2008 Michigan State Spartans football team

2008 Michigan State Spartans football
Capital One Bowl, L 12–24 vs. Georgia
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 24
AP	No. 24
2008 record	9–4 (6–2 Big Ten)
Head coach	Mark Dantonio (2nd year)
Offensive coordinator	Don Treadwell (2nd year)
Defensive coordinator	Pat Narduzzi (2nd year)
Home stadium	Spartan Stadium (c. 75,005 natural grass)
Seasons ← 2007 2009 →

2008 Big Ten football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
#8 Penn State $+		7	–	1					11	–	2
#9 Ohio State %+		7	–	1					10	–	3
#24 Michigan State		6	–	2					9	–	4
Northwestern		5	–	3					9	–	4
#20 Iowa		5	–	3					9	–	4
Wisconsin		3	–	5					7	–	6
Minnesota		3	–	5					7	–	6
Illinois		3	–	5					5	–	7
Purdue		2	–	6					4	–	8
Michigan		2	–	6					3	–	9
Indiana		1	–	7					3	–	9
$ – BCS representative as conference champion % – BCS at-large representative + – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

1 2 3 4 Total Michigan State 0 7 7 17 31 • California 7 10 7 14 38 Date: August 30 Location: California Memorial Stadium Berkeley, CA Game start: 8:12 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3:38 Game attendance: 62,956 Game weather: 73F, Wind: NW 5 MPH, Clear Referee: Brian O'Cain TV announcers (ABC): Ron Franklin (Play-by-play) Ed Cunningham (Analyst) Heather Cox (Sideline)

1 2 3 4 Total Eastern Michigan 0 7 0 3 10 • Michigan State 7 14 7 14 42 Date: September 6 Location: Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI Game start: 12:03 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3:06 Game attendance: 71,789 Game weather: 68 F, Wind: N 7 MPH, Sunny Referee: John Roggeman TV announcers (BTN): Mark Neely (Play-by-play) Glen Mason (Analyst) Shireen Saski (Sideline)

1 2 3 4 Total Florida Atlantic 0 0 0 0 0 • Michigan State 0 7 3 7 17 Date: September 13 Location: Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI Game start: 12:03 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3:05 Game attendance: 70,321 Game weather: 68F, Wind: SSE 12 MPH, Rain Referee: John O'Neill TV announcers (ESPN2): Pam Ward (Play-by-play) Ray Bentley (Analyst)

1 2 3 4 Total Notre Dame 0 0 0 7 7 • Michigan State 3 7 3 10 23 Date: September 20 Location: Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI Game start: 3:37 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3:13 Game attendance: 76,366 Game weather: 79F, Wind: WSW 10 MPH, Sunny Referee: Thomas Tomczyk TV announcers (ABC/ESPN): Brad Nessler (Play-by-play) Bob Griese (Analyst) Paul Maguire (Analyst) Stacey Dales (Sideline)

1 2 3 4 Total • Michigan State 13 14 9 6 42 Indiana 7 15 7 0 29 Date: September 27 Location: Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN Game start: 12:02 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3:40 Game attendance: 31,832 Game weather: F, Wind: MPH, Referee: Dan Capron TV announcers (ESPN): Pam Ward (Play-by-play) Ray Bentley (Analyst)

1 2 3 4 Total Iowa 0 3 3 7 13 • Michigan State 7 6 3 0 16 Date: October 5 Location: Stadium East Lansing, MI Game start: 12:02 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 2:58 Game attendance: 77,526 Game weather: 49F, Wind: NNW 4 MPH, Partly Cloudy Referee: Dennis Lipski TV announcers (ESPN2): Clay Matvick (Play-by-play) Ray Bentley (Analyst)

1 2 3 4 Total • Michigan State 17 7 10 3 37 Northwestern 0 7 10 3 20 Date: October 11 Location: Ryan Field Evanston, IL Game start: 3:45 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3:17 Game attendance: 32,527 Game weather: 73F, Wind: SSE 7 MPH, Sunny Referee: John O'Neill TV announcers (ESPN2): Pam Ward (Play-by-play) Ray Bentley (Analyst)

1 2 3 4 Total • Ohio State 21 7 0 17 45 Michigan State 0 0 7 0 7 Date: October 18 Location: Spartan Stadium East Lansin, MI Game start: 3:37 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3:08 Game attendance: 77,360 Game weather: 54F, Wind: SE 7 MPH, Partly Cloudy Referee: Todd Geerlings TV announcers (ABC/ESPN2): Brad Nessler (Play-by-play) Bob Griese (Analyst) Paul Maguire (Analyst) Stacey Dales (Sideline)

The 2008 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Mark Dantonio. The Spartans played their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. This was Dantonio's second season as the Spartans head coach.

In the 2007 season, the Spartans opened the season 4–0, but lost five of their next six games to put their record at 5–5. Michigan State ended up finishing the season 7–5 after defeating Purdue and Penn State.This qualified the Spartans into a bowl for the first time since the 2003 season. The Spartans played in the Champs Sports Bowl against ACC opponent Boston College, losing 24–21 to end Dantonio's first season at 7–6.

The Spartans opened the 2008 season at California Memorial Stadium against California of the Pac-10. The game ended the home and home between Michigan State and California. The other game was played in the 2002 season at Spartan Stadium. Michigan State played their next three games at home against MAC opponent and instate rival Eastern Michigan, Sun Belt opponent Florida Atlantic, and rival Notre Dame.

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