2009 EagleBank Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||
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Date | December 29, 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||
Season | 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||
Stadium | RFK Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||
Location | Washington, D.C. | ||||||||||||||||||
MVP | Akeem Ayers (UCLA) | ||||||||||||||||||
Referee | Todd Geerlings (Big Ten) | ||||||||||||||||||
Attendance | 23,072 | ||||||||||||||||||
Payout | US$1,000,000 (each) | ||||||||||||||||||
United States TV coverage | |||||||||||||||||||
Network | ESPN | ||||||||||||||||||
Announcers |
Bob Wischusen (play-by-play) Brian Griese (color commentary) Rob Stone (sideline) |
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Nielsen ratings | 1.9 | ||||||||||||||||||
The 2009 EagleBank Bowl was a college football bowl game. It marked the second edition of the EagleBank Bowl, played at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The game, in which UCLA of the Pacific-10 Conference defeated Temple of the Mid-American Conference 30–21, started at 4:30 PM US EST on Tuesday, December 29, 2009. The game was telecast on ESPN and was organized by the DC Bowl Committee, Inc., the Washington Convention and Sports Authority and its title sponsor.
The 2009 edition of the EagleBank Bowl was originally to match Army and the eighth team selected from the ACC. Army finished the regular season at 5–7 after failing to defeat rival Navy to become bowl eligible. Only seven teams from the ACC finished with bowl-qualifying regular season records (6–6 or better.)
A number of teams were up for consideration. The matchup was originally planned to be Army vs. a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference. If Army were not bowl-eligible (at least 6–6), a team from Conference USA would have been selected as the opponent for the ACC team. All of the bowl-eligible teams from the ACC and Conference USA were selected by bowls with a higher selection priority. The Bowl was also under partnership with the MAC to select a team if neither an ACC or a C-USA team is available. Under this provision, the bowl selected the Temple Owls.
With the 7–5 teams all selected from the Football Bowl Subdivision, the 6–6 teams from other conferences are available to be selected. Notre Dame was a likely choice, but the team would not participate in a bowl following the firing of Charlie Weis. The choice then ultimately fell to UCLA, which would take Army's spot if Army did not defeat Navy and finish 6–6. UCLA was permitted to practice for the bowl, per NCAA rules, since they were eligible to participate in a bowl.