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.

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

Schedule

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

^[7]

Game summaries

Syracuse

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

Duke

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

Southern Illinois

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

Ohio

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

Iowa

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

Michigan State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Spartans	17	7	10	3	37
Wildcats	0	7	10	3	20

Purdue

	1	2	3	4	Total
Boilermakers	6	6	0	14	26
Wildcats	0	24	10	14	48

Indiana

	1	2	3	4	Total
Wildcats	3	6	10	0	19
Hoosiers	7	7	7	0	21

Minnesota

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

Ohio State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Buckeyes	7	17	7	14	45
Wildcats	7	0	3	0	10

Michigan

	1	2	3	4	Total
Wildcats	7	0	14	0	21
Wolverines	7	7	0	0	14

Illinois

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

Alamo Bowl, v. Missouri

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Tigers	0	10	10	3	7	30
Wildcats	7	3	13	0	0	23

Rankings

Ranking movements
**Legend:** ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
	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

Statistics

Team

	Team	Opp
Scoring
Points per game
First downs
Rushing
Passing
Penalty
Total offense
Avg per play
Avg per game
Fumbles-Lost
Penalties-Yards
Avg per game

	Team	Opp
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

	1	2	3	4	Total
Northwestern	52	100	80	62	294
Opponents	64	78	49	41	232

Offense

Rushing

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











TEAM
Total
Opponents

Passing

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

Receiving

Name	GP-GS	No.	Yds	Avg	TD	Long	Avg/G














Total
Opponents

Defense

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

Special teams

Name	Punting								Kickoffs
Name	No.	Yds	Avg	Long	TB	FC	I20	Blkd	No.	Yds	Avg	TB	OB


Total

Name	Punt returns					Kick returns
Name	No.	Yds	Avg	TD	Long	No.	Yds	Avg	TD	Long

Total

References

↑ "Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2018. p. 93. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 16, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
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.
↑ "Kickoff Times Set For Duke's First Three Football Games". Duke University Department of Athletics. June 3, 2008. Retrieved June 6, 2008.
↑ Ryan, Shannon (September 14, 2008). "Wildcats keep a firm grip". Chicago Tribune. p. 3:4. Retrieved December 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
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.
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.
↑ "Cumulative Season Statistics". Northwestern University Department of athletics. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2011.

[1] "Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2018. p. 93. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 16, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.

[su/siu/ou-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.

[duke-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.

[homecoming_games-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.

[official_schedule-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.

[stats-7] "Cumulative Season Statistics". Northwestern University Department of athletics. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2011.

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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 →