The 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl was a college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Tennessee Volunteers played on December 31, 2009, in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. With sponsorship from Chick-fil-A, it was the 42nd edition of the game known throughout most of its history as the Peach Bowl. Virginia Tech defeated Tennessee 37–14. The game was part of the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season and was the concluding game of the season for both teams. The game was televised in the United States on ESPN and the broadcast was seen by an estimated 4.87 million viewers.
Each participating team was selected by the bowl game's selection committee, which had paid contracts with the participating football conferences. The Chick-fil-A Bowl had the second pick of bowl-eligible teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the fifth pick from eligible teams in the Southeastern Conference. In picking Virginia Tech and Tennessee, the selection committee bypassed teams with better or similar records in order to create a matchup appealing to television audiences. Pregame media coverage focused on the close geographic rivalry between the two teams and the success of Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin in reversing his team's poor fortune from the previous season.
The game kicked off at 7:37 p.m. EST and Virginia Tech jumped to an early lead with a first-quarter touchdown. Tennessee replied in the second quarter with two touchdowns of their own, but Virginia Tech kept the lead by scoring 10 points in the quarter. At halftime, Tech led 17–14. In the second half, Virginia Tech pulled away from Tennessee, scoring 20 unanswered points to win the game 37–14.
In recognition of his performance during the game, Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams was named the game's most valuable player. By the end of the game, he had set a school record for most rushing yards in a season and conference records for most rushing touchdowns and most total touchdowns. Following the game, Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin resigned to become head coach of the University of Southern California Trojans football team. Several players from each team participated in postseason all-star games and a handful were selected to play in the National Football League through the 2010 NFL draft.
Team selection Beginning with the 2006 game, the Chick-fil-A Bowl purchased the right to select the highest-ranked Atlantic Coast Conference team after representatives from the Bowl Championship Series made their selection. The contract was renewed in 2009, extending that right through 2013."ACC and Chick-fil-A Bowl Extend Partnership through 2013" , Chick-fil-abowl.com. October 28, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2011. According to the official selection rules used in the 2009–10 season, the team chosen to represent the ACC in the Chick-fil-A Bowl had to be within one conference victory of the remaining highest-ranked conference team or ranked more than five spaces ahead of the ACC team with the best conference record available in the final BCS standings."2009-10 ACC Bowl Games: Selection order for ACC's nine bowl partners" , theacc.com. November 29, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2011. Following the conclusion of the 2009 college football regular season, the Chick-fil-A Bowl selection committee bypassed the ACC Championship Game loser, Clemson, in order to pick Virginia Tech, which had the same conference record."NCAA FBS (Division I-A) Football Standings - 2009", ESPN.com. Retrieved April 12, 2011. The committee believed a game featuring Virginia Tech would draw more television viewers and in-person attendance than Clemson,King, Bill. "Dogs' bowl hopes could ride on ... Jackets" , Atlanta Journal-Constitution. December 1, 2009. Retrieved April 12, 2011.Weiszer, Marc. "Bulldogs' bowl bid leaning toward Independence" , Athens (Ga.) Banner-Herald. December 1, 2009. Retrieved April 12, 2011. even though the Chick-fil-A Bowl was the third time that season Virginia Tech played a game in Atlanta.
In choosing the SEC opponent, the Chick-fil-A Bowl selection committee had the right to select the first SEC school after the Bowl Championship Series, Cotton Bowl Classic, Capital One Bowl, and Outback Bowl made their selections.Pellman, Terry. "2009 SEC Bowl Picture: As murky as it's ever been" , al.com. November 10, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2011. Just as in the ACC, the selection committee could not select an SEC team with two more losses than the highest available team."SEC Bowl Tie-Ins" SECsports.com, Accessed October 29, 2007. After the 2009 regular season ended, SEC champion Alabama was selected for the national championship game, and SEC runner-up Florida was picked by the Sugar Bowl to fill the SEC's BCS tie-in.Low, Chris. "SEC bowl lineup is set", ESPN.com. December 6, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2011. The Cotton Bowl selected Ole Miss, the Capital One Bowl picked LSU, and the Outback Bowl took Auburn.Hooker, Dave. "Source: UT vs. Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl" , Knoxville News-Sentinel. December 1, 2009. Retrieved April 12, 2011. For its pick, the Chick-fil-A Bowl bypassed local team Georgia (No. 2 in the SEC's eastern division) for Tennessee (No. 3 in the division) in order to set up a game against two geographic rivalsTucker, Tim. "Chick-fil-A will at least consider Dogs" , Atlanta Journal-Constitution. November 29, 2009. Retrieved April 12, 2011.Low, Chris. "Chick-fil-A Bowl delivers on Hokies vs. Vols", ESPN.com. December 29, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2011. and because Tennessee had defeated Georgia in a head-to-head matchup.King, Randy. "Hokies accept bid to play in Chick-fil-A" , The Roanoke Times. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
The bowl earned the right to select these teams via its multimillion-dollar payout system, which guarantees a certain amount of money to the participating conferences. Before 2006, the Chick-fil-A Bowl (then known as the Peach Bowl) matched the No. 5 team in the SEC versus the No. 3 team in the ACC. After the bowl increased its payout to $2.8 million per squad, it then was given the second pick from the ACC, with the Gator Bowl dropping to third."Georgia-Va Tech In Peach Bowl Just About Set" AOL Sports The Fanhouse, AOL Sports, November 30, 2006. Accessed October 30, 2007. After 2006, the Chick-fil-A Bowl has steadily increased its payouts in order to keep pace with the trend across college football. In the 2009 game, the ACC and SEC split a payout of $6.02 million, with the ACC receiving more because it offered an earlier selection."Chick-fil-A Bowl: 2010 Annual Report" (PDF), Chick-fil-abowl.com. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
Virginia Tech
The Hokies went 10–4 in 2008, concluding the season with a 20–7 win in the 2009 Orange Bowl."Virginia Tech Hokies Schedule - 2008", ESPN.com. Retrieved March 9, 2011. Before the 2009 season started, Virginia Tech accepted an invitation to play Alabama in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, a game organized by the Chick-fil-A Bowl to pit two high-profile teams against each other to create a bowl game-like atmosphere in the Georgia Dome at the start of the season."Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game Tabbed for National Broadcast on ABC" , University of Alabama Official Athletic Site. May 22, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2011. Virginia Tech was ranked No. 7 in the preseason polls, while Alabama was No. 5; the game was forecast as a competition between two possible national championship contenders.Stats LLC. "Alabama-Virginia Tech Preview", ESPN.com. September 5, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2011. Alabama defeated Virginia Tech 34-24 and ultimately went on to win the national championship.The Associated Press. "Alabama shakes off kick return, turnovers to overcome Virginia Tech" , ESPN.com. September 5, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2011."Alabama Crimson Tide Schedule - 2009", ESPN.com. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
Tech recovered from the loss by winning its next five games, including a last-second victory over 19th-ranked Nebraska and a 31–7 blowout victory over No. 9 Miami."Virginia Tech Hokies Schedule - 2009", ESPN.com. Retrieved March 9, 2011. The victories brought Tech to a 5–1 record and a No. 4 national ranking. On October 17, Virginia Tech traveled to Atlanta for the second time that season, this time to play 19th-ranked Georgia Tech. For the first time since 1962, Georgia Tech defeated a top-five team, beating Virginia Tech 28–23.The Associated Press. "Nesbitt's legs carry Yellow Jackets past No. 4 Hokies in Atlanta" , ESPN.com. October 17, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2011. Georgia Tech's win gave it a tiebreaker against Virginia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings, but Virginia Tech made the tiebreaker moot by losing its next game, an ACC contest against North Carolina.The Associated Press. "Barth boots winner as time expires as UNC derails No. 13 Virginia Tech" , ESPN.com. October 29, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2011. Georgia Tech lost only one ACC game all season, a record that won it the ACC's Coastal Division and the accompanying spot in the ACC Championship Game ahead of Virginia Tech, which was No. 2 in the division."Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Schedule - 2009", ESPN.com. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
Virginia Tech broke its two-game losing streak by defeating non-conference foe East Carolina on November 5.The Associated Press. "Williams' 179 yards help Hokies avoid three-game skid" , ESPN.com. November 5, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2011. The victory was the start of a four-game win streak that brought Virginia Tech to the end of the regular season and restored its national ranking to No. 12 after falling to No. 23 following the North Carolina loss."2009 NCAA Football Rankings - Week 15 (Dec. 6)", ESPN.com. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
Tennessee
The Tennessee Volunteers entered the 2009 season following a 2008 campaign that ended with a bowl-ineligible 5–7 record."Tennessee Volunteers Schedule - 2008", ESPN.com. Retrieved March 9, 2011. After the 2008 season ended, Tennessee fired head coach Phillip Fulmer and replaced him with Lane Kiffin, who promised to turn the program around.Low, Chris. "Nothing like a little Kiffin love ... and hype", ESPN.com. December 1, 2008. Retrieved March 9, 2011. Kiffin made an offseason splash by breaking the social norms among SEC head football coaches and violating a handful of NCAA rules.Low, Chris. "A point-by-point inspection of Kiffin-gate", ESPN.com. February 5, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2011.Low, Chris. "Secondary violations for all", ESPN.com. February 17, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2011.Low, Chris. "Florida players: Kiffin's comments make it personal", ESPN.com. March 23, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2011. In a season-opening win over Western Kentucky, Kiffin appeared to have made a difference for Tennessee, as the Volunteers had their largest margin of victory in nine years.The Associated Press. "Kiffin wins coaching debut as Crompton's 5 TDs power Vols" , ESPN.com. September 6, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2011.