2009 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game

{{short description|Postseason college football game}}

{{about|the FCS (Division I-AA) championship game|the FBS (Division I-A) championship game|2009 BCS National Championship Game}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{infobox college football game

| game_name = NCAA Division I Football Championship

| subheader = FCS National Championship Game

| image = 2009 FCS Champ Logo.png

| football_season = 2009

| football_division = NCAA Division I FCS

| year_game_played = 2009

| date_game_played = December 18

| visitor_name_short = Montana

| visitor_nickname = Grizzlies

| visitor_school = University of Montana

| visitor_record = 11–0

| visitor_conference = Big Sky

| visitor_coach = Bobby Hauck

| visitor_rank_TSN = 1

| visitor_seed = 1

| visitor_1q = 7

| visitor_2q = 7

| visitor_3q = 0

| visitor_4q = 7

| home_name_short = Villanova

| home_nickname = Wildcats

| home_school = Villanova University

| home_record = 10–1

| home_conference = CAA

| home_coach = Andy Talley

| home_rank_TSN = 2

| home_seed = 2

| home_1q = 3

| home_2q = 6

| home_3q = 7

| home_4q = 7

| stadium = Finley Stadium

| city = Chattanooga, Tennessee

| MVP = Matt Szczur (WR, Villanova){{cite web |url=http://www.espn.com/espn/wire/_/section/ncf/id/25690447 |title=Outstanding players of FCS championship game |agency=AP |website=ESPN |date=January 5, 2019 |accessdate=January 6, 2019}}

| odds = Villanova by 2{{cite web |url=http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-football/odds/las-vegas/line-movement/villanova-@-montana.cfm/date/12-18-2009 |title=Villanova Wildcats @ Montana Grizzlies |website=vegasinsider.com |date=December 18, 2009 |accessdate=January 14, 2019}}

| referee = Matt Young (OVC)

| attendance = 14,328

| us_network = ESPN2

| different_previous = 2008

| different_next = 2011

}}

The 2009 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Villanova Wildcats and the Montana Grizzlies. It was played on December 18, 2009, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2009 NCAA Division I FCS football season, it was won by Villanova, 23–21.

Teams

The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 2009 FCS Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket.

=Montana Grizzlies=

{{main|2009 Montana Grizzlies football team}}

Montana finished their regular season with an 11–0 record (8–0 in conference). As the first-seed in the tournament, the Grizzlies defeated South Dakota State, Stephen F. Austin, and Appalachian State to reach the final. This was Montana's second consecutive and seventh overall appearance in an FCS/Division I-AA championship game, having previously won in 1995 and 2001, and having lost in 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008.

=Villanova Wildcats=

{{main|2009 Villanova Wildcats football team}}

Villanova finished their regular season with a 10–1 record (7–1 in conference). As the second-seed in the tournament, the Wildcats defeated Holy Cross, New Hampshire (who had given Villanova their only loss during the regular season), and William & Mary to reach the final. This was Villanova's first appearance in an FCS/Division I-AA championship game.

Game summary

=Scoring summary=

{{AmFootballScoreSummaryStart |VisitorName=MONT|HomeName=NOVA|state=}}

{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry

| Quarter=1

| Time=5:12

| Team=NOVA

| DrivePlays=5

| DriveLength=79

| DriveTime=3:55

| Type=FG

| yards=23

| Kicker=Nick Yako

| Visitor=0

| Home=3

}}

{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry

| Quarter=1

| Time=3:15

| Team=MONT

| DrivePlays=5

| DriveLength=69

| DriveTime=1:57

| Type=RecTD

| Receiver=Marc Mariani

| QB=Andrew Selle

| yards=24

| kickresult=good

| Kicker=Brody McKnight

| Visitor=7

| Home=3

}}

{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry

| Quarter=2

| Time=6:48

| Team=MONT

| DrivePlays=9

| DriveLength=80

| DriveTime=4:13

| Type=RecTD

| Receiver=Jabin Sambrano

| QB=Selle

| yards=4

| kickresult=good

| Kicker=McKnight

| Visitor=14

| Home=3

}}

{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry

| Quarter=2

| Time=3:34

| Team=NOVA

| DrivePlays=7

| DriveLength=66

| DriveTime=3:14

| Type=RushTD

| Runner=Matt Szczur

| yards=5

| kickresult=no good

| Kicker=Yako

| Visitor=14

| Home=9

}}

{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry

| Quarter=3

| Time=5:27

| Team=NOVA

| DrivePlays=13

| DriveLength=81

| DriveTime=7:28

| Type=RecTD

| Receiver=Chris Farmer

| QB=Chris Whitney

| yards=3

| kickresult=good

| Kicker=Yako

| Visitor=14

| Home=16

}}

{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry

| Quarter=4

| Time=11:04

| Team=NOVA

| DrivePlays=10

| DriveLength=95

| DriveTime=4:47

| Type=RushTD

| Runner=Szczur

| yards=3

| kickresult=good

| Kicker=Yako

| Visitor=14

| Home=23

}}

{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry

| Quarter=4

| Time=1:07

| Team=MONT

| DrivePlays=5

| DriveLength=93

| DriveTime=1:10

| Type=RecTD

| Receiver=Sambrano

| QB=Selle

| yards=53

| kickresult=good

| Kicker=McKnight

| Visitor=21

| Home=23

}}

{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEnd |Visitor=21 |Home=23}}

{{cite web |url=http://www.espn.com/college-football/playbyplay?gameId=293520222 |title=Montana vs. Villanova - Play-By-Play |website=ESPN |date=December 18, 2009 |accessdate=January 9, 2019}}

=Game statistics=

{{Linescore Amfootball|

|Road=No. 1 Grizzlies

|R1=7 |R2=7 |R3=0 |R4=7

|Home=No. 2 Wildcats

|H1=3 |H2=6 |H3=7 |H4=7

}}

File:Marc Mariani 2014.jpg]]

{{AmFootballGameStatistics

| Visitor = Montana Grizzlies

| VisitorDisplay = MONT

| Home = Villanova Wildcats

| HomeDisplay = NOVA

| VisFirsts = 18

| VisPlaysYds = 56–425

| VisRushing = 19–60

| VisPassYds = 365

| VisPassing = 28–37–0

| VisTOP = 26:33

| HomeFirsts = 22

| HomePlaysYds = 64–493

| HomeRushing = 51–351

| HomePassYds = 142

| HomePassing = 10–13–1

| HomeTOP = 33:27

}}

{{AmFootballGameTopPlayers

| Visitor = Montana Grizzlies

| VisitorDisplay = Montana

| Home = Villanova Wildcats

| HomeDisplay = Villanova

| VisPasser = Andrew Selle

| VisPassStats = 27–35, 351 yds, 3 TD

| VisRusher = Chase Reynolds

| VisRushStats = 15 car, 64 yds

| VisReceiver = Marc Mariani

| VisReceivingStats = 9 rec, 178 yds, 1 TD

| HomePasser = Chris Whitney

| HomePassStats = 10–13, 142 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT

| HomeRusher = Matt Szczur

| HomeRushStats = 14 car, 159 yds, 2 TD

| HomeReceiver = Matt Szczur

| HomeReceivingStats = 4 rec, 68 yds

}}

{{cite web |url=http://www.espn.com/college-football/game?gameId=293520222 |title=Montana vs. Villanova - Game Summary |date=December 18, 2009 |website=ESPN |accessdate=January 9, 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://villanova_ftp.sidearmsports.com/custompages/sports/m-footbl/stats/2009-2010/game15.html |title=Montana vs Villanova (box score) |website=villanova.com |via=sidearmsports.com |date=December 18, 2009 |accessdate=January 9, 2019}}

References

{{Reflist}}

Further reading

  • {{cite web |url=https://gogriz.com/news/2009/12/18/_Nova_ends_Montana_s_perfect_season_23_21.aspx?path=football |title='Nova ends Montana's perfect season, 23-21 |website=gogriz.com |date=December 18, 2009 |accessdate=January 9, 2019}}
  • {{cite web |url=https://villanova.com/news/2009/12/18/VILLANOVA_FOOTBALL_CAPTURES_2009_NATIONAL_CHAMPIONSHIP.aspx?path=football |title=VILLANOVA FOOTBALL CAPTURES 2009 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP |website=villanova.com |date=December 18, 2009 |accessdate=January 9, 2019}}