2008 Mountain West Conference football season
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Mountain West Conference football season was the 10th since eight former members of the Western Athletic Conference
banded together to form the Mountain West Conference
. The University of Utah
won their fourth conference championship, ending the year 13-0 with a victory over Alabama
in the 2009 Sugar Bowl
.
August 30, 2008 • Michigan Stadium
• Ann Arbor, Michigan
• ABC
• Attendance: 108,421
Brian Johnson
threw for 305 yards and a touchdown and Louie Sakoda
was 4-4 on field goals as the Utes held on to beat Michigan on their home field.
September 6, 2008 • Husky Stadium
• Seattle, Washington
• FSN
• Attendance: 64,611
In one of the year's most controversial endings, Washington quarterback Jake Locker scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with two seconds remaining, but was penalized 15 yards when he flipped the ball into the air in celebration. BYU defensive end Jan Jorgensen blocked the 35-yard extra point attempt, securing the win for the Cougars.
September 13, 2008 • Gerald J. Ford Stadium
• Dallas, Texas
• Attendance: 2,546
The Falcons' scheduled game at Houston was relocated because of Hurricane Ike
, the effects of which could still very much be felt in Dallas. In high winds and intermittent rain, Air Force tallied 380 yards rushing and never attempted a pass in the victory.
September 13, 2008 • Amon G. Carter Stadium
• Fort Worth, Texas
• The Mtn
• Attendance: 25,531
Across the Metroplex from the Air Force-Houston game, the Frogs' game against Stanford was moved up to the early afternoon because of Ike and was also played in less than pleasant weather conditions. TCU outlasted the Cardinal in a sloppy game, starting the Mountain West's 4-0 day against the Pac 10.
September 13, 2008 • Lavell Edwards Stadium
• Provo, Utah
• Versus
• Attendance: 64,153
Max Hall tied a BYU school record by throwing for 7 touchdown passes as the Cougars easily defeated UCLA in Provo. The Cougars forced four turnovers and blocked a field goal in handing the Bruins their worst defeat in 80 years.
September 13, 2008 • University Stadium • Albuquerque, New Mexico
• CBS College • Attendance: 32,337
The Lobos had a little extra motivation in this one, after several Arizona players called New Mexico's 2007 win in Tucson a "fluke". Senior tailback Rodney Ferguson
rushed for 158 yards to lead the attack.
September 13, 2008 • Sun Devil Stadium
• Tempe, Arizona
• FSN
• Attendance: 59,852
By beating the 15th-ranked Sun Devils in their own stadium, the Rebels tallied their most impressive victory in recent memory. UNLV forced overtime by tying the game at 20 on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Omar Clayton
to Phillip Payne with 18 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter. Kyle Watson then kicked a 20-yard field goal on the Rebels' overtime possession, and Malo Taumua blocked Arizona State kicker Thomas Weber's 35-yard field goal attempt to secure the win.
September 20, 2008 • Falcon Stadium
• Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Versus
• Attendance: 36,952
Utah running backs Darrell Mack and Matt Asiata both ran for more than a hundred yards, and Mack's third rushing touchdown of the day with 58 seconds remaining in the game gave the Utes the victory.
September 20, 2008 • Sam Boyd Stadium
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• The Mtn
• Attendance: 25,567
For the second consecutive week, the Rebels knocked off a team from one of the nation's elite conferences in overtime. The Cyclones had the ball first in overtime and kicked a 37-yard field goal. Then on the first play of the Rebels' possession, Omar Clayton threw his third touchdown of the game to Phillip Payne to win the game.
September 20, 2008 • Memorial Stadium
• Norman, Oklahoma
• FSN
• Attendance: 85,158
In one of the Horned Frogs' two defeats of the 2008 season, the Sooners jumped out to a 28-3 halftime lead to secure the victory. The Frogs, however, did hold OU to just 25 yards rushing and 35 points- the Sooners' smallest point total of the year.
October 2, 2008 • Rice-Eccles Stadium
• Salt Lake City, Utah
• Versus
• Attendance: 45,559
A week to the day after the Beavers had knocked off the nation's #1 team, Southern Cal, they fell to the Utes in a Thursday-night thriller. Oregon State led late into the fourth quarter, but Utah tied the game at 28-28 with 1:29 left when Brian Johnson hit Bradon Godfrey for a 25-yard touchdown pass and then Johnson ran the ball in for a two-point conversion. The Ute defense was able to hold for a three and out, which gave them the ball back with enough time for Louie Sakoda to kick a game-winning 37-yard field goal as time expired to run their record to 6-0.
October 16, 2008 • Amon G. Carter Stadium
• Fort Worth, Texas
• Versus
• Attendance: 36,180
In a highly-anticipated matchup of ranked MWC teams, the Horned Frogs jumped out to a 23-0 halftime lead and never looked back. TCU sacked Max Hall 6 times- including 4 by All-American defensive end Jerry Hughes
- and debuted their "Wild Frog" formation with wide receiver Jeremy Kerley
lining up at quarterback.
November 6, 2008 • Rice-Eccles Stadium
• Salt Lake City, Utah
• CBS College • Attendance: 45,666
Coming into this Thursday-night matchup, the Frogs were 9-1 and the Utes 9-0 with the winner putting themselves in good position for a BCS Bowl bid. The Frogs led 10-0 early, but were unable to improve upon that lead. TCU freshman kicker Ross Evans missed two field goals in the fourth quarter, and Brian Johnson hit Freddie Brown for a 9-yard touchdown pass with 48 seconds remaining to give the Utes the 13-10 victory.
November 8, 2008 • Neyland Stadium
• Knoxville, Tennessee
• ESPN GamePlan
• Attendance: 99,489
In a defensive battle, Cowboys' linebacker Ward Dobbs returned an interception 24 yards to give Wyoming a 13-0 halftime lead. Despite a few drives into Wyoming territory in the second half, the Volunteers were only able to score 7 points. The defeat may have cost Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer his job.
November 22, 2008 • Rice-Eccles Stadium
• Salt Lake City, Utah
• The Mtn
• Attendance: 46,488
In the annual Holy War
game, Utah picked off BYU quarterback Max Hall five times as the Utes claimed an outright conference championship, a BCS Bowl bid and their third undefeated regular season in school history.
New Mexico Bowl
December 20, 2008 • University Stadium • Albuquerque, New Mexico
• ESPN
Colorado State running back Gartrell Johnson ran for 285 yards and scored two touchdowns in the Rams' 20-point fourth quarter surge to beat Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl. Johnson's 77-yard touchdown run with 1:46 remaining gave the Rams the lead for good, securing their first bowl win since 2001.
Las Vegas Bowl
December 20, 2008 • Sam Boyd Stadium
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• ESPN
In the Cougars' fourth-consecutive trip to the Las Vegas Bowl, they outgained the Wildcats 444 yards to 416, but were unable to turn that offensive production into points and lost.
Poinsettia Bowl
December 23, 2008 • Qualcomm Stadium
• San Diego, California
• ESPN
In a game of teams whose BCS dreams were dashed late in the season, Boise State jumped out to an early 10-0 lead, but TCU running back Aaron Brown cut the lead to 13-7 with a 16-yard touchdown run with 24 seconds remaining in the first half. The Frogs took the lead for good on Joseph Turner's 17-yard touchdown run with 8:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. The win gave TCU their 3rd 11-win season in the last 4 years, and was Boise State's lone defeat of the year.
Armed Forces Bowl
December 31, 2008 • Amon G. Carter Stadium
• Fort Worth, Texas
• ESPN
In a rare bowl game featuring a rematch from the regular season, the Cougars earned a season split with the Falcons with a 34-28 win. It was the Falcons' second consecutive appearance-and loss- in the Armed Forces Bowl, and was the Cougars' first bowl victory since 1980.
Sugar Bowl
January 2, 2009 • Louisiana Superdome
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• FOX
As a result of their 12-0 regular season and Mountain West Conference title, the Utes earned a spot in the Sugar Bowl and the $17 million pay-out that comes with it. They were heavy underdogs to Alabama, the SEC
team that had spent much of the year ranked number one. The Utes jumped out to a 21-0 first quarter lead, but the Tide had pulled to within 21-17 early in the third quarter. The Utes responded with a 7-play, 71-yard drive capped by a Brian Johnson to David Reed touchdown pass, and added a Louie Sakoda field goal late in the fourth quarter to secure the 31-17 victory. Johnson ended the game with 336 yards passing and three touchdowns, and the Ute defense sacked Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson eight times.
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
banded together to form the Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
. The University of Utah
2008 Utah Utes football team
The 2008 Utah Utes football team represented the University of Utah in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team, coached by 4th year head football coach Kyle Whittingham, plays its home games in Rice–Eccles Stadium...
won their fourth conference championship, ending the year 13-0 with a victory over Alabama
2008 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 2008 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 76th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference and its 17th within the SEC Western Division...
in the 2009 Sugar Bowl
2009 Sugar Bowl
The 2009 Allstate Sugar Bowl was the 75th annual edition of the annual college football bowl game that is part of the 2008–09 bowl season of the Bowl Championship Series 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season...
.
Statistical Leaders
| Passing | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | School | COMP | ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
| Max Hall | BYU | 330 | 477 | 3957 | 35 | 14 |
| Brian Johnson Brian Johnson (quarterback) Brian Delance Johnson is an American football quarterbacks coach for the University of Utah. He played college football at Utah and was drafted by the New York Sentinels in the UFL Premiere Season Draft in 2009.... |
Utah | 268 | 394 | 2972 | 27 | 9 |
| Billy Farris | Colorado St | 233 | 379 | 2934 | 19 | 13 |
| Rushing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | School | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD |
| Gartrell Johnson | Colorado St | 278 | 1476 | 5.3 | 12 |
| Devin Moore | Wyoming | 249 | 1301 | 5.2 | 7 |
| Harvey Unga | BYU | 240 | 1132 | 4.7 | 11 |
| Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | School | REC | YDS | YPC | TD |
| Austin Collie Austin Collie Austin Kirk Collie is a Canadian-American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Colts in the fourth round in the 2009 NFL Draft... |
BYU | 106 | 1538 | 14.5 | 15 |
| Rashaun Greer | Colorado St | 63 | 1114 | 17.7 | 3 |
| Dennis Pitta Dennis Pitta -Baltimore Ravens:Pitta was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was signed to a three-year contract on June 21, 2010.-External links:**... |
BYU | 83 | 1083 | 13.0 | 6 |
| Tackles | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | School | SOLO | AST | TOTAL | ||
| Jason Beauchamp | UNLV | 54 | 73 | 127 | ||
| Ken Lamendola | Air Force | 47 | 71 | 118 | ||
| Matt Bauman | BYU | 50 | 58 | 108 | ||
| Sacks | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | School | SACKS | ||||
| Jerry Hughes Jerry Hughes -2011 season:During the week 8 game against the Tennessee Titans Hughes missed a block on a punt by Pat McAfee. The punt was blocked and the Titans scored a touchdown. This was the first blocked punt of McAfee's career.-External links:*... |
TCU | 15.0 | ||||
| Jake Paulson | Air Force | 9.0 | ||||
| Paul Kruger Paul Kruger (American football) Paul Kruger is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Utah.-Early years:... |
Utah | 7.5 | ||||
| Herbert Felder | New Mexico | 7.5 | ||||
| Interceptions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | School | INT | ||||
| Glover Quin | New Mexico | 5 | ||||
| Sean Smith Sean Smith (cornerback) Sean Smith is an American football cornerback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dolphins in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft... |
Utah | 5 | ||||
| Robert Johnson | Utah | 4 | ||||
Memorable Games
- Utah 25, Michigan2008 Michigan Wolverines football teamThe 2008 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2008 college football season. The team's head football coach was Rich Rodriguez. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan...
23
August 30, 2008 • Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan Stadium was built in 1927 at a cost of $950,000 and had an original capacity of 72,000. Before playing football at the stadium, the Wolverines played on Ferry Field...
• Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
• ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
• Attendance: 108,421
Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson (quarterback)
Brian Delance Johnson is an American football quarterbacks coach for the University of Utah. He played college football at Utah and was drafted by the New York Sentinels in the UFL Premiere Season Draft in 2009....
threw for 305 yards and a touchdown and Louie Sakoda
Louie Sakoda
Louie Sakoda is a kicker and punter for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. In college, he played for the Utah Utes...
was 4-4 on field goals as the Utes held on to beat Michigan on their home field.
- #15 BYU 28, Washington2008 Washington Huskies football teamThe 2008 Washington Huskies football team represented the University of Washington in the college football season of 2008-2009. The team's head coach was Tyrone Willingham. The Huskies played their home games at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington...
27
September 6, 2008 • Husky Stadium
Husky Stadium
Husky Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the home of the Washington Huskies...
• Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
• FSN
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
• Attendance: 64,611
In one of the year's most controversial endings, Washington quarterback Jake Locker scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with two seconds remaining, but was penalized 15 yards when he flipped the ball into the air in celebration. BYU defensive end Jan Jorgensen blocked the 35-yard extra point attempt, securing the win for the Cougars.
- Air Force 31, Houston2008 Houston Cougars football teamThe 2008 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the college football 2008-2009 season. It was the 63rd year of season play for Houston...
28
September 13, 2008 • Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Gerald J. Ford Stadium is a stadium in University Park, Texas, one of the two "Park Cities" that form an enclave within the city limits of Dallas. The stadium is used primarily for football, and it is home to the Southern Methodist University Mustangs and is frequently used for local high school...
• Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
• Attendance: 2,546
The Falcons' scheduled game at Houston was relocated because of Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954...
, the effects of which could still very much be felt in Dallas. In high winds and intermittent rain, Air Force tallied 380 yards rushing and never attempted a pass in the victory.
- TCU 31, Stanford2008 Stanford Cardinal football teamThe 2008 Stanford Cardinal football team represented Stanford University in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team's head coach was Jim Harbaugh, who entered his second year at Stanford. The team played their home games at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, California and competed in the...
14
September 13, 2008 • Amon G. Carter Stadium
Amon G. Carter Stadium
Amon G. Carter Stadium is an open-air football stadium on the campus of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. It is the home stadium of the TCU Horned Frogs football team. It was named after Amon G...
• Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
• The Mtn
MountainWest Sports Network
MountainWest Sports Network, informally known as the mtn. , is an American regional sports network dedicated to the Mountain West Conference.-History:...
• Attendance: 25,531
Across the Metroplex from the Air Force-Houston game, the Frogs' game against Stanford was moved up to the early afternoon because of Ike and was also played in less than pleasant weather conditions. TCU outlasted the Cardinal in a sloppy game, starting the Mountain West's 4-0 day against the Pac 10.
- #18 BYU 59, UCLA2008 UCLA Bruins football teamThe UCLA Bruins football team opened the 2008 campaign by playing its first game at home against Tennessee under new head coach Rick Neuheisel, at 5:00 p.m. at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California. The Bruins played six of the Top 25 teams in the 2007 final Associated Press rankings,...
0
September 13, 2008 • Lavell Edwards Stadium
LaVell Edwards Stadium
LaVell Edwards Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Provo, Utah, on the campus of Brigham Young University. Primarily used for college football, it is the home field of the BYU Cougars....
• Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
• Versus
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
• Attendance: 64,153
Max Hall tied a BYU school record by throwing for 7 touchdown passes as the Cougars easily defeated UCLA in Provo. The Cougars forced four turnovers and blocked a field goal in handing the Bruins their worst defeat in 80 years.
- New Mexico 36, Arizona2008 Arizona Wildcats football teamThe 2008 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team's head coach is Mike Stoops, in his fifth year at Arizona. They play their home games at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona and compete in the Pacific-10 Conference...
28
September 13, 2008 • University Stadium • Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
• CBS College • Attendance: 32,337
The Lobos had a little extra motivation in this one, after several Arizona players called New Mexico's 2007 win in Tucson a "fluke". Senior tailback Rodney Ferguson
Rodney Ferguson
Rodney Laurence Ferguson II is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
rushed for 158 yards to lead the attack.
- UNLV 23, #15 Arizona State2008 Arizona State Sun Devils football teamThe 2008 Arizona State Sun Devils football team represents Arizona State University in the college football season of 2008-2009. It plays its home games at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona....
20 (OT)
September 13, 2008 • Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium is an outdoor football stadium, located on the campus of Arizona State University, in Tempe, Arizona, United States. The stadium's current seating capacity is 71,706 and the playing surface is natural grass...
• Tempe, Arizona
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
• FSN
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
• Attendance: 59,852
By beating the 15th-ranked Sun Devils in their own stadium, the Rebels tallied their most impressive victory in recent memory. UNLV forced overtime by tying the game at 20 on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Omar Clayton
Omar Clayton
Omar A. Clayton is an American football quarterback. He currently plays college football for the UNLV Rebels at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.-Early life:...
to Phillip Payne with 18 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter. Kyle Watson then kicked a 20-yard field goal on the Rebels' overtime possession, and Malo Taumua blocked Arizona State kicker Thomas Weber's 35-yard field goal attempt to secure the win.
- #20 Utah 30, Air Force 23
September 20, 2008 • Falcon Stadium
Falcon Stadium
Falcon Stadium is an outdoor football stadium on the campus of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is the home field of the Air Force Falcons of the Mountain West Conference...
• Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
• Versus
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
• Attendance: 36,952
Utah running backs Darrell Mack and Matt Asiata both ran for more than a hundred yards, and Mack's third rushing touchdown of the day with 58 seconds remaining in the game gave the Utes the victory.
- UNLV 34, Iowa State2008 Iowa State Cyclones football teamThe 2008 Iowa State Cyclones football team represented Iowa State University in the 2008-2009 college football season. The team was led by head coach Gene Chizik, who had coached the Cyclones since 2007...
31 (OT)
September 20, 2008 • Sam Boyd Stadium
Sam Boyd Stadium
Sam Boyd Stadium is a football stadium located in Whitney, Nevada, an unincorporated community in the Las Vegas metropolitan area; the mailing address of the stadium is "Las Vegas". The stadium is named after Sam Boyd, a major figure in the hotel/casino industry in Las Vegas. The stadium consists...
• Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
• The Mtn
MountainWest Sports Network
MountainWest Sports Network, informally known as the mtn. , is an American regional sports network dedicated to the Mountain West Conference.-History:...
• Attendance: 25,567
For the second consecutive week, the Rebels knocked off a team from one of the nation's elite conferences in overtime. The Cyclones had the ball first in overtime and kicked a 37-yard field goal. Then on the first play of the Rebels' possession, Omar Clayton threw his third touchdown of the game to Phillip Payne to win the game.
- #2 Oklahoma2008 Oklahoma Sooners football teamThe 2008 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2008-2009. It was the 114th year of season play for the Sooners. The team was led by head coach Bob Stoops, a two-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year award winner, who has a contract...
35, #24 TCU 10
September 20, 2008 • Memorial Stadium
Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
The Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium is the on-campus football facility for the University of Oklahoma Sooners in Norman, Oklahoma. The official capacity of the stadium, following recent renovations, is 82,112, making it the 16th largest college stadium in the United States and the third...
• Norman, Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
• FSN
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
• Attendance: 85,158
In one of the Horned Frogs' two defeats of the 2008 season, the Sooners jumped out to a 28-3 halftime lead to secure the victory. The Frogs, however, did hold OU to just 25 yards rushing and 35 points- the Sooners' smallest point total of the year.
- #15 Utah 31, Oregon State2008 Oregon State Beavers football teamThe 2008 Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in the college football season of 2008-2009. The team's head coach is Mike Riley...
28
October 2, 2008 • Rice-Eccles Stadium
Rice-Eccles Stadium
Rice-Eccles Stadium is an outdoor college football stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, on the campus of the University of Utah. It is the home field of the Utah Utes of the Pacific-12 Conference...
• Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
• Versus
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
• Attendance: 45,559
A week to the day after the Beavers had knocked off the nation's #1 team, Southern Cal, they fell to the Utes in a Thursday-night thriller. Oregon State led late into the fourth quarter, but Utah tied the game at 28-28 with 1:29 left when Brian Johnson hit Bradon Godfrey for a 25-yard touchdown pass and then Johnson ran the ball in for a two-point conversion. The Ute defense was able to hold for a three and out, which gave them the ball back with enough time for Louie Sakoda to kick a game-winning 37-yard field goal as time expired to run their record to 6-0.
- #24 TCU 32, #8 BYU 7
October 16, 2008 • Amon G. Carter Stadium
Amon G. Carter Stadium
Amon G. Carter Stadium is an open-air football stadium on the campus of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. It is the home stadium of the TCU Horned Frogs football team. It was named after Amon G...
• Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
• Versus
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
• Attendance: 36,180
In a highly-anticipated matchup of ranked MWC teams, the Horned Frogs jumped out to a 23-0 halftime lead and never looked back. TCU sacked Max Hall 6 times- including 4 by All-American defensive end Jerry Hughes
Jerry Hughes
-2011 season:During the week 8 game against the Tennessee Titans Hughes missed a block on a punt by Pat McAfee. The punt was blocked and the Titans scored a touchdown. This was the first blocked punt of McAfee's career.-External links:*...
- and debuted their "Wild Frog" formation with wide receiver Jeremy Kerley
Jeremy Kerley
Jeremy Kerley is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at TCU....
lining up at quarterback.
- #9 Utah 13, #11 TCU 10
November 6, 2008 • Rice-Eccles Stadium
Rice-Eccles Stadium
Rice-Eccles Stadium is an outdoor college football stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, on the campus of the University of Utah. It is the home field of the Utah Utes of the Pacific-12 Conference...
• Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
• CBS College • Attendance: 45,666
Coming into this Thursday-night matchup, the Frogs were 9-1 and the Utes 9-0 with the winner putting themselves in good position for a BCS Bowl bid. The Frogs led 10-0 early, but were unable to improve upon that lead. TCU freshman kicker Ross Evans missed two field goals in the fourth quarter, and Brian Johnson hit Freddie Brown for a 9-yard touchdown pass with 48 seconds remaining to give the Utes the 13-10 victory.
- Wyoming 13, Tennessee2008 Tennessee Volunteers football teamThe 2008 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team was coached by head football coach Phillip Fulmer, in his 16th and final season as head coach. The Vols played their home games in Neyland Stadium and competed...
7
November 8, 2008 • Neyland Stadium
Neyland Stadium
Neyland Stadium is a sports stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. It serves primarily as the home of the Tennessee Volunteers football team, but is also used to host large conventions and has been a site for several NFL exhibition games. The stadium's official capacity is 102,455...
• Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
• ESPN GamePlan
ESPN GamePlan
ESPN GamePlan is a Out-of-Market Sports Package offering college football games to viewers throughout the United States.GamePlan begins on Labor Day weekend and continues through the first Saturday in December. It includes all regional telecasts on ABC, as well as games from various syndicators...
• Attendance: 99,489
In a defensive battle, Cowboys' linebacker Ward Dobbs returned an interception 24 yards to give Wyoming a 13-0 halftime lead. Despite a few drives into Wyoming territory in the second half, the Volunteers were only able to score 7 points. The defeat may have cost Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer his job.
- #7 Utah 48, #14 BYU 24
November 22, 2008 • Rice-Eccles Stadium
Rice-Eccles Stadium
Rice-Eccles Stadium is an outdoor college football stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, on the campus of the University of Utah. It is the home field of the Utah Utes of the Pacific-12 Conference...
• Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
• The Mtn
MountainWest Sports Network
MountainWest Sports Network, informally known as the mtn. , is an American regional sports network dedicated to the Mountain West Conference.-History:...
• Attendance: 46,488
In the annual Holy War
Holy War (Utah vs. BYU)
The Holy War is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the University of Utah Utes and the Brigham Young University Cougars. The game is part of the larger Utah–BYU rivalry...
game, Utah picked off BYU quarterback Max Hall five times as the Utes claimed an outright conference championship, a BCS Bowl bid and their third undefeated regular season in school history.
New Mexico Bowl2008 New Mexico Bowl*1st Quarter**FRES – Lonyae Miller 1 yard run , 11:46. Fresno State 7-0. Drive: 7 plays, 72 yards, 3:14.**CSU – Grant Stucker 18 yard run , 09:37. Colorado State 7-7. Drive: 4 plays, 84 yards, 2:09....
- Colorado State 40, Fresno State2008 Fresno State Bulldogs football teamThe 2008 Fresno State football team represent California State University, Fresno and the Central Valley in the 2008 college football season. The team is coached by 12th-year head coach Pat Hill, who has a contract lasting though the 2010 season...
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December 20, 2008 • University Stadium • Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
• ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
Colorado State running back Gartrell Johnson ran for 285 yards and scored two touchdowns in the Rams' 20-point fourth quarter surge to beat Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl. Johnson's 77-yard touchdown run with 1:46 remaining gave the Rams the lead for good, securing their first bowl win since 2001.
Las Vegas Bowl2008 Las Vegas BowlThe 2008 Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl was an NCAA-sanctioned Division I FBS post-season college football bowl game between the Arizona Wildcats, the fifth pick from the Pacific 10 Conference and the BYU Cougars, third place overall in the Mountain West Conference. This bowl game was played on December...
- Arizona 31, #16 BYU 21
December 20, 2008 • Sam Boyd Stadium
Sam Boyd Stadium
Sam Boyd Stadium is a football stadium located in Whitney, Nevada, an unincorporated community in the Las Vegas metropolitan area; the mailing address of the stadium is "Las Vegas". The stadium is named after Sam Boyd, a major figure in the hotel/casino industry in Las Vegas. The stadium consists...
• Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
• ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
In the Cougars' fourth-consecutive trip to the Las Vegas Bowl, they outgained the Wildcats 444 yards to 416, but were unable to turn that offensive production into points and lost.
Poinsettia Bowl2008 Poinsettia BowlThe 2008 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl was the fourth edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The game started at 5 PM US PST on Tuesday, December 23, 2008...
- #11 TCU 17, #9 Boise State2008 Boise State Broncos football teamThe 2008 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 2008 college football season. The Broncos played their home games at Bronco Stadium, most famous for its blue artificial turf surface, often referred to as the "smurf-turf". The blue turf was new for the 2008...
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December 23, 2008 • Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
• San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
• ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
In a game of teams whose BCS dreams were dashed late in the season, Boise State jumped out to an early 10-0 lead, but TCU running back Aaron Brown cut the lead to 13-7 with a 16-yard touchdown run with 24 seconds remaining in the first half. The Frogs took the lead for good on Joseph Turner's 17-yard touchdown run with 8:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. The win gave TCU their 3rd 11-win season in the last 4 years, and was Boise State's lone defeat of the year.
Armed Forces Bowl2008 Armed Forces BowlThe 2008 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl was the sixth edition of the annual post-season college football bowl game, and featured the Houston Cougars against the Air Force Falcons on December 31, 2008 at Amon G. Carter Stadium on the campus of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas and...
- Houston 34, Air Force 28
December 31, 2008 • Amon G. Carter Stadium
Amon G. Carter Stadium
Amon G. Carter Stadium is an open-air football stadium on the campus of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. It is the home stadium of the TCU Horned Frogs football team. It was named after Amon G...
• Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
• ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
In a rare bowl game featuring a rematch from the regular season, the Cougars earned a season split with the Falcons with a 34-28 win. It was the Falcons' second consecutive appearance-and loss- in the Armed Forces Bowl, and was the Cougars' first bowl victory since 1980.
Sugar Bowl2009 Sugar BowlThe 2009 Allstate Sugar Bowl was the 75th annual edition of the annual college football bowl game that is part of the 2008–09 bowl season of the Bowl Championship Series 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season...
- #6 Utah 31, #4 Alabama2008 Alabama Crimson Tide football teamThe 2008 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 76th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference and its 17th within the SEC Western Division...
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January 2, 2009 • Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
• New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
• FOX
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
As a result of their 12-0 regular season and Mountain West Conference title, the Utes earned a spot in the Sugar Bowl and the $17 million pay-out that comes with it. They were heavy underdogs to Alabama, the SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
team that had spent much of the year ranked number one. The Utes jumped out to a 21-0 first quarter lead, but the Tide had pulled to within 21-17 early in the third quarter. The Utes responded with a 7-play, 71-yard drive capped by a Brian Johnson to David Reed touchdown pass, and added a Louie Sakoda field goal late in the fourth quarter to secure the 31-17 victory. Johnson ended the game with 336 yards passing and three touchdowns, and the Ute defense sacked Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson eight times.
Awards
- Coach of the Year: Kyle WhittinghamKyle WhittinghamKyle Whittingham is the head football coach of the University of Utah Utes. Prior to becoming the head coach at Utah, Whittingham served as Utah's defensive coordinator for ten seasons. He was named head coach of Utah after Urban Meyer left for the Florida Gators in 2004...
, Utah - Offensive Player of the Year: QB Brian JohnsonBrian Johnson (quarterback)Brian Delance Johnson is an American football quarterbacks coach for the University of Utah. He played college football at Utah and was drafted by the New York Sentinels in the UFL Premiere Season Draft in 2009....
, Sr, Utah - Defensive Player of the Year: DE Jerry HughesJerry Hughes-2011 season:During the week 8 game against the Tennessee Titans Hughes missed a block on a punt by Pat McAfee. The punt was blocked and the Titans scored a touchdown. This was the first blocked punt of McAfee's career.-External links:*...
, Sr, TCU - Special Teams Player of the Year: K/P Louie SakodaLouie SakodaLouie Sakoda is a kicker and punter for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. In college, he played for the Utah Utes...
, Sr, Utah - Freshman of the Year: QB Tim Jefferson, Air Force