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[1]; Prince Kwateng; Eric Peterman; Brendan Smith;
Home stadium	Ryan Field (Capacity: 47,130)

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

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]	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	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

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.
"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.
"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.
"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.

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[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] "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] "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] "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.

Northwestern Wildcats football
Venues	Northwestern Field (1905–1925) Ryan Field (1926–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Illinois Michigan: George Jewett Trophy Notre Dame
Culture and lore	Willie the Wildcat "Go U Northwestern" Marching band 2006 Michigan State game
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1876 1877–1881 1882 1883–1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906–1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023