To become eligible for postseason play in any FBS bowl game, a team must have a minimum 6 wins in a 12-game schedule, or 7 wins in a 13-game schedule, or be the champion of its conference, and not be on probation that specifically stipulates exclusion from postseason play. One win over a FCS team can count toward the win total each year provided the FCS team has supplied financial aid for football averaging out to at least 56.7 full scholarships (90% of the limit of 63 allowed to FCS schools) over the preceding two years.

Bowl games with contractual ties must select a team from that conference with seven wins, if one is available. If one is not available, a 6-win team from that conference is next-in-line.

Any berths not filled by a qualifying team from a contracted conference must fill that vacancy with a "spare" team that has 7 wins before any "spare" 6-6 team can be accommodated.

Achieving bowl eligibility does not guarantee a team will be slotted in a bowl game.

These teams scheduled 2 FCS opponents this season, and were therefore required to achieve 7 total wins for bowl eligibility: Duke, Kansas State, Mississippi, North Carolina, N.C. State, Rutgers and USF.

These teams scheduled 13 games, and are therefore required to achieve 7 total wins for bowl eligibility:
Boise State, Hawaii, Navy and New Mexico State.

2009 Bowl Eligible Teams (as of 12/6/09):
7 wins or more (60 teams)
Air Force
Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
Auburn
Boise State
Boston College
Bowling Green
BYU
California
Central Michigan
Cincinnati
Clemson
Connecticut
East Carolina
Florida
Fresno State
Georgia
Georgia Tech
Houston
Idaho
Iowa
Kentucky
LSU
Miami, Fla.
Middle Tennessee
Mississippi
Missouri
Navy
Nebraska
Nevada
North Carolina
Northern Illinois
Northwestern
Ohio
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Oregon
Oregon State
Penn State
Pittsburgh
Rutgers
SMU
South Carolina
Southern Miss
Stanford
TCU
Temple
Tennessee
Texas
Texas Tech
Troy
UCF
USC
USF
Utah
Virginia Tech
Wisconsin
West Virginia

Qualify with 6 wins (11 teams)
Florida State
Iowa State
Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana-Monroe
Marshall
Michigan State
Minnesota
Notre Dame (will not accept a bowl bid)
Texas A&M
UCLA
Wyoming

Eliminated (49 teams)
Akron
Arizona State
Arkansas State
Army
Ball State
Baylor
Buffalo
Colorado
Colorado State
Duke
Eastern Michigan
FAU
FIU
Hawaii
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Kansas State
Kent State
Louisiana Tech
Louisville
Maryland
Memphis
Miami, O.
Michigan
Mississippi State
New Mexico
New Mexico State
North Carolina State
North Texas
Purdue
Rice
San Diego State
San Jose State
Syracuse
Toledo
Tulane
Tulsa
UAB
Utah State
UNLV
UTEP
Vanderbilt
Virginia
Wake Forest
Washington
Washington State
Western Kentucky
Western Michigan