BYU would enter the 2009 Cowboy Classic with a 14-22 record against the Big XII. However BYU was 1-0 against the Sooners. The only previously meeting was the 1994 Copper Bowl, where BYU won 31-6.[15]
BYU headed back down South for their second game of the season. The Green Wave would be their featured opponent. BYU and Tulane came into the contest with a 1-1 record against each other. The last meeting between the two was back in 2001, when BYU defeated the Green Wave 70-35 in Provo.[16]
BYU would try and bounce back after the loss to FSU. The loss to FSU ended a winning streak the Cougs had had at home since 2004. With a 37-27-3 record against the Rams, things looked good for BYU.[18]
The 2009 Beehive Boot began with the Battle for the Old Wagon Wheel as Utah State visited the Cougars. With a 42-23-3 record in one of the longest rivalries in the nation, BYU looked to try to continue to show the FSU game was a fluke.[19]
Utah State at #20 BYU
1
2
3
4
Total
Aggies
7
0
3
7
17
• Cougars
7
14
0
14
35
Date: October 2
Location: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT
Game start: 7:06 pm MST
Elapsed time: 2:59
Game attendance: 64,103
Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C), Clear, winds 0 mph
Referee: Steve Barth
TV announcers (Mtn.): Bill Doleman, Blaine Fowler, & Toby Christensen
After the Conference Weekend showdown, the Cougs headed on the road for their second road game of the year against a team they have thoroughly dominated, UNLV. Going into the 2009 season, the Cougars found themselves 13-3 against the Rebels lifetime.[20]
Back-to-back road games would be the norm most of the season, as was this case with Vegas and then San Diego. BYU would challenge the Aztecs with a 25–7–1 record against them intact.[21]
#18 BYU at San Diego State
1
2
3
4
Total
• Cougars
7
14
7
10
38
Aztecs
7
7
7
7
28
Date: October 17
Location:Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA
Game start: 4:06 pm MST
Elapsed time: 3:16
Game attendance: 30,258
Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C), sunny and clear, winds WSW 7 mph
Referee: Terry Leyden
TV announcers (Mtn.):Ari Wolfe, Blaine Fowler, and Jenny Cavnar
Heading into Homecoming BYU looked to get back on the winning track against TCU. The Cougars had won 5 of the first 7 meetings against TCU, but the Horned Frogs took the win in 2008 to get their 3rd win against the Cougars.[22]
#8 TCU at #16 BYU
1
2
3
4
Total
• Horned Frogs
14
7
10
7
38
Cougars
0
7
0
0
7
Date: October 24
Location: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT
Game start: 5:36 pm MST
Elapsed time: 2:47
Game attendance: 64,641
Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C), Cloudy with showers, winds S 6 mph
Referee: T. Adrian Hill
TV announcers (Versus): Joe Beninati, Glenn Parker, & Tim Neverett
BYU hit the road for the final back-to-back road trip of the year. Their first stop would be in Laramie. The Cougars came into the game with a 42-30-3 record against the Cowboys.[23]
#25 BYU at Wyoming
1
2
3
4
Total
• Cougars
14
7
10
7
38
Cowboys
0
0
0
0
0
Date: November 7
Location:War Memorial Stadium, Laramie, WY
Game start: 12:05 pm MST
Elapsed time: 2:45
Game attendance: 19,201
Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C), Partly Cloudy, winds S 13 mph
Referee: Randy Smith
TV announcers (Mtn.): James Bates, Todd Christensen, & Andrea Lloyd
The final road game on the back-to-back road trip took the Cougars to Albuquerque for their regular showdown with the Lobos. The Cougars came into the game with a 43-13-3 record against the Lobos.[24]
The final home stretch began with an old match-up against everybodies favorite run-and-gun squad, the Air Force Falcons. The Cougars came into the game with a 23-6 record against the Falcons.[25]
The regular season ended with the third edition of the Deseret First Duel. The winner would take a 2-1 lead in head-to-head football since the Holy War became sponsored by Deseret First Credit Union. The Cougars came into the game with a 30-50-4 against the Utes.[26] With both teams at 6-1 in conference play, and with TCU likely headed to a BCS game, BYU and Utah came in knowing the winner would be getting a berth in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Fans storming the field at LaVell Edwards Stadium after #19 BYU beat #21 Utah 26-23 in overtime
The fifth consecutive trip to the Las Vegas Bowl awaited BYU after their win over the Utes. Their opponent would be Bronco Mendenhall's alumni school- Oregon State, his first meeting against them with BYU. It was the first ever top 25 showdown in Vegas Bowl history. It also would feature a match of runner-up's as Oregon State was one of three teams tied for second in the Pac-10. BYU would go into the game with a 3-5 record lifetime against the Beavers.[27] After going 19-for-30 for 192 yards with 3 touchdowns, Max Hall would win the MVP honor. Hall would leave as the most winning quarterback in BYU history at 43-9. His running back, Harvey Unga, would leave the school as the all-time leading rusher.
2009 Las Vegas Bowl: #18 Oregon State vs. #14 BYU
1
2
3
4
Total
Beavers
7
0
0
13
20
• Cougars
14
9
7
14
44
Date: December 22
Location: Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Game start: 6:01 pm MST
Elapsed time: 3:37
Game attendance: 40,018
Game weather: 51 °F (11 °C), Cloudy, winds N 37-44 mph