2008 Illinois Fighting Illini football team
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Illinois Fighting Illini football team represented the University of Illinois in the 2008–2009
college football
season. The team's head coach was Ron Zook
. The Illini played their home games at Memorial Stadium
in Champaign, Illinois
. This was Ron Zook's fourth season as the Illini head coach.
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.
, "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.
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. Williams was selected the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.
2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008, progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
season. The team's head coach was Ron Zook
Ron Zook
Ron Zook is a former American football coach and former player. He served as the head football coach at the University of Florida from 2002 to 2004 and at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2005 to 2011. Zook is a native of Ohio and an alumnus of Miami University, where he...
. The Illini played their home games at Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (Champaign)
thumb|right|300px|Original plan for Memorial Stadium circa 1921. Caption from [[Popular Mechanics]] Magazine, 1921Memorial Stadium is a football stadium located in Champaign, Illinois, in the United States, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The stadium is dedicated as...
in Champaign, Illinois
Champaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
. This was Ron Zook's fourth season as the Illini head coach.
Schedule
Missouri
Eastern Illinois
Louisiana Lafayette
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 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 timePrime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
, "White Out" game at Beaver Stadium
Beaver Stadium
Beaver Stadium is an outdoor college football stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, United States, on the campus of The Pennsylvania State University. It is home to the Penn State Nittany Lions of the Big Ten Conference. The stadium is named for James A...
. 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
Stephfon Green
Stephfon P. Green is an American football running back, currently playing college football for Penn State University.-Early years:...
fumble, but Derrick Williams returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown.
The loss was head coach Ron Zook
Ron Zook
Ron Zook is a former American football coach and former player. He served as the head football coach at the University of Florida from 2002 to 2004 and at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2005 to 2011. Zook is a native of Ohio and an alumnus of Miami University, where he...
’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.
Penn State wide receiver Derrick Williams became the first player under PSU head coach Joe Paterno
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
to score a rushing, a receiving, and a kick return touchdown in the same game. Williams was selected the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.
Michigan
Minnesota
Indiana
Wisconsin
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
Western Michigan
Ohio State
Northwestern
Rankings
| Poll | Pre | Wk 1 | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP | 20 | 24 | 24 | 22 | NR | NR | NR | |||||||||
| Coaches | 19 | 24 | NR | 23 | NR | NR | NR | |||||||||
| Harris | Not released | |||||||||||||||
| BCS | Not released | |||||||||||||||