| Year Game Played: | 2009 |
| Title Sponsor: | AutoZone |
| Game Name: | Liberty Bowl |
| Subheader: | 50th Liberty Bowl |
| Football Season: | 2008 |
| Visitor Name Short: | Kentucky |
| Visitor Nickname: | Wildcats |
| Visitor School: | University of Kentucky |
| Home Name Short: | East Carolina |
| Home Nickname: | Pirates |
| Home School: | East Carolina University |
| Visitor Record: | 6–6 |
| Visitor Conference: | SEC |
| Home Record: | 9–4 |
| Home Conference: | C-USA |
| Visitor Coach: | Rich Brooks |
| Home Coach: | Skip Holtz |
| Visitor 1Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 3 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 13 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 9 |
| Home 1Q: | 3 |
| Home 2Q: | 13 |
| Home 3Q: | 3 |
| Home 4Q: | 0 |
| Date Game Played: | January 2 |
| Stadium: | Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium |
| City: | Memphis, Tennessee |
| Mvp: | DT Ventrell Jenkins, Kentucky |
| Referee: | Bill LeMonnier (Big Ten Conference) |
| Attendance: | 56,125 |
| Payout: | 1.8 million per team[1] |
| Us Network: | ESPN |
| Us Announcers Link: | List of announcers of major college bowl games |
| Us Announcers: | Mark Jones, Bob Davie |
| Ratings: | 2.3 |
| Different Previous: | 2007 |
| Different Next: | 2010 (Jan) |
The 2009 Liberty Bowl was a college football postseason bowl game played at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 2, 2009. The 50th edition of the Liberty Bowl, it was the first edition ever played in January. With sponsorship from AutoZone, the game was officially the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The game featured the East Carolina Pirates of Conference USA (C-USA) and the Kentucky Wildcats of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Kentucky overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to win, 25–19.
East Carolina accepted an invitation to the bowl after their victory over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in the 2008 C-USA Championship Game.[2] [3] East Carolina entered the game with a record of 9-4 and had been ranked as high as No. 15 in the AP Poll during the season.[4] Kentucky was 6–6 and unranked.
East Carolina led through much of the game. However, late in the fourth quarter, Kentucky defensive tackle Ventrell Jenkins picked up a fumble and returned it 56 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Jenkins was named the MVP of the game.[5] The fumble recovery and return, marked by a vicious stiff arm Jenkins put on the opposing quarterback, received generous replay during bowl game broadcasts.[6]
| Scoring Play | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | |||
| ECU - Ben Hartman 22-yard FG, 5:25 | ECU 3-0 | ||
| 2nd Quarter | |||
| ECU - Brandon Simmons 28-yard TD run (Hartman kick), 14:14 | ECU 10-0 | ||
| UK - Lones Seiber 21-yard FG, 8:59 | ECU 10-3 | ||
| ECU - Darryl Freeney 80-yard TD pass from Patrick Pinkney (kick blocked), 8:47 | ECU 16-3 | ||
| 3rd Quarter | |||
| UK - David Jones 99-yard kickoff return (kick blocked), 14:48 | ECU 16-9 | ||
| UK - Kyrus Lanxster 19-yard TD pass from Mike Hartline (Seiber kick), 8:13 | Tie 16-16 | ||
| ECU - Hartman 43-yard FG, :06 | ECU 19-16 | ||
| 4th Quarter | |||
| UK - Seiber 34-yard FG, 14:07 | Tie 19-19 | ||
| UK - Ventrell Jenkins 56-yard fumble return (kick blocked), 3:02 | UK 25-19 | ||