2009 Fiesta - Profiles, History & More

Player profiles, team history, the breakout players, the best bowl moments and more for the 2009 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

2009 Fiesta Bowl Histories & Profiles

Texas (11-1) vs. Ohio State (10-2)

January 5th, 8:00 p.m. ET, Fox

- 2008 CFN Fiesta Bowl Preview

Fiesta Bowl History
2008	West Virginia 48, Oklahoma 28
2007	Boise St 43, Oklahoma 42 OT
2006	Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 20
2005	Utah 35, Pitt 7
2004	Ohio State 35, Kansas State 28
2003	Ohio State 31, Miami 24 2OT
2002	Oregon 38, Colorado 16
2001	Oregon State 41, Notre Dame 9
2000	Nebraska 31, Tennessee 21
1999	Tennessee 23, Florida State 16
1997 (Dec.)	Kansas State 35, Syracuse 18
1997 (Jan.)	Penn State 38, Texas 15
1996	Nebraska 62, Florida 24
1995	Colorado 41, Notre Dame 24
1994	Arizona 29, Miami 0
1993	Syracuse 26, Colorado 22
1992	Penn State 42, Tennessee 17
1991	Louisville 34, Alabama 7
1990	Florida State 41, Nebraska 17
1989	Notre Dame 34, West Virginia 21
1988	Florida State 31, Nebraska 28
1987	Penn State 14, Miami 10
1986	Michigan 27, Nebraska 23
1985	UCLA 39, Miami 37
1984	Ohio State 28, Pitt 23
1983	Arizona State 32, Oklahoma 21
1982	Penn State 26, USC 10
1980	Penn State 31, Ohio State 19
1979	Pitt 16, Arizona 10
1978	Arkansas 10, UCLA 10
1977	Penn State 42, Arizona State 30
1976	Oklahoma 41, Wyoming 7
1975	Arizona State 17, Nebraska 14
1974	Oklahoma State 16, BYU 6
1973	Arizona State 28, Pitt 7
1972	Arizona State 49, Missouri 35
1971	Arizona State 45, Florida St 38

Best Longhorn Bowl Moment: With all due respect to its recent thrilling comeback wins over USC and Michigan in the Rose Bowl, nothing defines the Texas bowl experience more than the Cotton Bowl, home to almost half of the program’s 46 bowl destinations. Arguably the most rewarding of those trips to Dallas was in 1970, when the ‘Horns came from behind twice in the fourth quarter to beat a Notre Dame team that was ending a 44-year self-imposed bowl-moratorium. The win, No. 500 in school history, cemented UT’s second national title.
 
Best Buckeye Bowl Moment: Beyond the plethora of Rose Bowl wins, nothing could compare to the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. In one of the most thrilling college football games of all-time, Ohio State upset Miami in overtime to cop its first unanimous national championship in 34 years. A distant runner-up was the come-from-behind win against USC in the 1969 Rose Bowl that put the finishing touches on that previous national title.

The Last Time You'll See ...

Ohio State: RB Chris Wells. Depending on which other players decide to leave early, Wells has a chance to be the first back selected in April. He’s got the burst and quick feet in a 6-1, 237-pound frame that NFL types covet. Even a foot injury and modest support from the passing game and offensive line couldn’t keep the junior from running for more than 1,000 yards and eight scores. 
 
Texas: DE Brian Orakpo. After a modest beginning to his career, Orakpo put it all together at a most opportune time for himself and the program. A good fit in Will Muschamp’s up-tempo defense, he’s responded in his senior year with 15.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks, both tops in the Big 12. His package of power and speed portend a very bright future at the next level.
 
Breakout Player ...

Texas: WR Malcolm Williams. After toiling behind veterans Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley this season, Williams will be ready to wear the go-to tag in 2009. He showed glimpses of the future, especially in the Texas Tech game, finishing the regular season with 17 catches for 304 yards and three touchdowns. At 6-3 and 218 pounds, he has the physical gifts and the work ethic to be a force, especially if Colt McCoy returns for his senior year.
 
Ohio State: QB Terrelle Pryor. Everyone knows that the sky is the limit for Pryor once he improves his reads and fine-tunes his overall game as a passer. A bunch of practices in December and a date with a talented defense will only hasten the maturation process. If Pryor has a breakthrough game and somehow engineers an upset Texas, the expectations for his sophomore year will ramp up exponentially. 
 
Best Non-Game Event
The Insight Fiesta Bowl Block Party is a New Year's Eve celebration in downtown Tempe that annually attracts 150,000 people and more than 40 bands on several stages. The fans from the four teams competing in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and Insight Bowl are able to enjoy the event, and the Insight Bowl has been held in the afternoon on December 31 just down the street in Sun Devil Stadium. The event has a national headliner each year, including the Goo Goo Dolls, Billy Idol, Barenaked Ladies, LeAnn Rimes, Hootie & The Blowfish and Live, to name a few. Legendary band Styx will perform at this year's event. The Block Party has been named one of the top ten places in the nation to ring in the New Year by USA Today, and "The Place to Party" by The Sporting News.

Player Gift Package
Players from each team will receive a MyVu Personal Media Viewer, an Apple iPod Nano, a Kenneth Cole Tostitos Fiesta Bowl watch, a snack pack, and a game hat.

Charitable Component
As a non-profit organization, the Fiesta Bowl believes in the importance of community outreach and service.  Through our involvement and contributions to charitable groups, it has upheld its commitment of annually supporting organizations devoted to enhancing the community. The Fiesta Bowl contributes to more than 45 charities each year.

How Success is Measured
Every year is a success in a different way. The committee has been fortunate to have a sell-out in 23 of the past 24 Tostitos Fiesta Bowls and host six national championship games. The Insight Bowl continues to grow and it's an honor to be partnered with the Big 12 and Big Ten conferences in that game. The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Insight Bowl and year-round events provide an economic boost to the local economy and all of its events give people of all ages and backgrounds an opportunity to participate. Some years they’ve got double-overtime thrillers and some years there are blowouts. However, their annual goal is to provide the best hospitality and experience possible for all of its customers, which includes the teams, fans, media, administrators and participants in all events.

MVP of the Bowl
It would be impossible to single one person out. The Fiesta Bowl and Insight Bowl have more than 3,000 volunteers, led this year chairman Dave Tilson, who give a great deal of time and effort in their respective areas. Some are involved with the bowl games, some with the parade, and some with the band championship. All are part of the Fiesta Bowl family and an integral part of the organizations.

Impact to the Community
The 2007 year that included the Insight Bowl, Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, and Tostitos BCS National Championship Game generated an economic impact of $401.7 million to the state's economy, according to the ASU W.P. Carey School of Business. In non-championship years, the games generate approximately $200 million to the state’s economy and have generated more than $2 billion to the state's economy over the last 37 years.

Role of Volunteers
As stated above, the Fiesta Bowl was started by volunteers and is successful because of its volunteers.  They are the most dedicated group of individuals an organization could ever have, and they continue to raise the bar each and every year.  

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Texas Bowl History (24-21-2)

2007	Holiday	Texas 52, Arizona State 34
2006	Alamo	Texas 26, Iowa 24
2005	Rose	Texas 41, USC 38
2004	Rose	Texas 38, Michigan 37
2003	Holiday	Washington St 28, Texas 20
2003	Cotton	Texas 35, LSU 20
2001	Holiday	Texas 47, Washington 43
2000	Holiday	Oregon 35, Texas 30
1999	Cotton	Arkansas 27, Texas 6
1998	Cotton	Texas 38, Miss State 11
1996	Fiesta	Penn State 38, Texas 15
1995	Sugar	Virginia Tech 28, Texas 10
1994	Sun	Texas 35, North Carolina 31
1990	Cotton	Miami 46, Texas 3
1987	Bluebonnet	Texas 32, Pittsburgh 27
1985	Bluebonnet	Air Force 24, Texas 16
1984	Freedom	Iowa 55, Texas 17
1983	Cotton	Georgia 10, Texas 9
1982	Sun	North Carolina 26, Texas 10
1981	Cotton	Texas 14, Alabama 12
1980	Bluebonnet	North Carolina 16, Texas 7
1979	Sun	Washington 14, Texas 7
1978	Sun	Texas 42, Maryland 0
1977	Cotton	Notre Dame 38, Texas 10
1975	Bluebonnet	Texas 38, Colorado 21
1974	Gator	Auburn 27, Texas 3
1973	Cotton	Nebraska 19, Texas 3
1972	Cotton	Texas 17, Alabama 13
1971	Cotton	Penn State 30, Texas 6
1970	Cotton	Notre Dame 24, Texas 11
1969	Cotton	Texas 21, Notre Dame 17
1968	Cotton	Texas 36, Tennessee 13
1966	Bluebonnet	Texas 19, Mississippi 0
1964	Orange	Texas 21, Alabama 17
1963	Cotton	Texas 28, Navy 6
1962	Cotton	LSU 13, Texas 0
1961	Cotton	Texas 12, Mississippi 7
1960	Bluebonnet	Texas 3, Alabama 3
1959	Cotton	Syracuse 23, Texas 14
1957	Sugar	Mississippi 39, Texas 7
1952	Cotton	Texas 16, Tennessee 0
1950	Cotton	Tennessee 20, Texas 14
1948	Orange	Texas 41, Georgia 28
1947	Sugar	Texas 27, Alabama 7
1945	Cotton	Texas 40, Missouri 27
1943	Cotton	Texas 7, Randolph Field 7
1942	Cotton	Texas 14, Georgia Tech 7

Ohio State Bowl History (19-20)

2008	BCS Champ	LSU 38, Ohio State 24
2007	BCS Champ	Florida 41, Ohio State14
2006	Fiesta	Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 20
2004	Alamo	Ohio State 33, Oklahoma State 7
2003	Fiesta	Ohio State 35, Kansas State 28
2002	Fiesta	Ohio State 31, Miami 24 (2 OT)
2001	Outback	South Carolina 31, Ohio State 28
2000	Outback	South Carolina 24, Ohio State 7
1998	Sugar	Ohio State 24, Texas A&M 14
1997	Sugar	Florida State 31, Ohio State 14
1996	Rose	Ohio State 20, Arizona State 17
1996	Citrus	Tennessee 20, Ohio State 14
1995	Citrus	Alabma 24, Ohio State 17
1993	Holiday	Ohio State 28, Brigham Young 21
1992	Citrus	Georgia 21, Ohio State 14
1991	Hall of Fame	Syracuse 24, Ohio State 17
1990	Liberty	Air Force 23, Ohio State 11
1989	Hall of Fame	Auburn 31, Ohio State 14
1986	Cotton	Ohio State 28, Texas A&M 12
1985	Citrus	Ohio State 10, Brigham Young 7
1984	Rose	Southern California 20, Ohio State 17
1983	Fiesta	Ohio State 28, Pittsburgh 23
1982	Holiday	Ohio State 47, Brigham Young 17
1981	Liberty	Ohio State 31, Navy 28
1980	Fiesta	Penn State 31, Ohio State 19
1979	Rose	Southern California 17, Ohio State 16
1978	Gator	Clemson 17, Ohio State 15
1977	Sugar	Alabama 35, Ohio State 6
1976	Orange	Ohio State 27, Colorado 10
1975	Rose	UCLA 23, Ohio State 10
1974	Rose	Southern California 18, Ohio State 17
1973	Rose	Ohio State 42, Southern California 21
1972	Rose	Southern California 42, Ohio State 17
1970	Rose	Stanford 27, Ohio State 17
1968	Rose	Ohio State 27, Southern California 16
1957	Rose	Ohio State 10, Oregon 7
1954	Rose	Ohio State 20, Southern California 7
1949	Rose	Ohio State 17, California 14
1920	Rose	California 28, Ohio State 0