2008 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

NCAATeamFootballSeason
Year=2008
Team=Illinois Fighting Illini


ImageSize=125
Conference=Big Ten Conference
ShortConference=Big Ten
Division=
CoachRank=
APRank=
BCSRank=
Record=3–3
ConfRecord=1–2
HeadCoach=Ron Zook
OffCoach=
DefCoach=
OScheme=Option/Spread
DScheme=
StadiumArena=Memorial Stadium
Champion=
BowlTourney=
BowlTourneyResult=

The 2008 Illinois Fighting Illini football team will represent the University of Illinois in the 2008–2009 college football season. The team's head football coach is Ron Zook. The Illini play their home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. This is Ron Zook's fourth season as the Illini head coach.

chedule

CFB Schedule Entry
date = August 30
time = 7:30 p.m.cite web |url=http://fightingillini.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/060408aad.html |title=Kick Time Changed For 2008 Opener |publisher=Illinois Sports Information |date=2008-05-22 |accessdate=2008-05-22]
w/l =l
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral = yes
rank =19
opponent = Missouri
opprank =7
site_stadium = Edward Jones Dome
site_cityst = St. Louis, MO
gamename =
tv = ESPN
score =52-42
overtime =
attend = 66,441CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 6
time = 11:00 a.m.cite web|url=http://fightingillini.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/070208aaf.html|title=Game Times And Future Schedules Set For Illinois Football|publisher=Illinois Sports Information |date=2008-07-02|accessdate=2008-07-04]
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 25
opponent = cfb link|year=2008|team=Eastern Illinois Panthers|title=Eastern Illinois
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Champaign, IL
gamename =
tv = BTN
score = 47-21
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 13
time = 11:00 a.m.
w/l =w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank =
opponent = cfb link|year=2008|team=Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns|title=Louisiana Lafayette
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Champaign, IL
gamename =
tv = BTN
score =20-17
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 27
time = 7:00 p.m.cite web|url=http://bigten.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/041608aaa.html|title=Big Ten Announces Five Prime-Time Football Games to Appear on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 During 2008 Season|publisher=Big Ten Conference|date=2008-04-16|accessdate=2008-04-16]
w/l =l
nonconf =no
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank = 21
opponent = Penn State
opprank = 12
site_stadium = Beaver Stadium
site_cityst = University Park, PA
gamename =
tv = ABC
score =38-24
overtime =
attend = 109,626CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 4
time = 2:30 p.m.cite web|url=http://mgoblue.com/football/article.aspx?id=137534|title=Time, Television Set for U-M Homecoming Tilt vs. Illinois|publisher=Michigan Sports Information|date=2008-05-12|accessdate=2008-05-12]
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Michigan
opprank =
site_stadium = Michigan Stadium
site_cityst = Ann Arbor, MI
gamename =
tv = ABC / ESPN2 in other markets
score = 45-20
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 11
time = 11:00 a.m.cite web|url=http://fightingillini.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/051208aaa.html|title=Illinois Homecoming Game Time Set|publisher=Illinois Sports|date=2008-05-12|accessdate=2008-05-12]
w/l =l
nonconf =no
homecoming = yes
away =no
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Minnesota
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Champaign, IL
gamename =
tv = ESPN
score =27-20
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 18
time = 7:00 p.m.cite web|url=http://fightingillini.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/052108aac.html|title=Illinois-Indiana Game Set For Prime Time|publisher=Illinois Athletics|date=2008-05-21|accessdate=2008-05-22]
w/l =
nonconf =
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Indiana
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Champaign, IL
gamename =
tv = BTN
score =
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 25
time = 11:00 a.m.cite web|url=http://uwbadgers.com/sport_news/fb/headlines/story.html?sportid=111&storyid=13946|title=Welcome home:Badgers, Illini kickoff set|publisher=Wisconsin Badgers Sports Report|date=2008-05-10|accessdate=2008-05-11]
w/l =
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Wisconsin
opprank =
site_stadium = Camp Randall Stadium
site_cityst = Madison, WI
gamename =
tv = ESPN/ESPN2/BTN
score =
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 1
time =
w/l =
nonconf =
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Iowa
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Champaign, IL
gamename =
tv =
score =
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 8
time = 11:00 a.m.cite web|url=http://fightingillini.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/061308aac.html|title=Illinois-WMU game time set|publisher=Illinois Athletics|date=2008-06-13|accessdate=2008-06-13]
w/l =
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral = yes
rank =
opponent = Western Michigan
opprank =
site_stadium = Ford Field
site_cityst = Detroit, MI
gamename =
tv =
score =
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 15
time =
w/l =
nonconf =
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Ohio State
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Champaign, IL
gamename = Illibuck
tv =
score =
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 22
time =
w/l =
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Northwestern
opprank =
site_stadium = Ryan Field
site_cityst = Evanston, IL
gamename = Sweet Sioux Tomahawk
tv =
score =
overtime =
attend =

Game Notes

Missouri

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Fighting Illini
R1= 6
R2= 7
R3= 15
R4= 14
RT=
Home=Tigers
H1= 7
H2= 24
H3= 14
H4= 7
HT=

Eastern Illinois

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Panthers
R1=7
R2=0
R3=0
R4=14
RT=21
Home=Fighting Illini
H1=7
H2=19
H3=14
H4=7
HT=47

Louisiana Lafayette

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Rajin' Cajuns
R1=3
R2=0
R3=0
R4=14
RT=17
Home=Fighting Illini
H1=10
H2=7
H3=0
H4=3
HT=20In 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 a 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. cite web | url =http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2008/09/28/sports/local/doc48e049e15e488715394400.txt | title = Not just getting by anymore | publisher = "The Sentinel" | last = Thomas | first = Eric | date = 2008-09-29 | accessdate = 2008-09-29 ]

Penn State wide receiver Derrick Williams became the first player under PSU head coach Joe Paterno to score a rushing, receiving, and a kick return touchdown in the same game. [cite news|title= Penn State remains unbeaten, tops Illinois, 38-24|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08271/915839-100.stm?cmpid=sports.xml|publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date= 2008-09-27|accessdate=2008-09-28] Williams was selected the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.cite web|url=http://bigten.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/092908aab.html|title = Michigan, Northwestern and Penn State Football Players Honored After Big Wins|publisher=Big Ten Conference|date = 2008-09-29|accessdate=2008-09-29]

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Fighting Illini
R1=14
R2=0
R3=3
R4=7
RT=24
Home=Nittany Lions
H1=14
H2=7
H3=3
H4=14
HT=38

Michigan

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Fighting Illini
R1=3
R2=14
R3=7
R4=21
RT=45
Home=Wolverines
H1=14
H2=0
H3=0
H4=6
HT=20

Minnesota

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Golden Gophers
R1=7
R2=0
R3=7
R4=13
RT=27
Home=Fighting Illini
H1=0
H2=3
H3=3
H4=14
HT=20

Indiana

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Hoosiers
R1=
R2=
R3=
R4=
RT=
Home=Fighting Illini
H1=
H2=
H3=
H4=
HT=

Wisconsin

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Fighting Illini
R1=
R2=
R3=
R4=
RT=
Home=Badgers
H1=
H2=
H3=
H4=
HT=

Iowa

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Hawkeyes
R1=
R2=
R3=
R4=
RT=
Home=Fighting Illini
H1=
H2=
H3=
H4=
HT=

Western Michigan

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Fighting Illini
R1=
R2=
R3=
R4=
RT=
Home=Broncos
H1=
H2=
H3=
H4=
HT=

Ohio State

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Buckeyes
R1=
R2=
R3=
R4=
RT=
Home=Fighting Illini
H1=
H2=
H3=
H4=
HT=

Northwestern

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Fighting Illini
R1=
R2=
R3=
R4=
RT=
Home=Wildcats
H1=
H2=
H3=
H4=
HT=

Rankings

References

ee also

*2008 Big Ten Conference football season

External links

* [http://fightingillini.cstv.com/ The official University of Illinois athletics site]