2009 Liberty Bowl results - final score: Kentucky 25, East Carolina 19

The Kentucky Wildcats returned two fumbles for touchdowns on the same series—the first was overruled upon review—to beat East Carolina 25-19, overcoming a 16-3 first half deficit.

The action was slow in the first quarter, East Carolina taking a 3-0 lead while Kentucky missed their own attempt. But things heated up early in the second quarter with the Pirates scoring a touchdown on a 28-yard Brandon Simmons run. Lones Seiber put Kentucky on the board on the next drive to make it 10-3.

After a touchback kickoff, ECU had the first "play of the game." Patrick Pinkney dodged a potential sack and found Darryl Freeney down the sideline for an 80-yard touchdown and the Pirates—after a blocked extra point—were up 16-3 at the half.

The second "play of the game" came on the kickoff that started the second half. Kentucky's David Jones caught the ball at the 1 and took it 99 yards, drawing the Wildcats within 7 and giving them the momentum immediately.

East Carolina returned the favor of the blocked extra point, however, leaving it 16-9 Pirates, but Kentucky tied the game mid-way through the 3rd on Mike Hartline's TD pass to Kyrus Lanxter.

Kickers Hartman and Seiber, making up for their PAT flubs, each added a field goal to make it 19-19 early in the fourth quarter.

Then came "plays of the game" 3A and 3B. With four minutes left Pinkney, who had been shaken up on the previous series, scrambled and was tackled, fumbling the ball. Kentucky returned the fumble for a touchdown. Fortunately for East Carolina, upon review, Pinkney's knee was judged to have been down.

But two plays later, East Carolina fumbled again, and Kentucky lineman Ventrell Jenkins rambled in for another potential touchdown, delivering a smashing stiff-arm to Pinkney's face to get in the end zone. This time the play was confirmed by the officials. Kentucky took their first lead at 25-19 after yet another blocked extra point, and East Carolina didn't threaten again.

The Wildcats finish a 7-6 season on a high note, while the Pirates, after making waves with early upsets of Virginia Tech and West Virginia, fall to 9-5.