The 2009 Texas Longhorns football team (variously "Texas" or "UT" or the "Horns") represented the University of Texas at Austin in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Mack Brown. Texas played their home games in Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium.
The Longhorns finished the season 13–1, and 8–0 in Big 12 play. They represented the Big 12 South Division in the Big 12 Championship Game, where they defeated Nebraska, 13–12, to become Big 12 champions. The team finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in the Bowl Championship Series to earn a berth in the BCS National Championship Game where they were defeated by Alabama, 37–21. Texas finished the season ranked No. 2 in the AP and Coaches polls.
Schedule On February 25, 2008, UT and A&M announced that their annual game would move onto Thanksgiving Day for 2008 and 2009. The game was televised by ESPN. The same day, Texas announced that Arkansas dropped Texas from the 2009 schedule.
Denotes the largest crowd to watch a football game in the state of Texas, at a Big 12 Conference Stadium, or in the Southwest region (beating record set at DKR during the 2008 Texas Longhorns season). Denotes the largest crowd to watch a football game at DKR set earlier in 2009. The largest crowd to watch a game in the state of Texas and Southwest region records were broken on September 20 when the Dallas Cowboys played in front of 105,121 at Cowboys Stadium.
Game summaries
Louisiana–Monroe
In the season opener, Texas routed ULM 59–20 as quarterback Colt McCoy passed for over 300 yards and two touchdowns and his roommate, number 1 receiver Jordan Shipley, had 180 yards receiving.
Wyoming
In the first half, Texas got off to a slow start, with Wyoming leading 10–6 at one point, but rallied to blow out Wyoming in the second half, with QB Colt McCoy passing for 300 yards and three touchdowns.
Texas Tech
The series with the Texas Tech Red Raiders began in 1928, and entering the game, the Longhorns' record was 43–15–0.
Texas was in for revenge after the previous season's last-second Michael Crabtree miracle breakaway for a touchdown in a 39–33 loss to Tech which eliminated Texas from the championship race. Texas scored the first touchdown on a Jordan Shipley punt return that got the mascot in his feet to give Texas a 7–3 lead, which thereafter they did not let up and got their revenge in a 34–24 victory over Texas Tech.
UTEP
The 2008 game was the first meeting between the Longhorns and the UTEP Miners. Texas won 42–13. The 2009 game was the first occasion for the Miners to visit Austin. Texas led 47–7 at halftime and routed the Miners.
Colorado
Texas struggled early against Colorado, trailing 14–3 at one point. However a series of non-offensive touchdowns led the Longhorns to a 38–14 victory. The sloppiness of this game however caused the Longhorns to drop from number 2 to number 3 in the AP Poll.
Oklahoma
The rivalry with Oklahoma has been called one of the greatest sports rivalries. Since 1929 the game has been held at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, typically in mid-October with the State Fair of Texas occurring adjacent to the stadium.
Texas started off slowly, trailing 6–0. OU QB Sam Bradford was injured and out for the season due to a result of a hit by CB Aaron Williams early in the game. The game was a defensive struggle, but a leaping interception by Aaron Williams of Landry Jones in the red zone put Texas in position to put the game away. However, Colt McCoy threw an interception a few plays later, but made a touchdown-saving tackle on the return. A few plays later, safety Earl Thomas intercepted Landry Jones to seal the game for the Longhorns.
Missouri
Texas jumped out to a 21–0 lead on Missouri in a sold-out stadium. The Horns dominated the game, winning 41–7 with three touchdowns from Colt McCoy.
Oklahoma State
In what was supposed to be a match-up between the Big 12's two best teams on Halloween night in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Texas dominated. The Horns intercepted OSU QB Zac Robinson 4 times, returning two for TDs.
UCF
The Longhorns came out flat against the Knights but Colt McCoy passed for 470 yards and Jordan Shipley set the school receiving record with 273 yards, as the running game amassed less than 50 yards on the ground.
Baylor
The Longhorns first played the Baylor Bears in 1901 and faced them annually during the days of the Southwest Conference. In the 98 meetings through 2008, Texas' record with the Bears was 72 wins, 22 losses, and 4 ties. This is Texas' third-longest rivalry by number of games: only Oklahoma and Texas A&M have faced Texas more often on the football field.
On Baylor's first drive, they moved the ball into the red zone, but CB Aaron Williams intercepted a pass in the endzone and the game would be dominated by the Horns from there. Texas jumped out to a 40–0 halftime lead, and lead 47–0 at one point. Baylor was able to score two late td's however.
Kansas
In Colt McCoy's last home game, the Horns routed the reeling Kansas Jayhawks, riding a five-game losing streak. Colt McCoy passed for 396 yards and 4 TDs, and in victory became the winningest QB in college football history.
Texas A&M
This game marked the 116th meeting between Texas and the Texas A&M Aggies and it was the fifth year as part of a multi-sport rivalry called the Lone Star Showdown. The football rivalry began in 1894 and it is the longest-running rivalry for both the Longhorns and the Aggies and it is also the third most-played rivalry in Division I-A college football. Texas entered the 2009 contest with a 74–36–5 record against Texas A&M. Since the series began in 1900, the game has traditionally been played on Thanksgiving Day or Thanksgiving weekend.
Big 12 Championship Game – Nebraska
BCS National Championship – Alabama
On game day, Texas wore its white jerseys and was situated on the east sideline, and Alabama wore its crimson jerseys and used the west bench at the Rose Bowl stadium.2010 Tournament Times, A Publication of the Tournament of Roses Association, 121st Edition, Winter 2009
Alabama made their first appearance in the BCS National Championship Game. The last time Texas played at the Rose Bowl, Texas won the BCS National Championship in the 2006 Rose Bowl by defeating USC 41–38 with Vince Young scoring an 8-yard run touchdown with 19 seconds left in the game. The previous year, Texas won the Rose Bowl game 38–37 over Michigan when Dusty Mangum kicked a field goal as time expired.
This game did not result in a victory like all the others had that season. Texas QB Colt McCoy went down early and was replaced by true freshman Garrett Gilbert, who threw four interceptions.
Texas has played in the Rose Bowl once during the regular season, losing to UCLA 49–31 during the 1998 season.
Rankings
Statistics
Team Team Opp Scoring Points per game First downs Rushing Passing Penalty Total offense Avg per play Avg per game Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards Avg per game Team Opp Punts-Yards Avg per punt Time of possession/Game 3rd down conversions 4th down conversions Touchdowns scored Field goals-Attempts-Long PAT-Attempts Attendance Games/Avg per Game
Scores by quarter
Offense
Rushing PlayerGamesAttemptsYardsAverageTDColt McCoy141293482.73Tre' Newton141165524.86Cody Johnson14873353.912Vondrell McGee11563005.42Fozzy Whittaker11532124.04D.J. Monroe11231436.20Garrett Gilbert101150.51Jeremy Hills109869.60Jamison Berryhill99343.80John Chiles128374.60Justin Tucker14294.50Marquise Goodwin14284.00Sherrod Harris2144.00Antwan Cobb14133.00Jordan Shipley14100.00 Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table Generated 11/17/2022.
Passing PlayerGamesCompletionsAttemptsPercentageYardsYards/AttemptTDInterceptionsColt McCoy1433247070.635217.52712Garrett Gilbert10306645.53104.724 Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table Generated 11/17/2022
Receiving PlayerGamesReceptionsYardsAverageTouchdownsJordan Shipley14116148512.813James Kirkendoll14484619.66Dan Buckner14454429.84Malcolm Williams (American football)143955014.12John Chiles12343199.43Marquise Goodwin14302799.31Tre' Newton14141087.70Fozzy Whittaker1113513.90Vondrell McGee118374.60Cody Johnson147426.00Greg Smith146488.00Philip Payne6177.00Desean Hales8122.00 Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table Generated 11/17/2022.
Defense PlayerGamesSolo TacklesAssisted TacklesTotal TacklesTackles for LossSacksInterceptionsInt. Return YardsPasses DefencedFumble RecoveryFumb. Recovery YardsForced FumblesDefensive TouchdownsRoddrick Muckelroy135926859.02.014Earl Thomas144619654.50.081492Keenan Robinson144221634.01.51Lamarr Houston1440206017.07.04Sam Acho1442175913.09.032Sergio Kindle1440185815.06.022Blake Gideon143415492.00.0631Curtis Brown (cornerback)143413471.50.01771Chykie Brown143015454.52.0215Emmanuel Acho14369459.52.0113Aaron Williams (American football)132610365.52.030Ben Alexander141910295.00.0Dustin Earnest13168241.01.0Nolan Brewster14147211.50.010Kheeston Randall141011214.53.0Eddie Jones (linebacker)14154195.53.51601Kenny Vaccaro12135180.00.01Alex Okafor1499181.50.0Clark Ford11116170.00.0Deon Beasley12150152.01.02Antwan Cobb14103130.00.0Aaron Smith1492110.00.0Ben Wells (gridiron football)1291101.01.010Marcus Davis (American football)66391.01.0Malcolm Williams (American football)146281.00.0Ryan Roberson132460.00.0Justin Tucker145160.00.0Jared Norton54150.00.0Russell Carter72240.00.0Calvin Howell41231.01.0Tevin Mims50330.50.0Greg Smith143030.00.0Jeremy Hills102020.00.0Colt McCoy141120.00.0Fozzy Whittaker111120.00.0Barrett Matthews130110.00.0Mark Fisher40110.00.0Trey Graham11010.00.0William Harvey141010.00.0Tyrell Higgins71011.01.0Cody Hill40110.00.0Michael Huey (American football)131010.00.0Trevor Walker21010.00.0Jamison Berryhill91010.00.0Dan Buckner141010.00.0John Chiles121010.00.0James Kirkendoll141010.00.0Hunter Lawrence141010.00.0Vondrell McGee111010.00.0Jordan Shipley141010.00.0 Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table Generated 11/17/2022.
Special teams PlayerGamesExtra Point MakesExtra Point AttemptsXP%Field Goal MakesField Goal AttemptsFG%PuntsPunt YardsYards Per PuntHunter Lawrence14616298.4242788.9Ryan Bailey355100.0Justin Tucker1443173740.4John Gold81566244.1Colt McCoy14413132.8 Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table Generated 11/17/2022. PlayerGamesKick ReturnsKick Return YardsYards Per K. ReturnPunt ReturnsPunt Return YardsYards Per P. ReturnReturn TouchdownsD.J. Monroe111653733.62Marquise Goodwin141634921.812222.01Malcolm Williams (American football)14410626.51Jordan Shipley1447418.52431113.02Antwan Cobb1422613.0Aaron Williams (American football)1312727.0Earl Thomas1435418.0Curtis Brown (cornerback)14155.0Ben Wells (gridiron football)123 Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table Generated 11/17/2022.
References