The conference's other 10 teams began their respective 2009 season of NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) competition two days later.

Jared Odrick and Greg Jones won defensive player of the year awards from the coaches and media, respectively.

Chicago Tribune Silver Football recipients as the Big Ten co-MVPs were Daryll Clark and Brandon Graham.

Ray Fisher earned the national statistical championship in kickoff return average and established a new Big Ten single-season record with his performance.

28 Big Ten athletes were selected in the 2009 National Football League Draft in late April, including four first-round picks.

On the offensive side of the ball, returning first-team All-Big Ten quarterback Daryll Clark of Penn State appears on the watch lists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, Manning, Maxwell, Davey O'Brien and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Awards.

Illinois signal caller Juice Williams, a second-team All-Big Ten choice last year, appears on four different lists for the Manning, Maxwell, Davey O'Brien and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Awards.

Players appearing on two lists include Iowa offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga, Michigan running back Brandon Minor and offensive lineman David Molk, Michigan State center Joel Nitchman, Minnesota wideout Eric Decker and quarterback Adam Weber, Northwestern center Ben Burkett, Ohio State center Mike Brewster, Penn State running back Evan Royster and offensive lineman Stefan Wisniewski and the Wisconsin trio of running back John Clay, tight end Garrett Graham and center John Moffitt.

Fellow linebacker Sean Lee of Penn State, who missed last season due to injury after earning second-team All-Big Ten accolades in 2007, appears on the same five watch lists as Jones.

Defensive ends Brandon Graham of Michigan and Corey Wootton of Northwestern were both tabbed for the Bednarik, Ted Hendricks, Rotary Lombardi, Lott and Nagurski watch lists.

The suspension was for a violation of the new 2009 NCAA football playing rule that required mandatory conference video review of an act where a player initiates helmet-to-helmet contact and targets a defenseless opponent.

[18] Obi Ezeh, Jones and Lee were among the sixteen selected to the midseason Butkus watchlist and Clark was named as one of ten finalists for the Unitas award.

[19] Eight Big Ten athletes were named as semifinalists for the Campbell Trophy: Illinois' Jon Asamoah, Indiana's Jammie Kirlew, Michigan's Zoltan Mesko, Minnesota's Eric Decker, Northwestern's Andrew Brewer, Ohio State's Jim Cordle, Penn State's Josh Hull and Wisconsin's Mickey Turner on October 1.

[20] Four Big Ten Players midseason watch list for the John Mackey Award: Moeaki, Gantt, Quarless and Graham.

[24] Jones has been selected as a semifinalists for the Bednarik Award along with Angerer, Bowman and Wisconsin defensive end O'Brien Schofield.

[29] Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a National Championship title.

On September 12, Minnesota opened the 2009 season its new 50,720-seat home field, TCF Bank Stadium when the team hosted the Air Force Falcons.

[47] Throughout the conference regular season, the Big Ten offices named offensive, defensive and special teams players of the week each Sunday.

At the conclusion of week 12, the coaches and media made Big Ten Conference football individual honors selections.

Jared Odrick and Greg Jones won defensive player of the year awards from the coaches and media, respectively.

[63] The Chicago Tribune Silver Football recipients as the Big Ten co-MVPs were Daryll Clark and Brandon Graham, marking the first time the award has been shared.

[87] 26 Big Ten student-athletes were named to the Academic All-District teams presented by ESPN The Magazine, including 18 first-team selections: Illinois' Jon Asamoah, Indiana's Brandon Bugg, Trea Burgess and Ben Chappell, Michigan's Zoltan Mesko, Michigan State's Blair White, Minnesota's Eric Decker and Jeff Tow-Arnett, Northwestern's Doug Bartels, Stefan Demos and Zeke Markshausen, Penn State's Jeremy Boone, Josh Hull, Andrew Pitz and Stefen Wisniewski, Purdue's Joe Holland and Ryan Kerrigan and Wisconsin's Brad Nortman.

The Academic All-America first-team honorees from the Big Ten include Zoltan Mesko, Blair White, Zeke Markshausen, Josh Hull, Andrew Pitz and Stefen Wisniewski.

[88][89] The Big Ten conference also recognized 193 football players as fall term 2009-10 Academic All-Conference honorees, including Purdue's Joe Holland who has maintained a 4.0 Grade Point Average.

The student-athletes honorees were letterwinners in at least their second academic year at their institution and who carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher.