The 2009 AutoZone Liberty Bowl is the fiftieth annual college football bowl game, and was played at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee on January 2, 2009 as part of the 2008-09 bowl season. The East Carolina Pirates accepted their invitation after their victory over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in the 2008 Conference USA Championship Game. The Kentucky Wildcats of the Southeastern Conference also accepted their invitation. East Carolina entered the game with a record of 9-4 and had been ranked as high as #15 in the AP poll during the season; Kentucky was 6-6 and unranked.