The 2009 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2009 college football season. Charlie Weis entered his fifth season as head coach with the expectation from the Notre Dame administration that his team would be in position to compete for a BCS Bowl berth. Notre Dame started the first part of the season 4-2, with close losses to Michigan and USC but ended the season with four straight losses, including a second loss to Navy loss in three years. Weis was fired as head coach the Monday after the Stanford loss at the end of the season. Although Notre Dame was bowl eligible with 6 wins, the University announced on December 4 that the Irish had chosen not to play in a bowl game. Irish athletic director Jack Swarbrick hired Cincinnati head coach Bria