p.m. North Texas Ball State Scheumann Stadium • Muncie, IN ESPNU W 20-10 16,054 September 5 12:20 p.m. Western Kentucky Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN L 63-7 98,761 September 5 5:00 p.m. Middle Tennessee Clemson Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC L 37-14 75,000 September 5 6:00 p.m. Mississippi Valley State Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, AR W 61-0 21,056 September 5 6:00 p.m. Southern Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA W 42–19 41,357 September 5 6:00 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe #2 Texas Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium • Austin, TX FSN L 59-20 101,096 September 5 7:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic #22 Nebraska Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE FSN L 49-3 85,719
Week Two Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance September 12 11:20 a.m. Troy #1 Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL 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. Kansas State Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA W 17-15 16,431 September 12 6:00 p.m. Texas Southern Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA W 58-0 9,330 September 12 6:00 p.m. Memphis Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, TN W 31-14 28,105 September 12 6:00 p.m. Ohio North Texas Fouts Field • Denton, TX L 31–30 in 2OT 16,674 September 12 7:00 p.m. Florida International #4 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL L 40-14 92,012 September 12 7:30 p.m. South Florida Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY ESPNU L 35-13 20,568
Week Three Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance September 19 12:20 p.m. North Texas #4 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL SEC Network L 53-7 92,012 September 19 2:30 p.m. Middle Tennessee Maryland Byrd Stadium • College Park, MD W 32-31 43,167 September 19 2:30 p.m. Alabama-Birmingham Troy Movie Gallery Stadium • Troy, AL W 27-14 21,182 September 19 5:00 p.m. Florida International Rutgers Rutgers Stadium • Piscataway, NJ L 23-15 45,273 September 19 6:00 p.m. Louisiana-Lafayette Louisiana State Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA ESPNU L 31-3 92,443 September 19 7:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic South Carolina Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC L 38-16 72,017 September 19 7:00 p.m. Central Arkansas Western Kentucky Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY L 28-7 19,044 September 19 9:00 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe Arizona State Sun Devil Stadium • Tempe, AZ FSN L 38-14 43,780
Week Four Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance September 26 3:30 p.m. Troy Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, AR CST TROY 30-27 23,641 September 26 4:00 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe Florida Atlantic Lockhart Stadium • Ft. Lauderdale, FL 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 Fouts Field • Denton, TX MTSU 37-21 22,346 September 26 6:00 p.m. Western Kentucky Navy Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium • Annapolis, MD L 38-22 29,009 September 26 7:00 p.m. Toledo Florida Atlantic FIU Stadium • Miami, FL L 41-31 11,047
Week Five Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance October 3 11:00 a.m. Arkansas State #17 Iowa Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA ESPN2 L 24-21 67,989 October 3 2:30 p.m. Florida International Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA Sun Belt Network ULM 48-35 17,610 October 3 4:00 p.m. Wyoming Florida Atlantic Lockhart Stadium • Ft. Lauderdale, FL L 30-28 15,744
Week Six Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance 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 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. Mississippi State 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 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 Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY L 36-13 68,203
Week Nine Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance 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 Louisville Papa John's Cardinal Stadium • Louisville, KY 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 November 7 2:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic Alabama Birmingham Legion Field • Birmingham, AL 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 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 Arkansas Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, AR 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 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. Army 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 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 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