2008 Northwestern Wildcats football team

Last updated

2008 Northwestern Wildcats football
NorthwesternWildcats.png
Alamo Bowl, L 23–30 OT vs. Missouri
Conference Big Ten Conference
Record9–4 (5–3 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMick McCall (1st season)
Offensive scheme Spread
Defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz (1st season)
Base defense Multiple 4–3
Captains
  • C.J. Bachér [1]
  • Prince Kwateng
  • Eric Peterman
  • Brendan Smith
Home stadium Ryan Field
Seasons
  2007
2009  
2008 Big Ten Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 8 Penn State $+  7 1   11 2  
No. 9 Ohio State  %+  7 1   10 3  
No. 24 Michigan State  6 2   9 4  
Northwestern  5 3   9 4  
No. 20 Iowa  5 3   9 4  
Wisconsin  3 5   7 6  
Minnesota  3 5   7 6  
Illinois  3 5   5 7  
Purdue  2 6   4 8  
Michigan  2 6   3 9  
Indiana  1 7   3 9  
  • $ BCS representative as conference champion
  • % BCS at-large representative
  • + Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2008 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten Conference during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Pat Fitzgerald, in his third season at Northwestern, was the team's head coach. The Wildcats played their homes games at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois.

Contents

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
August 3011:00 am [2] Syracuse * ESPN2 [2] W 30–1020,015
September 66:00 pm [3] at Duke *W 24–2023,614
September 1311:00 am [2] No. 11 (FCS) Southern Illinois *
  • Ryan Field
  • Evanston, IL
BTN [2] W 33–719,062 [4]
September 2011:00 am [2] Ohio *
  • Ryan Field
  • Evanston, IL
BTN [2] W 16–822,069
September 2711:00 am [5] at Iowa ESPNC [6] W 22–1770,585
October 112:30 pm [6] No. 23 Michigan State
  • Ryan Field
  • Evanston, IL
ESPN2 [6] L 20–3732,527
October 1811:00 am [5] Purdue Dagger-14-plain.png
  • Ryan Field
  • Evanston, IL
ESPN2 [5] W 48–2627,163
October 2511:00 am [5] at Indiana BTN [5] L 19–2130,698
November 111:00 am [5] at No. 20 Minnesota ESPN2 [6] W 24–1754,122
November 811:00 am [6] No. 12 Ohio State
  • Ryan Field
  • Evanston, IL
ESPN2 [6] L 10–4547,130
November 1511:00 am [6] at Michigan ESPN2W 21–14107,856
November 222:30 pm [6] Illinois
BTNW 27–1032,166
December 297:00 pmvs. No. 25 Missouri No. 22ESPNL 23–30 OT55,986
  • *Non-conference game
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

[7]

Game summaries

Syracuse

1234Total
Orange307010
Wildcats0914730

Duke

1234Total
Wildcats7100724
Blue Devils733720

Southern Illinois

1234Total
Salukis70007
Wildcats61010733

Ohio

1234Total
Bobcats00808
Wildcats6100016

Iowa

1234Total
Wildcats0106622
Hawkeyes3140017

Michigan State

1234Total
Spartans17710337
Wildcats0710320

Purdue

1234Total
Boilermakers6601426
Wildcats024101448

Indiana

1234Total
Wildcats3610019
Hoosiers777021

Minnesota

1234Total
Wildcats1070724
Golden Gophers0170017

Ohio State

1234Total
Buckeyes71771445
Wildcats703010

Michigan

1234Total
Wildcats7014021
Wolverines770014

Illinois

1234Total
Fighting Illini007310
Wildcats6731127

Alamo Bowl, v. Missouri

1234OTTotal
Tigers010103730
Wildcats73130023

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend:██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre123456789101112131415Final
AP RVRVRVRVRVRVRVRVRVRV242422RV
Coaches RVRVRVRV22RV24RV25RV24202220RV
Harris Not released23RVRVRVRVRVRV242221Not released
BCS Not released2224242223Not released

Statistics

Team

TeamOpp
Scoring  
  Points per Game  
First Downs  
  Rushing  
  Passing  
  Penalty  
Total Offense  
  Avg per Play  
  Avg per Game  
Fumbles-Lost  
Penalties-Yards  
  Avg per Game  
TeamOpp
Punts-Yards  
  Avg per Punt  
Time of Possession/Game  
3rd Down Conversions  
4th Down Conversions  
Touchdowns Scored  
Field Goals-Attempts-Long  
PAT-Attempts  
Attendance  
  Games/Avg per Game  

Scores by quarter

1234Total
Northwestern521008062294
Opponents64784941232

Offense

Rushing

NameGP-GSAttGainLossNetAvgTDLongAvg/G
          
          
          
          
          
          
          
          
          
          
          
TEAM         
Total         
Opponents         

Passing

NameCMPATTYDSCMP%YPALNGTDINTSACKRAT
C. J. Bachér 218365212859.75.835314149113.68
Mike Kafka 324633069.67.1736236131.13
Eric Peterman2255100.027.5030100496.0
Total252413251361.06.0853171715116.9
Opponents         

Receiving

NameGP-GSNo.YdsAvgTDLongAvg/G
          
          
          
          
          
          
          
          
          
          
          
          
          
          
Total         
Opponents         

Defense

NameGPTacklesSacksPass DefenseInterceptionsFumblesBlkd
Kick
SoloAstTotalTFL-YdsNo-YdsBrUpQBHNo.-YdsAvgTDLongRcv-YdsFF
Total

Special teams

NamePuntingKickoffs
No.YdsAvgLongTBFCI20BlkdNo.YdsAvgTBOB
Total
NamePunt ReturnsKick Returns
No.YdsAvgTDLongNo.YdsAvgTDLong
Total

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References

  1. "Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2018. p. 93. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 16, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Kickoff Times Announced For NU's First Three Home Games". Northwestern University Department of Athletics. July 2, 2008. Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
  3. "Kickoff Times Set For Duke's First Three Football Games". Duke University Department of Athletics. June 3, 2008. Retrieved June 6, 2008.
  4. Ryan, Shannon (September 14, 2008). "Wildcats keep a firm grip". Chicago Tribune . p. 3:4. Retrieved December 12, 2021 via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Big Ten Announces Start Times for 2008 Homecoming Games". Northwestern University Department of Athletics. May 12, 2008. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2008.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Northwestern Official Athletics Site". Northwestern University Department of Athletics. September 29, 2008. Archived from the original on September 28, 2008. Retrieved September 29, 2008.
  7. "Cumulative Season Statistics". Northwestern University Department of athletics. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2011.