2009 Big 12 Championship Game
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship Game was held on December 5, 2009 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas
. The divisional winners from the Big 12 Conference
squared off in the 14th edition of the game. The Texas Longhorns represented the South Division and the Nebraska Cornhuskers
represented the North Division. Texas won the contest 13-12 on a last second field goal
by placekicker
Hunter Lawrence
.
On the play immediately prior to Lawrence's field goal, as the game clock ticked down Texas quarterback Colt McCoy
rolled far to the right, with Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh
in pursuit, and threw a pass well down field and out of bounds. The game clock ran out, which would have ended the fourth quarter, with Nebraska appearing to win 12-10. However, pursuant to Rule 12-3-6, the video replay official determined that an "egregious," and therefore reviewable, error concerning the game clock had occurred and ordered the errantly elapsed one second be returned to the clock. The ESPN/ABC video feed showed that McCoy's pass hit a stadium railing, out of bounds, with :01 remaining, allowing Texas to kick the winning field goal to advance to the BCS title game.
The game was the third championship tilt between the Cornhuskers and Longhorns. The unranked Longhorns upset #3 Nebraska 37-27 in the 1996 game in St. Louis, Missouri
, while the #2 Cornhuskers beat #12 Texas 22-6 in 1999 in San Antonio, Texas
. Texas is now 3-2 in the conference championship game; Nebraska fell to 2-3. Texas is second in Big 12 Championship titles to Oklahoma, who claims 6 conference titles.
Per Big 12 policy, Nebraska was declared the home team because the game took place in a home state of four Big 12 South teams. Designated "home" teams are 9–5 in Big 12 Championship Games. The South Division has won 6 years in a row and is 10-4 overall.
. The game was first played in 1996
, when the conference was assembled to include all of the teams from the Big Eight Conference
as well as four teams that had formerly been members of the Southwest Conference. The championship game was modeled on the SEC
format, which was the first conference in college football to have a conference championship game. Today, five additional conferences also now hold conference championship games: the ACC
, C-USA
, the MAC
, the Big Ten
, and the Pac-12.
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
. The divisional winners from the Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
squared off in the 14th edition of the game. The Texas Longhorns represented the South Division and the Nebraska Cornhuskers
2009 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2009 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cornhuskers played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska and were led by head coach Bo Pelini...
represented the North Division. Texas won the contest 13-12 on a last second field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
by placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Hunter Lawrence
Hunter Lawrence
Hunter Lawrence Tried out for the job of placekicker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at the University of Texas at Austin.-High school career:...
.
On the play immediately prior to Lawrence's field goal, as the game clock ticked down Texas quarterback Colt McCoy
Colt McCoy
Daniel "Colt" McCoy is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
rolled far to the right, with Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Suh is an American football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions 2nd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska....
in pursuit, and threw a pass well down field and out of bounds. The game clock ran out, which would have ended the fourth quarter, with Nebraska appearing to win 12-10. However, pursuant to Rule 12-3-6, the video replay official determined that an "egregious," and therefore reviewable, error concerning the game clock had occurred and ordered the errantly elapsed one second be returned to the clock. The ESPN/ABC video feed showed that McCoy's pass hit a stadium railing, out of bounds, with :01 remaining, allowing Texas to kick the winning field goal to advance to the BCS title game.
The game was the third championship tilt between the Cornhuskers and Longhorns. The unranked Longhorns upset #3 Nebraska 37-27 in the 1996 game in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, while the #2 Cornhuskers beat #12 Texas 22-6 in 1999 in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. Texas is now 3-2 in the conference championship game; Nebraska fell to 2-3. Texas is second in Big 12 Championship titles to Oklahoma, who claims 6 conference titles.
Per Big 12 policy, Nebraska was declared the home team because the game took place in a home state of four Big 12 South teams. Designated "home" teams are 9–5 in Big 12 Championship Games. The South Division has won 6 years in a row and is 10-4 overall.
Selection process
The Big 12 Championship Game matches up the winner of the North and South divisions of the Big 12 ConferenceBig 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
. The game was first played in 1996
1996 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the Florida Gators crowned National Champions, but not as unanimously as the Bowl Alliance would have hoped....
, when the conference was assembled to include all of the teams from the Big Eight Conference
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
as well as four teams that had formerly been members of the Southwest Conference. The championship game was modeled on the SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
format, which was the first conference in college football to have a conference championship game. Today, five additional conferences also now hold conference championship games: the ACC
ACC Championship Game
The Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game is an American college football game held on the first Saturday in December by the Atlantic Coast Conference each year to determine its football champion. The game pits the champion of the Coastal Division against the champion of the Atlantic Division in a game...
, C-USA
Conference USA Football Championship
The Conference USA Football Championship Game is an annual postseason college football game played to determine the champion of Conference USA. From 1996–2004, the champion of Conference USA was determined by regular season record...
, the MAC
MAC Championship Game
The Marathon MAC Football Championship is a football game between the winners of the East and West divisions of the Mid-American Conference to determine the conference champion. The game has been played since 1997, when the conference was first divided into divisions and since 2003 has been...
, the Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
, and the Pac-12.