2009 New Orleans Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 2009 R+L Carriers
New Orleans Bowl
was the ninth edition of the bowl. The game was played at the Louisiana Superdome
in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sunday, December 20, 2009
. The game was televised live on ESPN
. The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
, the Sun Belt Conference
runners-up (Troy
, the conference champions, took a berth in the GMAC Bowl
instead), defeated the Southern Miss Golden Eagles
, a team from Conference USA
by a score of 42-32. The kickoff took place at 7:30 p.m., Central Time.
Southern Miss went back to the New Orleans Bowl for the second straight season and faced one of the nation's hottest teams, Middle Tennessee. Middle Tennessee reached nine wins for the first time since moving to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 1999 and was on a six-game winning streak going into the game, also a team high in that span. The New Orleans Bowl's Sun Belt Conference
slot typically goes to the champion, but Troy
, which lost 30–27 to Southern Miss in the 2008 New Orleans Bowl
, played in the GMAC Bowl
in Mobile, Alabama
instead, opening the opportunity for Middle Tennessee. The bowl marked the Blue Raiders' second bowl appearance in four seasons. Southern Miss was playing in their 12th bowl in 13 years. It was also the fourth time Southern Miss played in the New Orleans Bowl in the game's nine-year history. They were 3-0 in New Orleans Bowl games before the loss. The game also marked the first meeting between the two schools.
The star of the game was MTSU quarterback Dwight Dasher, who rushed for 201 yards, the most ever by a quarterback in a bowl game. He broke the quarterback
bowl rushing record of 200 yards set by Texas' Vince Young
in the 2006 Rose Bowl
against Southern California. Dasher also rushed for 2 touchdowns and passed for 2 more. Southern Miss quarterback Martevious Young
completed 18 of 34 passes for 271 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Southern Miss running back Damion Fletcher
ran for 78 yards. He finished the season with 1,015 to become the ninth player in major college football to reach 1,000 in all four seasons. With 5,302 yards rushing overall, Fletcher passed Herschel Walker
(5,259) and LaDainian Tomlinson
(5,263) for eighth on the NCAA's career list.
R+L Carriers
R+L Carriers is a freight shipping company, based in the United States. Over the course of 40 years, R+L Carriers, Inc. has grown from one truck to a fleet of 21,000 tractors and trailers. R+L Carriers serves a total of 50 states plus Canada, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Dominican...
New Orleans Bowl
New Orleans Bowl
The New Orleans Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana since 2001. The game was sponsored by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts from 2002 to 2004 and was officially called the Wyndham New...
was the ninth edition of the bowl. The game was played at the Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sunday, December 20, 2009
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
. The game was televised live on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
2009 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team
The 2009 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represented Middle Tennessee State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football for the 2009 season. Middle Tennessee competed as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. The team...
, the Sun Belt Conference
2009 Sun Belt Conference football season
The 2009 Sun Belt Conference football season was a 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...
runners-up (Troy
2009 Troy Trojans football team
The 2009 Troy Trojans football team represented Troy University in the college football season of 2009–2010. They played their home games at Movie Gallery Stadium in Troy, Alabama and competed in the Sun Belt Conference...
, the conference champions, took a berth in the GMAC Bowl
GMAC Bowl
The GoDaddy.com Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game that has been played annually at Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama since 1999. It currently matches teams from the Sun Belt Conference and the Mid-American Conference, and...
instead), defeated the Southern Miss Golden Eagles
2009 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team
The 2009 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team represented The University of Southern Mississippi in the college football season of 2009–2010. The team's head coach was Larry Fedora, who was in his second year at Southern Miss. They played their home games at M.M...
, a team from Conference USA
2009 Conference USA football season
The 2009 Conference USA football season was the 15th season of the conference's existence.-Previous season:East Carolina won the conference championship.-C-USA vs. BCS matchups:-Regular season:-Week one:-Week two:-Week three:-Week four:...
by a score of 42-32. The kickoff took place at 7:30 p.m., Central Time.
Southern Miss went back to the New Orleans Bowl for the second straight season and faced one of the nation's hottest teams, Middle Tennessee. Middle Tennessee reached nine wins for the first time since moving to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 1999 and was on a six-game winning streak going into the game, also a team high in that span. The New Orleans Bowl's Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
slot typically goes to the champion, but Troy
2009 Troy Trojans football team
The 2009 Troy Trojans football team represented Troy University in the college football season of 2009–2010. They played their home games at Movie Gallery Stadium in Troy, Alabama and competed in the Sun Belt Conference...
, which lost 30–27 to Southern Miss in the 2008 New Orleans Bowl
2008 New Orleans Bowl
The 2008 R+L CarriersNew Orleans Bowl was the eighth edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Southern Miss Golden Eagles defeated the Troy Trojans, 30-27 in a dramatic overtime game...
, played in the GMAC Bowl
2010 GMAC Bowl
The 2010 GMAC Bowl, the eleventh edition of the college football bowl game, was played at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama on January 6, 2010. The game was telecast on ESPN and matched the Central Michigan Chippewas, champions of the Mid-American Conference, against the Troy Trojans,...
in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
instead, opening the opportunity for Middle Tennessee. The bowl marked the Blue Raiders' second bowl appearance in four seasons. Southern Miss was playing in their 12th bowl in 13 years. It was also the fourth time Southern Miss played in the New Orleans Bowl in the game's nine-year history. They were 3-0 in New Orleans Bowl games before the loss. The game also marked the first meeting between the two schools.
Game summary
Middle Tennessee wore their home blue jerseys, Southern Mississippi wore their away white jerseys.The star of the game was MTSU quarterback Dwight Dasher, who rushed for 201 yards, the most ever by a quarterback in a bowl game. He broke the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
bowl rushing record of 200 yards set by Texas' Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
in the 2006 Rose Bowl
2006 Rose Bowl
The 2006 Rose Bowl Game, played on January 4, 2006, was a football game that served as the national championship of the 2005-2006 Bowl Championship Series...
against Southern California. Dasher also rushed for 2 touchdowns and passed for 2 more. Southern Miss quarterback Martevious Young
Martevious Young
Martevious Young is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the Omaha Beef of the Indoor Football League.-Early life:Born to Robin Robinson, who died an early death, Martevious was raised by his guardians Joseph and Sheila Young. He played for Coach Willie Carl Martin at Benjamin...
completed 18 of 34 passes for 271 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Southern Miss running back Damion Fletcher
Damion Fletcher
Damion Fletcher is an American football running back at Southern Mississippi.-High school career:...
ran for 78 yards. He finished the season with 1,015 to become the ninth player in major college football to reach 1,000 in all four seasons. With 5,302 yards rushing overall, Fletcher passed Herschel Walker
Herschel Walker
Herschel Junior Walker is an American mixed martial artist and a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs and earned the 1982 Heisman Trophy. He began his professional career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League...
(5,259) and LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tramayne Tomlinson is an American football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers fifth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas Christian.Tomlinson, often referred to by his initials, L...
(5,263) for eighth on the NCAA's career list.
Scoring summary
| Scoring Play | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | |||
| USM - Tory Harrison 2 Yd Run (Two-Point Run Conversion Failed), 10:42 | USM 6-0 | ||
| USM - DeAndre Brown 24 Yd Pass From Martevious Young (Martevious Young Pass To Deandre Brown For Two-Point Conversion), 6:35 | USM 14-0 | ||
| 2nd Quarter | |||
| MTSU - Garrett Andrews 11 Yd Pass From Dwight Dasher (Alan Gendreau Kick), 13:25 | USM 14-7 | ||
| MTSU - Shane Blissard 9 Yd Pass From Dwight Dasher (Alan Gendreau Kick), 4:41 | Tie 14-14 | ||
| USM - Daniel Hrapmann 20 Yd, 00:00 | USM 17-14 | ||
| 3rd Quarter | |||
| MTSU - Dwight Dasher 35 Yd Run (Alan Gendreau Kick), 10:12 | MTSU 21-17 | ||
| USM - Daniel Hrapmann 38 Yd, 7:36 | MTSU 21-20 | ||
| MTSU - Chris McClover 23 Yd Pass From Brent Burnette (Alan Gendreau Kick), 00:00 | MTSU 28-20 | ||
| 4th Quarter | |||
| USM - DeAndre Brown 7 Yd Pass From Martevious Young (Two-Point Pass Conversion Failed), 6:52 | MTSU 28-26 | ||
| MTSU - Benjamin Cunningham 2 Yd Run (Alan Gendreau Kick), 3:14 | MTSU 35-26 | ||
| MTSU - Dwight Dasher 1 Yd Run (Alan Gendreau Kick), 1:13 | MTSU 42-26 | ||
| USM - Freddie Parham 33 Yd Pass From Martevious Young (Two-Point Pass Conversion Failed), 00:27 | MTSU 42-32 | ||