2008 Illinois Fighting Illini football | |
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Conference | Big Ten Conference |
Record | 5–7 (3–5 Big Ten) |
Head coach |
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Offensive coordinator | Mike Locksley (4th season) |
Offensive scheme | Spread option |
Co-defensive coordinator | Dan Disch (2nd season) |
Co-defensive coordinator | Curt Mallory (2nd season) |
Captains |
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Home stadium | Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 62,870) |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2008 Illinois Fighting Illini football team represented the University of Illinois in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Ron Zook. The Illini played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. This was Zook's fourth season as the Illini head coach.
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
August 30 | 7:30 PM[1] | vs. No. 6 Missouri* | No. 20 | ESPN[1] | L 42–52 | 66,441 | ||
September 6 | 11:00 AM[2] | No. 19 (FCS) Eastern Illinois* | No. 24 | BTN[2] | W 47–21 | 60,131 | [3] | |
September 13 | 11:00 AM[2] | Louisiana–Lafayette* | No. 24 |
| BTN[2] | W 20–17 | 58,632 | |
September 27 | 7:00 PM[4] | at No. 12 Penn State | No. 22 | ABC[4] | L 24–38 | 109,626 | ||
October 4 | 2:30 PM[5] | at Michigan | ABC/ESPN2[5] | W 45–20 | 109,750 | |||
October 11 | 11:00 AM[6] | Minnesota |
| ESPN[6] | L 20–27 | 62,870 | ||
October 18 | 7:00 PM[7] | Indiana |
| BTN[7] | W 55–13 | 62,870 | ||
October 25 | 11:00 AM[8] | at Wisconsin | ESPN2[8] | L 17–27 | 81,241 | |||
November 1 | 2:30 PM | Iowa |
| ABC/ESPN | W 27–24 | 62,870 | ||
November 8 | 11:00 AM[9] | vs. Western Michigan* | ESPN+ | L 17–23 | 12,865 | |||
November 15 | 12:00 PM | No. 10 Ohio State |
| ESPN | L 20–30 | 62,870 | ||
November 22 | 2:30 PM | at Northwestern | BTN | L 10–27 | 32,166 | |||
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Game summaries
Missouri
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fighting Illini | 6 | 7 | 15 | 14 | 42 |
Tigers | 7 | 24 | 14 | 7 | 52 |
Eastern Illinois
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Panthers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
Fighting Illini | 7 | 19 | 14 | 7 | 47 |
Louisiana-Lafayette
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ragin' Cajuns | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 17 |
Fighting Illini | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
In the first quarter, Matt Eller kicked a 51-yard field goal. Brit Miller recovered Michael Desormeaux's fumble for a 27-yard touchdown. Drew Edmiston kicked a 24-yard field goal for Louisiana-Lafayette. Juice Williams passed to Daniel Dufrene for a 10-yard touchdown in the 2nd quarter.
In the second half, Desormeaux rushed for a 34-yard touchdown and passed to Erick Jones for an 11-yard touchdown. Matt Eller kicked a 27-yard field goal for the Fighting Illini.
Penn State
The Illini lost on the road to the Nittany Lions 38–24 in a nationally-televised, prime time, "White Out" game at Beaver Stadium. Illinois jumped out to a 14–7 lead, becoming the first team to take a lead on the Nittany Lions and the first to score points against them in the first quarter this season. However, the Nittany Lions responded with two touchdowns en route to a 21–14 halftime lead. The Illini wouldn't score again until kicking a field goal on the final play of the third quarter after recovering a Stephfon Green fumble, but Derrick Williams returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown.
The loss was head coach Ron Zook’s first as a head coach against a ranked opponent. The Illini's 24 points were the most allowed by Penn State this season as were their 189 total rushing yards.[10]
Penn State wide receiver Derrick Williams became the first player under PSU head coach Joe Paterno to score a rushing, a receiving, and a kick return touchdown in the same game.[10][11] Williams was selected the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.[12]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fighting Illini | 14 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
Nittany Lions | 14 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 38 |
Michigan
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fighting Illini | 3 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 45 |
Wolverines | 14 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 20 |
Minnesota
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Golden Gophers | 7 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 27 |
Fighting Illini | 0 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 20 |
Indiana
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hoosiers | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
Fighting Illini | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 55 |
Wisconsin
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fighting Illini | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
Badgers | 3 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 27 |
The Fighting Illini fell to the Badgers 27–17 for Wisconsin's first Big Ten win of the year. The Badgers outscored Illinois 17–7 in the second half.
Iowa
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hawkeyes | 0 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 24 |
Fighting Illini | 7 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 27 |
Western Michigan
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fighting Illini | 7 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
Broncos | 3 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
Ohio State
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Buckeyes | 9 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 30 |
Fighting Illini | 7 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
Northwestern
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fighting Illini | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
Wildcats | 6 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 27 |
Rankings
Week | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Final |
AP | 20 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 22 | RV | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Coaches | 19 | 25 | RV | 23 | 21 | RV | RV | — | RV | — | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Harris | Not released | RV | RV | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Not released | |||||
BCS | Not released | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Not released |
References
- 1 2 "Kick Time Changed For 2008 Opener". University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana Department of Athletics. May 22, 2008. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved May 22, 2008.
- 1 2 3 4 "Game Times And Future Schedules Set For Illinois Football". University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana Department of Athletics. July 2, 2008. Archived from the original on July 6, 2008. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
- ↑ Durando, Stu (September 7, 2008). "Illini let Juice run loose". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. D5. Retrieved December 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 "Big Ten Announces Five Prime-Time Football Games to Appear on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 During 2008 Season". Big Ten Conference. April 16, 2008. Archived from the original on April 20, 2008. Retrieved April 16, 2008.
- 1 2 "Time, Television Set for U-M Homecoming Tilt vs. Illinois". Michigan Sports Information. May 12, 2008. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2008.
- 1 2 "Illinois Homecoming Game Time Set". University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana Department of Athletics. May 12, 2008. Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2008.
- 1 2 "Illinois-Indiana Game Set For Prime Time". Illinois Athletics. May 21, 2008. Archived from the original on January 20, 2013. Retrieved May 22, 2008.
- 1 2 "Welcome home:Badgers, Illini kickoff set". Wisconsin Badgers Sports Report. May 10, 2008. Retrieved May 11, 2008.
- ↑ "Illinois-WMU game time set". Illinois Athletics. June 13, 2008. Archived from the original on June 18, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2008.
- 1 2 Thomas, Eric (September 29, 2008). "Not Just Getting by Anymore". The Sentinel. Carlisle. Retrieved September 29, 2008.
- ↑ "Penn State Remains Unbeaten, Tops Illinois, 38–24". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 27, 2008. Retrieved September 28, 2008.
- ↑ "Michigan, Northwestern and Penn State Football Players Honored After Big Wins". Big Ten Conference. September 29, 2008. Archived from the original on October 1, 2008. Retrieved September 29, 2008.