2008 Northwestern Wildcats football team

2008 Northwestern Wildcats football
2008 Northwestern Wildcats football
Alamo Bowl, L 23–30 OT vs. Missouri
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Record	9–4 (5–3 Big Ten)
Head coach	Pat Fitzgerald (3rd season);
Offensive coordinator	Mick McCall (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Mike Hankwitz (1st season)
Base defense	Multiple 4–3
Captains	C.J. Bachér; Prince Kwateng; Eric Peterman; Brendan Smith;
Home stadium	Ryan Field
	Seasons ← 2007 2009 →

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.

ConferenceBig Ten Conference

Record9–4 (5–3 Big Ten)

Headcoach

Pat Fitzgerald (3rd season)

OffensivecoordinatorMick McCall (1st season)

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2008 Big Ten Conference football standings
v t e
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

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Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
August 30	11:00 am^[2]	Syracuse*		Ryan Field Evanston, IL	ESPN2^[2]	W 30–10	20,015
September 6	6:00 pm^[3]	at Duke*		Wallace Wade Stadium Durham, NC		W 24–20	23,614
September 13	11:00 am^[2]	No. 11 (FCS) Southern Illinois*		Ryan Field Evanston, IL	BTN^[2]	W 33–7	19,062	^[4]
September 20	11:00 am^[2]	Ohio*		Ryan Field Evanston, IL	BTN^[2]	W 16–8	22,069
September 27	11:00 am^[5]	at Iowa		Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, IA	ESPNC^[6]	W 22–17	70,585
October 11	2:30 pm^[6]	No. 23 Michigan State		Ryan Field Evanston, IL	ESPN2^[6]	L 20–37	32,527
October 18	11:00 am^[5]	Purdue		Ryan Field Evanston, IL	ESPN2^[5]	W 48–26	27,163
October 25	11:00 am^[5]	at Indiana		Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN	BTN^[5]	L 19–21	30,698
November 1	11:00 am^[5]	at No. 20 Minnesota		Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minneapolis, MN	ESPN2^[6]	W 24–17	54,122
November 8	11:00 am^[6]	No. 12 Ohio State		Ryan Field Evanston, IL	ESPN2^[6]	L 10–45	47,130
November 15	11:00 am^[6]	at Michigan		Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry)	ESPN2	W 21–14	107,856
November 22	2:30 pm^[6]	Illinois		Ryan Field Evanston, IL (rivalry)	BTN	W 27–10	32,166
December 29	7:00 pm	vs. No. 25 Missouri	No. 22	Alamodome San Antonio, TX (Alamo Bowl)	ESPN	L 23–30 ^OT	55,986
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

	1	2	3	4	Total
Orange	3	0	7	0	10
Wildcats	0	9	14	7	30

	1	2	3	4	Total
Salukis	7	0	0	0	7
Wildcats	6	10	10	7	33

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bobcats	0	0	8	0	8
Wildcats	6	10	0	0	16

	1	2	3	4	Total
Wildcats	0	10	6	6	22
Hawkeyes	3	14	0	0	17

2008 Northwestern Wildcats football team

Schedule

Game summaries

Syracuse

Duke

Southern Illinois

Ohio

Iowa

Michigan State

Purdue

Indiana

Minnesota

Ohio State

Michigan

Illinois

Alamo Bowl, v. Missouri

Rankings

Statistics

Team

Scores by quarter

Offense

Rushing

Passing

Receiving

Defense

Special teams

References

Related Articles

2008 Northwestern Wildcats football

Alamo Bowl, L 23–30 ^OT vs. Missouri
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Record	9–4 (5–3 Big Ten)
Head coach	Pat Fitzgerald (3rd season)
Offensive coordinator	Mick 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 →

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Final
AP	—	—	—	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	24	24	22	RV
Coaches	—	—	RV	RV	RV	RV	22	RV	24	RV	25	RV	24	20	22	20	RV
Harris	Not released						23	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	24	22	21	Not released
BCS	Not released								22	—	24	—	—	24	22	23	Not released

Name	CMP	ATT	YDS	CMP%	YPA	LNG	TD	INT	SACK	RAT
C. J. Bachér	218	365	2128	59.7	5.83	53	14	14	9	113.68
Mike Kafka	32	46	330	69.6	7.17	36	2	3	6	131.13
Eric Peterman	2	2	55	100.0	27.50	30	1	0	0	496.0
Total	252	413	2513	61.0	6.08	53	17	17	15	116.9
Opponents

Name	GP	Tackles				Sacks	Pass defense		Interceptions				Fumbles		Blkd Kick
Name	GP	Solo	Ast	Total	TFL-Yds	No-Yds	BrUp	QBH	No.-Yds	Avg	TD	Long	Rcv-Yds	FF	Blkd Kick
Total

	1	2	3	4	Total
Wildcats	7	10	0	7	24
Blue Devils	7	3	3	7	20

	1	2	3	4	Total
Wildcats	10	7	0	7	24
Golden Gophers	0	17	0	0	17

	1	2	3	4	Total
Fighting Illini	0	0	7	3	10
Wildcats	6	7	3	11	27

Name	GP-GS	Att	Gain	Loss	Net	Avg	TD	Long	Avg/G











TEAM
Total
Opponents