The 2008 Big Ten Conference football season was the 113th season for the Big Ten.
Preseason
Ohio State was selected as the preseason favorite to win the conference with Wisconsin and Illinois second and third, respectively by the Media. Ohio State running back Chris Wells was chosen as the Preseason Big Ten Offensive Player of the year while fellow Buckeye linebacker James Laurinaitis was named the Preseason Big Ten Defensive Player of the year.
Purdue Head Coach Joe Tiller entered his final season, while Michigan's Rich Rodriguez began his first in Ann Arbor.
In a given year, each Big Ten team will play eight of the other Big Ten teams. Thus for any given team in a given year, there are two others which will not be competed against. Below is the breakdown of "no-plays" for 2008:
Akron @ Wisconsin
Coastal Carolina @ Penn State
Maine @ Iowa
Syracuse @ Northwestern
Western Kentucky @ Indiana
Youngstown State @ Ohio State
Utah @ Michigan
Northern Illinois @ Minnesota
Michigan State @ California
Illinois @ Missouri
September 6:
Eastern Illinois @ Illinois
Eastern Michigan @ Michigan State
Marshall @ Wisconsin
Miami (Ohio) @ Michigan
Northern Colorado @ Purdue
Ohio @ Ohio State
Florida International @ Iowa
Oregon State @ Penn State
Murray State @ Indiana
Northwestern @ Duke
Minnesota @ Bowling Green
September 13:
Florida Atlantic @ Michigan State
Louisiana @ Illinois
Montana State @ Minnesota
Southern Illinois @ Northwestern
Iowa State @ Iowa
Oregon @ Purdue
Penn State @ Syracuse
Michigan @ Notre Dame
Ohio State @ Southern California
Wisconsin @ Fresno State
September 20:
Central Michigan @ Purdue
Florida Atlantic @ Minnesota
Iowa @ Pittsburgh
Ohio @ Northwestern
Temple @ Penn State
Troy @ Ohio State
Notre Dame @ Michigan State
Ball State @ Indiana
September 27:
Michigan State @ Indiana
Minnesota @ Ohio State
Northwestern @ Iowa
Purdue @ Notre Dame
Wisconsin @ Michigan
Illinois @ Penn State
October 4:
Indiana @ Minnesota
Iowa @ Michigan State
Penn State @ Purdue
Illinois @ Michigan
Ohio State @ Wisconsin
October 11:
Iowa @ Indiana
Minnesota @ Illinois
Toledo @ Michigan
Michigan State @ Northwestern
Purdue @ Ohio State
Penn State @ Wisconsin
October 18:
Purdue @ Northwestern
Wisconsin @ Iowa
Ohio State @ Michigan State
Michigan @ Penn State
Indiana @ Illinois
October 25:
Illinois @ Wisconsin
Minnesota @ Purdue
Northwestern @ Indiana
Penn State @ Ohio State
Michigan State @ Michigan
November 1:
Northwestern @ Minnesota
Central Michigan @ Indiana
Iowa @ Illinois
Michigan @ Purdue
Wisconsin @ Michigan State
November 8:
Illinois @ Western Michigan
Michigan @ Minnesota
Ohio State @ Northwestern
Penn State @ Iowa
Purdue @ Michigan State
Wisconsin @ Indiana
November 15:
Indiana @ Penn State
Minnesota @ Wisconsin
Northwestern @ Michigan
Ohio State @ Illinois
Purdue @ Iowa
November 22:
Iowa @ Minnesota
California Polytechnic State @ Wisconsin
Illinois @ Northwestern
Indiana @ Purdue
Michigan @ Ohio State
Michigan State @ Penn State
In Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez's first game for the Wolverines, the Utes beat Michigan to sustain their position as the non-BCS team with the most victories against BCS teams (14).[2]
This is the first time that both teams were ranked when they went against each other. Missouri's win over the Fighting Illini drops Illinois's record to 7–15 in the Arch Rivalry. The Tigers have also won the past four games against Illinois.[3]
The Nittany Lions improved their all-time record against Pac-10 teams to 23-11. This also marks Penn State's tenth consecutive win against a non-conference team and seventh against a Pac-10 team at home. With the loss, it dropped Oregon State's record against the Big Ten to 0–2.[5]
In the only Big Ten-ACC season matchup in the 2008 season, Northwestern avenged a 2007 home loss that snapped Duke's 22-game losing streak. This also improved the Wildcats' record in Durham to 5-3.[6]
In a rainy matchup between the two winningest programs in the FBS, the Irish forced six turnovers to avenge two blowout losses by Michigan the last 2 seasons.[7]
The first game since 1990 between these two teams was dominated by the Nittany Lions. Penn State outgained Syracuse 560-169 and allowed only eight first downs in the entire game.[8]
In this annual matchup for the Cy-Hawk Trophy, the Iowa defense held the Cyclones to only 3 points despite Iowa State's offense being within the Hawkeye 30-yard line six times. With the win, Iowa has won the trophy 21 times over Iowa State's 11.[9]
This Big Ten-Pac-10 game played in West Lafayette, Indiana, #16 Oregon needed two overtimes to put upset-minded Purdue away. Purdue also snapped a 13-game home win streak in August/September and with Oregon's win, the Boilermakers lost 15 straight games vs. ranked opponents, with its last win vs. Iowa in 2003.[10]
These teams that have combined for three BCS championships and five BCS National Championship game appearances saw USC dominate the Buckeyes in the Coliseum by holding Ohio State to only 3 points. The Buckeyes had a streak of 141 consecutive games scoring at least one touchdown snapped. The last time Ohio State was kept out of the end zone was against Michigan November 23, 1996, in a 13-9 loss.[11]
Playing for the Megaphone Trophy, neither of these teams had won at home since 2001. This year proved different as MSU defeated Notre Dame in East Lansing. The Spartans were led by Javon Ringer's 201 yards on the ground in the win against the Irish.[12]
In this Big Ten-Big East matchup is the first game between these teams since 1952, the Hawkeyes had more total yards than the Panthers (361-259), but went home with a loss after not allowing a touchdown in the first three games of the 2008 season.[13]
In the Big Ten conference opener for both teams, the Old Brass Spittoon remained in East Lansing after Michigan State Running Back Javon Ringer, who had rushed for 200 yards in two straight games, ran just 2 yards shy of making a third straight 200 yard game.[14]
In the only nonconference matchup of the week, the Shillelagh Trophy was returned to South Bend after the Irish avenged a 2007 loss in Ross–Ade Stadium. Purdue has also lost 15 of its last 16 games at Notre Dame Stadium dating back to 1976.[15]
In another Big Ten traveling trophy game, the Hawkeyes returned the Heartland Trophy to Iowa City, Iowa, after a two-year losing streak against the Badgers. Wisconsin also dropped to 0-4 in the Big Ten for the first time since the 1996 season.[17]
This intrastate rivalry intensified in the 2007 season when Wolverine player Mike Hart dubbed the Spartans as Michigan's little brother. The Spartans returned the Paul Bunyan Trophy to East Lansing which was in the Wolverines' possession since 2002. It also marked the first time Michigan State won in Michigan Stadium since 1990.[18]
This rivalry matchup was again the featured point of College Gameday of the week for the 4th straight year. In front of an Ohio Stadium record crowd of 105,711, the Nittany Lions won their first game in Columbus since 1978. With Penn State's win, the all-time series is tied at 12-12. Ohio State dropped only its third Big Ten game since the 2005 season.[19]
The second oldest traveling trophy in the nation was up for grabs in this matchup between the Golden Gophers and Wolverines. The Little Brown Jug was won again by Michigan for the past nineteen of the last twenty times. Michigan also won its 12th straight win in the Metrodome and stopped a five-game losing streak.[20]
The oldest matchup in the FBS saw Minnesota with a two-touchdown lead at halftime in Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin, however, capped a second-half rally with a pair of safeties and a touchdown off a Minnesota turnover in the fourth quarter to win the matchup. The Badgers have won the last five matchups against the Gophers to keep Paul Bunyan's Axe in Madison.[21]
The Buckeyes avenged their 2007 loss against the Illini when Ohio State was ranked 1st in the polls. Ohio State ran its consecutive Big Ten road win to 15 and also returned the Illibuck to Columbus with Ohio State holding a 57-23 advantage over Illinois.[22]
The Michigan-Ohio State rivalry is one of the greatest sports rivalries. This annual matchup as the last regular season game has decided 24 Big Ten championships including this season's matchup. The Buckeyes won their fifth straight game against the Wolverines and continued their home winning streak against Michigan to 4. Ohio State clinched a share of a 4th straight Big Ten championship after beating Michigan. The Wolverines have not won since the 100th matchup between the archrivals in 2003.[23]
In this snowy matchup, Penn State returned the Land Grant Trophy to Happy Valley after avenging a 2007 season loss to the Spartans. Penn State increased its record against the Spartans to 12-4 since 1993. Penn State clinched a share of the Big Ten championship with a win over Michigan State and also a Rose Bowl berth for the first time since the 1994 season after beating Ohio State earlier in this season. The win also marked the 800th win in school history which is only the 6th team in the FBS and 3rd from the Big Ten to do so.[24]
The Floyd of Rosedale stayed with the Hawkeyes after a dominating win by Iowa. Shonn Greene set the Iowa single-season rushing record with 1,729 yards breaking Tavian Banks' record set in 1997. It was Minnesota's final time playing its home games in the Metrodome as the school moves into TCF Bank Stadium next season.[25]
This was the last battle for the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk, which the schools agreed to retire after the NCAA declared it to be abusive to Native Americans. While the schools had agreed that Northwestern would be the trophy's final resting place regardless of the game result, the Wildcats won the trophy on the field, making it five wins in the last six matchups. The win for Northwestern meant a nine win season for only the fifth time in school history. It also knocked Illinois out of a bowl game after making it to the 2008 Rose Bowl.[26]
In Purdue Head Coach Joe Tiller's final game, the Old Oaken Bucket was returned to the Boilermakers after their performance against the Hoosiers. This was also the most lopsided game in the series between these two teams since 1893.[27]
The overall attendance for the Big Ten was a total of 5,399,659 fans attending 77 contests this year. This meant that conference schools averaged 70,125 fans per home contest this season. Each Big Ten team has seven home games during the season with two exceptions; Indiana played eight games in Memorial Stadium and Illinois played two neutral sites to limit the Illini to six games in Memorial Stadium. Below are the figures for each game, the total for the team's season and the average attendance per game. The rankings below are by average attendance per game.
Team
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4
Game 5
Game 6
Game 7
Game 8
Total
Average
Michigan
108,421
106,724
109,833
109,750
107,267
110,146
107,856
---
759,997
108,571
Penn State
106,577
108,159
105,106
109,626
110,017
108,445
109,845
---
757,775
108,253
Ohio State
105,011
105,002
102,989
105,175
105,378
105,711*
105,564
---
734,830
104,975
Wisconsin
80,910
80,396
81,608
81,524
81,241
81,228
80,709
---
567,616
81,088
Michigan State
71,789
70,321
76,366
77,526
77,360
75,121
75,522
---
524,005
74,857
Iowa
70,585
70,585
70,585
70,585
70,585
70,585
67,676
---
491,186
70,169
Illinois
60,131
58,632
62,870
62,870
62,870
62,870
---
---
370,243
61,707
Purdue
51,476
54,666
57,101
57,215
54,215
59,135
63,107
---
396,915
56,702
Minnesota
44,029
43,929
41,003
40,511
54,122
55,040
64,071
---
342,705
48,957
Indiana
30,067
30,123
41,349
31,832
33,428
30,698
26,140
30,618
254,255
31,781
Northwestern
20,015
19,062
22,069
32,527
27,163
47,130
32,166
---
200,132
28,590
* denotes Ohio Stadium record vs. Penn State on October 25.
