2008 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Unreferenced|date=July 2017}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NCAA team season
|year = 2008
|team = Rutgers Scarlet Knights
|image = Rutgers_athletics_logo.png
|image_size = 125
|conference = Big East Conference
|conference_link = Big East Conference (1979–2013)
|division =
|short_conf = Big East
|record = 8–5
|conf_record = 5–2
|head_coach = Greg Schiano
|hc_year= 8th
|off_coach=John McNulty
|oc_year= 3rd
|off_scheme = Pro-style
|def_scheme = 4–3
|stadium = Rutgers Stadium
|champion = PapaJohns.com Bowl champion
|bowl = PapaJohns.com Bowl
|bowl_result = W 29–23 vs. NC State
}}
{{2008 Big East football standings}}
The 2008 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represented Rutgers University in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Their head coach was Greg Schiano and they played their home games at Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. The Scarlet Knights finished the season 8–5, 5–2 in Big East play and won the PapaJohns.com Bowl, 29–23, over NC State.
After losing star halfback Ray Rice to the NFL Draft, Rutgers faced a rebuilding season. Senior Mike Teel was forced to step up his game at quarterback without being able to rely on Rice so frequently. Rutgers started off very slowly, dropping 5 of the first 6 games, including two to Big East rivals West Virginia and Cincinnati. With dreams of a Big East championship now completely eroded, Rutgers now had to recover to try to at least secure a fourth consecutive bowl berth. Starting with a 12–10 win against Connecticut on homecoming weekend, Rutgers never lost another game. The next week, they posted an impressive 54–34 win over #17 Pittsburgh. They won their next four games, finishing the season 7–5 with a solid 5–2 conference record. Rutgers earned a bowl berth in the PapaJohns.com Bowl, and they won a close game against NC State for their third consecutive bowl win.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 2008
| poll = AP polls released prior to game.
| timezone = Eastern
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 1
| time = 4:00 pm
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| rank =
| opponent = Fresno State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Rutgers Stadium
| site_cityst = Piscataway, New Jersey
| tv = ESPN
| score = 7–24
| attend = 42,508
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 11
| time = 7:45 pm
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| rank =
| opponent = North Carolina
| site_stadium = Rutgers Stadium
| site_cityst = Piscataway, New Jersey
| tv = ESPN
| score = 12–44
| attend = 42,502
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 20
| time = 3:30 pm
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank =
| opponent = Navy
| site_stadium = Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Annapolis, Maryland
| tv = CBSCS
| score = 21–23
| attend = 37,821
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 27
| time = 3:30 pm
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank =
| opponent = Morgan State
| site_stadium = Rutgers Stadium
| site_cityst = Piscataway, New Jersey
| tv = SNY
| score = 38–0
| attend = 42,411
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 4
| time = 12:00 pm
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank =
| opponent = West Virginia
| site_stadium = Mountaineer Field
| site_cityst = Morgantown, West Virginia
| tv = SNY
| score = 17–24
| attend = 59,122
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 11
| time = 12:00 pm
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank =
| opponent = Cincinnati
| site_stadium = Nippert Stadium
| site_cityst = Cincinnati
| tv = SNY
| score = 10–13
| attend = 32,370
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 18
| time = 12:00 pm
| w/l = w
| homecoming = y
| rank =
| opponent = Connecticut
| site_stadium = Rutgers Stadium
| site_cityst = Piscataway, New Jersey
| tv = ESPNU
| score = 12–10
| attend = 42,491
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 25
| time = 3:30 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank =
| opponent = Pittsburgh
| opprank = 17
| site_stadium = Heinz Field
| site_cityst = Pittsburgh
| tv = ESPN360
| score = 54–34
| attend = 51,161
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 8
| time = 12:00 pm
| w/l = w
| rank =
| opponent = Syracuse
| site_stadium = Rutgers Stadium
| site_cityst = Piscataway, New Jersey
| tv = ESPNU
| score = 35–17
| attend = 42,172
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 15
| time = 12:00 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank =
| opponent = South Florida
| site_stadium = Raymond James Stadium
| site_cityst = Tampa, Florida
| tv = SNY
| score = 49–16
| attend = 47,216
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 22
| time = 12:00 pm
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank =
| opponent = Army
| site_stadium = Rutgers Stadium
| site_cityst = Piscataway, New Jersey
| tv = SNY
| score = 30–3
| attend = 42,212
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 4
| time = 7:45 pm
| w/l = w
| rank =
| opponent = Louisville
| site_stadium = Rutgers Stadium
| site_cityst = Piscataway, New Jersey
| tv = ESPN
| score = 63–14
| attend = 42,347
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 29
| time = 3:00 pm
| w/l = w
| neutral = y
| rank =
| opponent = NC State
| gamename = PapaJohns.com Bowl
| site_stadium = Legion Field
| site_cityst = Birmingham, Alabama
| tv = ESPN
| score = 29–23
| attend = 38,582
}}
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Rutgers Scarlet Knights football navbox}}
Category:Rutgers Scarlet Knights football seasons
Category:Birmingham Bowl champion seasons
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
{{collegefootball-2008-season-stub}}