2008 Michigan State Spartans football team

NCAATeamFootballSeason
Year=2008
Team=Michigan State Spartans

---

Conference=Big Ten Conference
Division=
ShortConference=Big Ten
Record=5–1
ConfRecord=2–0
CoachRank=19
APRank=23
BCSRank=
HeadCoach=Mark Dantonio
OffCoach=Don Treadwell
DefCoach=Pat Narduzzi
OScheme=
DScheme=
StadiumArena=Spartan Stadium (c. 75,005 natural grass)
Champion=
Bowl=
BowlResult=The 2008 Michigan State Spartans football team will represent Michigan State University in the 2008–2009 college football season. The team's head football coach is Mark Dantonio. The Spartans play their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. This is Mark Dantonio's second season as the Spartans head coach.

In the 2007 season, the Spartans opened the season 4–0, but lost five of their next six games to put their record at 5–5. cite web|title = Michigan State 2007 football schedule|url = http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/ncaa/schedules/team/2007/msu/index.html|publisher = sportsillustrated.com|date = 2008-01-13|accessdate = 2008-01-13] Michigan State ended up finishing the season 7–5 after defeating Purdue and Penn State. This qualified the Spartans into a bowl for the first time since the 2003 season. The Spartans played in the Champs Sports Bowl against ACC opponent Boston College, losing 24–21 to end Dantonio's first season at 7–6.

Preseason

chedule

The Spartans will open the 2008 season with a game in Memorial Stadium against Pac-10 team California. This game ends the home and home between Michigan State and California, with the other being played back in the 2002 season in Spartan Stadium. The last meeting between the Spartans and Bears ended up with a win for Cal with a score of 46–22. Michigan State will play their next three games at home against MAC opponent and instate rival cfb link|year=2008|team=Eastern Michigan Eagles|title=Eastern Michigan, Sun Belt opponent Florida Atlantic, and rival Notre Dame.

Following the conclusion of the non-conference portion of their schedule, the Spartans will begin Big Ten play with an away game against Indiana and will open October with their first Big Ten home game against Iowa. The Spartans then travel to Evanston, Illinois to avenge a 2007 overtime loss against Northwestern. The following week, Michigan State returns to East Lansing to play against 2007 BCS runner-up Ohio State. This will mark the last meeting between the Spartans and Buckeyes until the 2011 season per Big Ten rules of having an eight game conference schedule with two conference teams rotating off the schedule every two years. Michigan State ends October when the Spartans travel to Ann Arbor to play in-state rival and arch nemesis Michigan. The two teams will battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy. The Spartans open their final month of the regular season against Wisconsin.The following week, Michigan State finishes its final home game of the season against Purdue. This will mark the last game Purdue head coach, Joe Tiller, has against the Spartans as Danny Hope succeeds Tiller's resignation. The Spartans have a bye week before traveling to University Park, Pennsylvania to play their final game of the season against Penn State. Michigan State will look to keep their hold on the Land Grant Trophy which the Spartans took control of in 2007 after beating the Nittany Lions 35–31.

CFB Schedule Entry
date = August 30
time = 8:00 p.m. cite web|url=http://msuspartans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/050208aaa.html|title=Spartans Open 2008 Football Season In Prime Time At California|publisher=Michigan State Sports Information|date=2008-05-02|accessdate=2008-05-03]
w/l = l
nonconf = yes
away = yes
rank =
opponent = Cal
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Berkeley, CA
gamename =
tv = ABC
score = 31-38
overtime =
attend = 62,956CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 6
time = 12:00 p.m. cite web|url=http://msuspartans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/070208aaa.html|title=Spartan Football Update: Kickoff Times Set For EMU, Florida Atlantic & Notre Dame|publisher=Michigan State Sports Information|date=2008-07-02|accessdate=2008-07-02]
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
neutral =
rank =
opponent = cfb link|year=2008|team=Eastern Michigan Eagles|title=Eastern Michigan
opprank =
site_stadium = Spartan Stadium
site_cityst = East Lansing, MI
gamename =
tv = BTN
score = 42-10
overtime =
attend = 71,789http://msuspartans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2008-2009/msu-emu.html#GAME.NEW] CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 13
time = 12:00 p.m.
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
away =
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Florida Atlantic
opprank =
site_stadium = Spartan Stadium
site_cityst = East Lansing, MI
gamename =
tv = ESPN2
score = 17-0
overtime =
attend = 70,321http://msuspartans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2008-2009/fau-msu.html] CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 20
time = 3:30 p.m.
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
away =
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Notre Dame
opprank =
site_stadium = Spartan Stadium
site_cityst = East Lansing, MI
gamename =
tv = ABC / ESPN in other markets
score = 23-7
overtime =
attend = 76,366http://msuspartans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2008-2009/nd-msu.html] CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 27
time = 12:00 p.m.
w/l = w
nonconf =
neutral =
rank =
opponent = at Indiana
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Bloomington, IN
gamename =
tv = ESPN
score = 42-29
overtime =
attend = 31,832http://iuhoosiers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2008-2009/game04.html]

CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 4
time = 12:00 p.m.cite web|url=http://hawkeyesports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/051208aaa.html|title=Two Iowa Football Game Times Announced|publisher=Iowa Sports Information|date=2008-05-12|accessdate=2008-05-12]
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming = yes
rank =
opponent = Iowa
opprank =
site_stadium = Spartan Stadium
site_cityst = East Lansing, MI
gamename =
tv = ESPN2cite web|url=http://msuspartans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/msu-m-footbl-sched.html|title=MSU Football Schedule|publisher=Msuspartans.com|date=2008-09-29|accessdate=2008-09-29]
score = 16-13
overtime =
attend = 77,526cite web|url=http://msuspartans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2008-2009/iowa-msu.html|title=Scoring Summary (Final), 2008 Michigan State Football, Iowa vs Michigan State (Oct 04, 2008 at East Lansing, Mich.|publisher=CBS College Sports Networks|date=2008-10-04|accessdate=2008-10-09)] CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 11
time = 3:30 p.m.cite web|url=http://bigten.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/092908aac.html|title=Big Ten Weekly Football Release-Sept. 29|publisher=Big Ten|date=2008-09-29|accessdate=2008-09-29]
w/l = w
nonconf =
away = yes
neutral =
rank = 23
opponent = Northwestern
opprank =
site_stadium = Ryan Field
site_cityst = Evanston, IL
gamename =
tv = ESPN2cite web|url=http://msuspartans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/msu-m-footbl-sched.html|title=MSU Football Schedule|publisher=Msuspartans.com|date=2008-09-29|accessdate=2008-09-29]
score = 37-20
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 18
time = 3:30 p.m.cite web|url=http://msuspartans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/msu-m-footbl-sched.html|title=MSU Football Schedule|publisher=Msuspartans.com|date=2008-09-29|accessdate=2008-09-29]
w/l =
nonconf =
rank =
opponent = Ohio State
opprank =
site_stadium = Spartan Stadium
site_cityst = East Lansing, MI
gamename =
tv = ABCcite web|url=http://msuspartans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/msu-m-footbl-sched.html|title=MSU Football Schedule|publisher=Msuspartans.com|date=2008-09-29|accessdate=2008-09-29]
score =
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 25
time = TBA
w/l =
nonconf =
away = yes
rank =
opponent = Michigan (Paul Bunyan Trophy Game)
opprank =
site_stadium = Michigan Stadium
site_cityst = Ann Arbor, MI
gamename = Battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy
tv =
score =
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 1
time = TBA
w/l =
nonconf =
away =
rank =
opponent = Wisconsin
opprank =
site_stadium = Spartan Stadiuim
site_cityst = East Lansing, MI
gamename =
tv =
score =
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 8
time = TBA
w/l =
nonconf =
rank =
opponent = Purdue
opprank =
site_stadium = Spartan Stadium
site_cityst = East Lansing, MI
gamename =
tv =
score =
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 22
time = TBA
w/l =
nonconf =
away = yes
rank =
opponent = Penn State (Land Grant Trophy)
opprank =
site_stadium = Beaver Stadium
site_cityst = University Park, PA
gamename = Battle for the Land Grant Trophy
tv =
score =
overtime =
attend =

Game notes

California

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Spartans
R1=0
R2=7
R3=7
R4=17
Home=Bears
H1=7
H2=10
H3=7
H4=14Linescore Amfootball
Road=Owls
R1= 0
R2= 0
R3= 0
R4= 0
Home=Spartans
H1= 0
H2= 7
H3= 3
H4= 7

Notre Dame

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Hawkeyes
R1=0
R2=3
R3=3
R4=7
Home=Spartans
H1=7
H2=6
H3=3
H4=0

Northwestern

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Spartans
R1=
R2=
R3=
R4=
Home=Wolverines
H1=
H2=
H3=
H4=

Wisconsin

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Spartans
R1=
R2=
R3=
R4=
Home=Nittany Lions
H1=
H2=
H3=
H4=

tatistics

Team

cores by quarter

Receiving

Players

Depth Chart

Roster

Awards

Coaching staff

* Mark Dantonio - Head Coach
* Don Treadwell - Offensive Coordinator
* Pat Narduzzi - Defensive Coordinator

See also

*2008 Big Ten Conference football season

References