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The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008,[2] progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and (aside from all-star exhibition games that followed) concluded with the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2 Florida Gators, defeated the #1 Oklahoma Sooners, 24-14, of which the teams were determined by the BCS Ranking.[3] The Gators were declared national champions by the BCS and most major polls.
[edit] Rule changes for 2008
The NCAA football rules committee made several rule changes for 2008, and includes the following:[4][5]
- The 25-second play clock was replaced by a 40-second version similar to one that was used in the NFL until 2005.
- The penalty for kicking the ball out of bounds on the kickoff is increased, placing the ball at the 40-yard line, similar to the NFL.
- All face-mask penalties result in a 15-yard penalty. Incidental contact with the face mask is no longer penalized.
- All horse-collar tackles are now subject to a 15-yard penalty.
- If a coach challenges a play, and he wins the challenge, then he is given a second challenge to use later in the game, but each coach has a maximum of two challenges per game even if both are decided in his favor.
[edit] Key matchups and upsets
| Date |
Visitor |
Home |
Significance |
| September 1 |
Appalachian State 13 |
#7 LSU 41 |
For the first time in history, the defending champions of Division I FBS and FCS face off.[6] |
| September 6 |
#8 West Virginia 3 |
East Carolina 24 |
With an upset over West Virginia at home and a victory over Virginia Tech the week before in Charlotte, East Carolina vaulted into the Top 25 rankings for the first time since 1999, and set a Conference USA record for being the first team to beat three top 25 teams consecutively (#24 Boise State, #17 Virginia Tech, and #8 West Virginia.)[7] |
| September 13 |
#5 Ohio State 3 |
#1 USC 35 |
Southern California wins the most anticipated matchup of the early 2008 schedule for its eighth straight victory over a Big Ten opponent.[8] |
| September 25 |
#1 USC 21 |
Oregon State 27 |
Unranked Oregon State defeated the Trojans for the third time in the Trojans' last four visits to Corvallis.[9] |
| September 27 |
Ole Miss 31 |
#4 Florida 30 |
Ole Miss posted its 600th win and first win over a Top 5 team since 1977 when the Rebels defeated Notre Dame. Three of the last six times Florida has lost to an unranked team it has been to Ole Miss. The loss to Ole Miss was the only loss by Florida in the 2008 regular season.[10]; USA Today[11]; OleMissSports.com[12] |
| October 11 |
#5 Texas 45 |
#1 Oklahoma 35 |
Texas defeats the #1 team in the nation and wins the highest scoring Red River Rivalry ever.[13] |
| October 16 |
#9 BYU 7 |
TCU 32 |
The Cougars entered with the nation's longest winning streak at 16 games, but the Horned Frogs also score their biggest win ever over a Top 10 team.[14][15] |
| October 25 |
#3 Penn State 13 |
#9 Ohio State 6 |
Penn State defeats Ohio State on a game ending interception, winning their first game in Ohio Stadium since joining the Big Ten in 1993.[16] |
| November 1 |
#1 Texas 33 |
#7 Texas Tech 39 |
Texas Tech upsets #1 Texas on a last-second TD pass from Graham Harrell to Michael Crabtree and takes the top spot in the Big 12 South.[17] |
| November 6 |
#12 TCU 10 |
#8 Utah 13 |
In the second of three key Mountain West games with BCS implications, the Horned Frogs jump to a 10–0 first-quarter lead, but the Utes remained unbeaten with their BCS hopes alive, scoring the winning TD on a pass from Brian Johnson to Freddie Brown with 47 seconds left.[18][19] |
| November 8 |
Iowa 24 |
#3 Penn State 23 |
Joe Paterno loses for the first time in 2008.[citation needed] |
| November 22 |
#15 Michigan State 18 |
#8 Penn State 49 |
The Nittany Lions win their 800th game in school history, the Big Ten championship, and a trip to the Rose Bowl.[citation needed] |
| November 22 |
#14 BYU 24 |
#7 Utah 48 |
In The Holy War, Utah scores 21 unanswered fourth-quarter points to win the Mountain West championship, complete an unbeaten 12–0 season, and secure its second trip to a BCS bowl.[20][21] |
| November 22 |
#2 Texas Tech 21 |
#5 Oklahoma 65 |
Oklahoma ended the Red Raiders' hopes of a national championship appearance a year after Texas Tech did the same to Oklahoma.[22][23] |
| November 28 |
Fresno State 10 |
#9 Boise State 61 |
Boise State scored 51 unanswered points to cap off their third undefeated regular season in the past five years and sixth WAC championship in seven years.[24] |
| November 29 |
#18 Georgia Tech 45 |
#11 Georgia 42 |
#11 Georgia hosted #18 Georgia Tech in Athens for what looked to be Georgia's 8th win in a row in the storied rivalry, Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate. However, after trailing 28-12 at halftime, Georgia Tech sprung out of the locker room erupting for 33 points in the second half, beating Georgia 28-0 in the third quarter alone. This kept Georgia Tech's streak of 8 wins in a row from 1946-1954 as the longest in the series. |
| December 5 |
#12 Ball State 24 |
Buffalo 42 |
12-0 Ball State tried to complete their first undefeated season in fifty-nine years in the MAC Championship Game, but Buffalo was able to capitalize on the Cardinals' mistakes to earn their first ever conference championship and secure a bid in the International Bowl, fifty years after turning down their only previous bowl invitation to protest segregation at the game's site.[25][26][27] |
| December 6 |
#1 Alabama 20 |
#2 Florida 31 |
First conference championship game ever to feature both the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the AP Poll.[citation needed] Alabama entered the SEC Championship Game as the only BCS-conference team to finish the regular season undefeated. |
[edit] Conference standings
[edit] Conference champions
[edit] Championship games
| Date |
Conference |
Result |
Site |
TV |
| December 5 |
MAC |
Buffalo 42, #12 Ball State 24 |
Ford Field
Detroit, Michigan |
ESPN2 |
| December 6 |
Conference USA |
East Carolina 27, Tulsa 24 |
Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
ESPN2 |
| December 6 |
ACC |
Virginia Tech 30, #18 Boston College 12 |
Raymond James Stadium
Tampa, Florida |
ABC |
| December 6 |
SEC |
#2 Florida 31, #1 Alabama 20 |
Georgia Dome
Atlanta, Georgia |
CBS |
| December 6 |
Big 12 |
#4 Oklahoma 62, #19 Missouri 21 |
Arrowhead Stadium
Kansas City, Missouri |
ABC |
[edit] Other champions
1 Ohio State and Penn State both tied for the best record at 7-1, but Penn State got the Rose Bowl berth based on the October 25th matchup.
[edit] Bowl games
If a conference does not have enough eligible teams to fill all of its contracted bowl slots, and an affected bowl does not have a contingency agreement with another conference (e.g., the Poinsettia Bowl, which has a contract with the WAC to take one of its teams if the Pac-10 does not have enough eligible teams), the bowl "left out" can select an at-large team. By NCAA rule, an at-large bowl slot must be filled by a team with at least 7 wins, if available. Two new bowl games were added for the 2008-09 post-season: the EagleBank Bowl, which was played at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., and the magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl in the titular Florida city at Tropicana Field.
[edit] Bowl Championship Series
Ten teams played in the five BCS bowls. The top two teams in the final BCS ranking played in the BCS National Championship Game. The champions of the six BCS conferences who are not in the top two are given automatic berths into other BCS bowls. Unless playing in the championship game, the champions of the Big Ten and Pac-10 play in the Rose Bowl, the ACC champion in the Orange Bowl, the SEC champion in the Sugar Bowl and the Big 12 champion in the Fiesta Bowl. The Big East champion can play in any open BCS bowl games.
After the completion of the regular season and conference championship games, seven teams had secured BCS berths: Big Ten champion Penn State, Big East champion Cincinnati, ACC champion Virginia Tech, SEC champion Florida, Big 12 champion Oklahoma, Pac-10 champion USC, and Mountain West champion Utah, as the highest-ranked non-BCS conference champion. With Oklahoma and Florida being selected to play in the championship, Texas and Alabama were selected to assume their conference's spots in the Fiesta and Sugar Bowls. Cincinnati was selected for the Orange Bowl and Utah for the Sugar Bowl, with the remaining at-large spot awarded to Ohio State for the Fiesta Bowl. Ohio State was selected despite being ranked behind #9 Boise State at #10. #7 Texas Tech did not receive an at-large selection, as they were ineligible with the Big 12 already being awarded two BCS slots.
[edit] Other bowl games
| Bowl Game |
Date |
Team 1 |
Team 2 |
Score |
TV |
| EagleBank Bowl (Washington, D.C.) |
December 20 |
Wake Forest |
Navy |
29-19 |
ESPN |
| New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque, NM) |
December 20 |
Colorado State |
Fresno State |
40-35 |
ESPN |
| magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl (St. Petersburg, FL) |
December 20 |
Memphis |
South Florida |
14-41 |
ESPN2 |
| Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl (Las Vegas, NV) |
December 20 |
#16 BYU |
Arizona |
21-31 |
ESPN |
| R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (New Orleans, LA) |
December 21 |
Southern Mississippi |
Troy |
30-27 |
ESPN |
| SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl (San Diego, CA) |
December 23 |
#9 Boise State |
#11 TCU |
16-17 |
ESPN |
| Sheraton Hawaiʻi Bowl (ʻAiea, HI) |
December 24 |
Hawaiʻi |
Notre Dame |
21-49 |
ESPN |
| Motor City Bowl (Detroit, MI) |
December 26 |
Florida Atlantic |
Central Michigan |
24-21 |
ESPN |
| Meineke Car Care Bowl (Charlotte, NC) |
December 27 |
West Virginia |
North Carolina |
31-30 |
ESPN |
| Champs Sports Bowl (Orlando, FL) |
December 27 |
Wisconsin[30] |
Florida State |
13-42 |
ESPN |
| Emerald Bowl (San Francisco, CA) |
December 27 |
Miami (FL) |
California |
17-24 |
ESPN |
| Independence Bowl (Shreveport, LA) |
December 28 |
Northern Illinois |
Louisiana Tech |
10-17 |
ESPN |
| Papajohns.com Bowl (Birmingham, AL) |
December 29 |
NC State |
Rutgers |
23-29 |
ESPN2 |
| Valero Alamo Bowl (San Antonio, TX) |
December 29 |
#21 Missouri |
#23 Northwestern |
30-23 (OT) |
ESPN |
| Roady's Truck Stops Humanitarian Bowl (Boise, ID) |
December 30 |
Maryland |
Nevada |
42-35 |
ESPN2 |
| Texas Bowl (Houston, TX) |
December 30 |
Rice |
Western Michigan |
38-14 |
NFL Network |
| Pacific Life Holiday Bowl (San Diego, CA) |
December 30 |
#13 Oklahoma State |
#17 Oregon |
31-42 |
ESPN |
| Bell Helicopters Armed Forces Bowl (Fort Worth, TX) |
December 31 |
Houston |
Air Force |
34-28 |
ESPN |
| Brut Sun Bowl (El Paso, TX) |
December 31 |
Oregon State |
#20 Pittsburgh[31] |
3-0 |
CBS |
| Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl (Nashville, TN) |
December 31 |
#24 Boston College |
Vanderbilt |
14-16 |
ESPN |
| Insight Bowl (Tempe, AZ) |
December 31 |
Kansas[32] |
Minnesota[33] |
42-21 |
NFL |
| Chick-fil-A Bowl (Atlanta, GA) |
December 31 |
LSU |
#14 Georgia Tech |
38-3 |
ESPN |
| Outback Bowl (Tampa, FL) |
January 1 |
South Carolina |
Iowa |
10-31 |
ESPN |
| Konica Minolta Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, FL) |
January 1 |
Nebraska |
Clemson |
26-21 |
CBS |
| Capital One Bowl (Orlando, FL) |
January 1 |
#15 Georgia |
#18 Michigan State |
24-12 |
ABC |
| Cotton Bowl (Dallas, TX) |
January 2 |
#25 Ole Miss |
#7 Texas Tech |
47-34 |
FOX |
| AutoZone Liberty Bowl (Memphis, TN) |
January 2 |
Kentucky |
East Carolina |
25-19 |
ESPN |
| International Bowl (Toronto, ON, Canada) |
January 3 |
Buffalo |
Connecticut |
20-38 |
ESPN2 |
| GMAC Bowl (Mobile, AL) |
January 6 |
Tulsa |
#22 Ball State |
45-13 |
ESPN |
Winners are bold
| Conference |
Wins |
Losses |
Pct. |
| Pac-10 |
5 |
0 |
1.000 |
| SEC |
6 |
2 |
.750 |
| Big East |
4 |
2 |
.667 |
| C-USA |
4 |
2 |
.667 |
| MWC |
3 |
2 |
.600 |
| Big 12 |
4 |
3 |
.571 |
| Sun Belt * |
1 |
1 |
.500 |
| ACC |
4 |
6 |
.400 |
| WAC |
1 |
4 |
.200 |
| Big Ten |
1 |
6 |
.143 |
| MAC |
0 |
5 |
.000 |
* Does not meet minimum game requirement of three teams needed for a conference to be eligible.
[edit] Awards
[edit] Heisman Trophy voting
The Heisman Trophy is given to the year's most outstanding player.
[edit] Other major award winners
Top Player
Coaching
Offense
Defense
Lineman
Special Teams
Other
[edit] All-America selections
The Associated Press All-America team:
[edit] Coaching changes
[edit] Pre-season
[edit] In-season
[edit] End of season
[edit] Final rankings
| Rank |
Associated Press |
USA TODAY/AFCA* |
| 1 |
Florida |
Florida |
| 2 |
Utah |
Southern California |
| 3 |
Southern California |
Texas |
| 4 |
Texas |
Utah≠ |
| 5 |
Oklahoma |
Oklahoma |
| 6 |
Alabama |
Alabama |
| 7 |
Texas Christian |
Texas Christian |
| 8 |
Penn State |
Penn State |
| 9 |
Ohio State |
Oregon |
| 10 |
Oregon |
Georgia |
| 11 |
Boise State |
Ohio State |
| 12 |
Texas Tech |
Texas Tech |
| 13 |
Georgia |
Boise State |
| 14 |
Mississippi |
Virginia Tech |
| 15 |
Virginia Tech |
Mississippi |
| 16 |
Oklahoma State |
Missouri |
| 17 |
Cincinnati |
Cincinnati |
| 18 |
Oregon State |
Oklahoma State |
| 19 |
Missouri |
Oregon State |
| 20 |
Iowa |
Iowa |
| 21 |
Florida State |
Brigham Young |
| 22 |
Georgia Tech |
Georgia Tech |
| 23 |
West Virginia |
Florida State |
| 24 |
Michigan State |
Michigan State |
| 25 |
Brigham Young |
California |
* - The AFCA requires that their voters make the winner of the BCS Championship at the number one position in the final poll.
≠ - Kyle Whittingham, head coach of Utah, broke the agreement and voted his team number one on his ballot.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Western Kentucky University was in a 2-year process of transition to FBS status in 2008 (completed in 2009), and, therefore, some sources list the total for 2008 as 119.
- ^ "NCAA Football Schedules Week 1". CBS Sportsline. http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/schedules/week1. Retrieved on 2007-08-20.
- ^ a b c d e f "Future BCS Schedules". BCSFootball.org (Fox Sports). http://www.bcsfootball.org/bcsfb/future. Retrieved on 2007-10-29.
- ^ NCAA Football Rules Committee Proposes Rules to Enhance Student-Athlete Safety and Encourage Consistent Pace of Play. Press release. http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=1182.
- ^ "More new timing rules among NCAA proposal". http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?cid=774255.
- ^ ESPN
- ^ "East Carolina controls West Virginia from start to finish". ESPN.com. 2008-09-06. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282500151. Retrieved on 2008-11-23.
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282570030
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282690204
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282710057
- ^ USA Today:Another stunner: Ole Miss topples No. 4 Florida 31-30
- ^ http://www.olemisssports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=12816&SPID=738&DB_OEM_ID=2600&ATCLID=1621919
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282850201
- ^ "Showdown near as unbeaten BYU takes on 6-1 TCU". ESPN.com. 2008-10-16. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/preview?gameId=282902628. Retrieved on 2008-11-07.
- ^ Associated Press (2008-10-16). "TCU ends BYU's BCS hopes, win streak, and undefeated season". ESPN.com. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282902628. Retrieved on 2008-11-07.
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282990194
- ^ http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=283062641
- ^ "Utes-Horned Frogs meet with MWC title, BCS hopes at stake". ESPN.com. 2008-11-07. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/preview?gameId=283110254. Retrieved on 2008-11-07.
- ^ Associated Press (2008-11-07). "Johnson TD pass with 47 seconds left lifts Utah past TCU". ESPN.com. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=283110254. Retrieved on 2008-11-07.
- ^ "Stakes even higher than usual for Utah against BYU". ESPN.com. 2008-11-22. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/preview?gameId=283270254. Retrieved on 2008-11-23.
- ^ Associated Press (2008-11-22). "Seventh-ranked Utes tackle defending champions to win conference title". ESPN.com. http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=283270254. Retrieved on 2008-11-23.
- ^ "Red Raiders, Sooners battle for Big 12 South title". ESPN.com. 2008-11-22. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/preview?gameId=283270201. Retrieved on 2008-11-23.
- ^ Associated Press (2008-11-22). "Oklahoma's message soundly delivered with destruction of Texas Tech". ESPN.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=283270201. Retrieved on 2008-11-23.
- ^ "No. 9 Boise State scores 48 second-half points to blow away Fresno State". ESPN.com. 2008-11-28. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=283330068. Retrieved on 2008-12-05.
- ^ Eric Neel (2008-11-19). "All Or Nothing". ESPN.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=buffalo58. Retrieved on 2008-12-05.
- ^ "Cardinals, Bulls lay it on the line in MAC title game". ESPN.com. 2008-12-05. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/preview?gameId=283402084.
- ^ "Four fumbles doom No. 12 Ball State in MAC finale". ESPN.com. 2008-12-05. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=283402084.
- ^ "Penn State Rose Bowl Bound". Yahoo!. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081123/ap_on_sp_co_ga_su/fbc_t25_michigan_st_penn_st. Retrieved on 2008-11-23.
- ^ "Virginia Tech takes down BC,headed down to Orange Bowl again". Associated Press. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=283410259. Retrieved on 2008-12-5.
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://pittsburghpanthers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/bowlcentral.html
- ^ KU headed to Insight Bowl
- ^ Gophers, Jayhawks to meet in Insight Bowl
- ^ UA's Saban Named Home Depot Coach of the Year
- ^ "Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year". http://www.coachoftheyear.com/?&src=s=gglk=Liberty%20Mutual%20CoachC=COYG=brand_coach_coach_us_exactM=Exact.
- ^ "[http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/news/2008/robinson090106.html ALABAMA'S SABAN WINS 2008 EDDIE ROBINSON AWARD]". http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/news/2008/robinson090106.html.
- ^ UF's Tim Tebow is 2008 Wuerffel Trophy Winner
- ^ Iowa State's Chizik to Take Over at Auburn
- ^ a b "San Diego State to hire Ball State's Hoke, source says". ESPN.com. 2008-12-15. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3768737. Retrieved on 2008-12-15.
- ^ "English to be announced as EMU coach". ESPN.com. 2008-12-15. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3784036. Retrieved on 2008-12-20.
- ^ Source: Rhoads to be named new ISU football coach
- ^ Kansas State University Athletic Department (2008-11-05). Ron Prince Will Not Return for 2009. Press release. http://www.kstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3065&SPID=212&DB_OEM_ID=400&ATCLID=1618716. Retrieved on 2008-11-27.
- ^ Kansas State University Athletic Department (2008-11-24). Bill Snyder Named Head Football Coach. Press release. http://www.kstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3065&SPID=212&DB_OEM_ID=400&ATCLID=3622165. Retrieved on 2008-11-27.
- ^ "Mike Locksley - New Mexico's 29th Head Football Coach". - Lobos Football. - (c/o CBS Interactive). - December 9, 2008.
- ^ a b Associated Press (2009-03-13). "Kelly succeeds Bellotti as Ducks coach". ESPN.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3977901. Retrieved on 2009-03-15.
- ^ a b Purdue University Athletics Department (2008-01-11). Plenty Of Reasons For Hope. Press release. http://purduesports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/011108aas.html. Retrieved on 2008-11-27.
- ^ Doug Marrone in Syracuse Friday; will be named head coach
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ MU’s Christensen accepts Wyoming job
