2008 NCAA Division I FCS season Duration August 28 – November 22 Payton Award Armanti Edwards [1] Buchanan Award Greg Peach [2] Duration November 29 – December 19 Championship date December 19, 2008 Championship site Finley Stadium Chattanooga, Tennessee Champion Richmond
The 2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season , the 2008 season of college football for teams in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), began on August 28, 2008, and concluded on December 19, 2008, in Chattanooga, Tennessee , at the 2008 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game , where the Richmond Spiders defeated the Montana Grizzlies to win the NCAA Division I Football Championship .[3]
Rule changes for 2008 [ ]
The NCAA football rules committee made several rule changes for 2008, and includes the following:[4] [5]
The 25-second play clock was replaced by a 40-second version similar to one that was used in the NFL until 2005.
The penalty for kicking the ball out of bounds on the kickoff is increased, placing the ball at the 40-yard line, similar to the NFL.
All face-mask penalties result in a 15-yard penalty. Incidental contact with the face mask is no longer penalized.
All horse-collar tackles are now subject to a 15-yard penalty.
If a coach challenges a play and they win the challenge, they are given a second challenge to use later in the game, and each coach has a maximum of two challenges per game even if both are decided in their favor.
In addition to the rules changes, this was the first season in which a standard provision of NCAA rules allowed FCS teams to schedule 12 regular-season games (not counting conference championship games). In years when the period starting with the Thursday before Labor Day and ending with the final Saturday in November contains 14 Saturdays, FCS programs may play 12 games instead of the regular 11.
Conference and program changes [ ]
The Gateway Football Conference changed its name to its now-current name, Missouri Valley Football Conference .
Following the 2007 season, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference was forced to drop its football sponsorship after La Salle dropped its program. The two remaining teams, Iona and Marist, were forced to become independents. Iona would eventually drop its own program at the end of the 2008 season.
FCS team wins over FBS teams [ ]
August 30 – Cal Poly 29, San Diego State 27
September 6 – New Hampshire 28, Army 10
Notable upsets [ ]
August 30 – Arkansas–Monticello 21, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 0 (Division II over Division I FCS)
August 31 – Fayetteville State 33, North Carolina Central 22 (Division II over Division I FCS)
September 4 – St. Francis (IL) 21, Valparaiso 0 (NAIA over Division I FCS non-scholarship)
September 4 – Washburn 35, Missouri State 27 (Division II over Division I FCS)
September 5 – Stonehill 14, Wagner 13 (Division II over Division I FCS)
September 6 – Methodist 32, Campbell 21 (Division III over Division I FCS non-scholarship)
September 6 – UNC Pembroke 21, Davidson 9 (Division II over Division I FCS non-scholarship)
September 6 – Henderson State 34, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 0 (Division II over Division I FCS)
September 13 – Franklin (IN) 31, Butler 28 (Division III over Division I FCS non-scholarship)
September 20 – UNC Pembroke 22, Jacksonville 21 (Division II over Division I FCS non-scholarship)
September 20 – Marian (IN) 13, Valparaiso 10 (NAIA over Division I FCS non-scholarship)
October 4 – Tuskegee 34, Alabama A&M 24 (Division II over Division I FCS)
October 11 – Wesley (DE) 23, Iona 12 (Division III over Division I FCS non-scholarship)
Conference standings [ ]
2008 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 2 Montana $^
7
–
1
14
–
2
No. 7 Weber State $^
7
–
1
10
–
4
Montana State
5
–
3
7
–
5
Eastern Washington
5
–
3
6
–
5
Northern Arizona
4
–
4
6
–
5
Sacramento State
3
–
5
6
–
6
Portland State
3
–
5
4
–
7
Northern Colorado
1
–
7
1
–
10
Idaho State
1
–
7
1
–
11
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Big South Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 14 Liberty $
5
–
0
10
–
2
Stony Brook
3
–
2
5
–
6
Charleston Southern
3
–
2
7
–
5
Gardner–Webb
2
–
3
5
–
6
Coastal Carolina
1
–
4
6
–
6
VMI
1
–
4
4
–
7
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Colonial Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
North
No. 8 New Hampshire x^
6
–
2
10
–
3
No. 18 Maine ^
5
–
3
8
–
5
UMass
4
–
4
7
–
5
Hofstra
2
–
6
4
–
8
Rhode Island
1
–
7
3
–
9
Northeastern
1
–
7
2
–
10
South
No. 3 James Madison x$^
8
–
0
12
–
2
No. 6 Villanova ^
7
–
1
10
–
3
No. 1 Richmond ^
6
–
2
13
–
3
No. 20 William & Mary
5
–
3
7
–
4
Delaware
2
–
6
4
–
8
Towson
1
–
7
3
–
9
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Ivy League football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 15 Harvard +
6
–
1
9
–
1
Brown +
6
–
1
7
–
3
Penn
5
–
2
6
–
4
Yale
4
–
3
6
–
4
Princeton
3
–
4
4
–
6
Cornell
2
–
5
4
–
6
Columbia
2
–
5
2
–
8
Dartmouth
0
–
7
0
–
10
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 13 South Carolina State $^
8
–
0
10
–
2
Florida A&M
5
–
3
9
–
3
Bethune-Cookman
5
–
3
8
–
3
Hampton
5
–
3
6
–
5
Delaware State
5
–
3
5
–
6
Morgan State
4
–
4
6
–
6
Norfolk State
3
–
5
5
–
7
North Carolina A&T
1
–
7
3
–
9
Howard
0
–
8
1
–
10
Winston-Salem State *
0
–
0
3
–
8
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant * Not eligible for conference championship
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 4 Northern Iowa +^
7
–
1
12
–
3
No. 11 Southern Illinois +^
7
–
1
9
–
3
South Dakota State
6
–
2
7
–
5
Western Illinois
4
–
4
6
–
5
North Dakota State
4
–
4
6
–
5
Missouri State
3
–
5
4
–
7
Youngstown State
3
–
5
4
–
8
Illinois State
2
–
6
3
–
8
Indiana State
0
–
8
0
–
12
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Northeast Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Albany $
7
–
0
9
–
3
Monmouth
6
–
1
7
–
5
Sacred Heart
4
–
3
8
–
3
Central Connecticut State
4
–
3
7
–
4
Robert Morris
4
–
3
5
–
6
Duquesne
2
–
5
3
–
7
Wagner
1
–
6
3
–
8
Saint Francis
0
–
7
0
–
11
2008 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 19 Eastern Kentucky $^
7
–
1
8
–
4
Jacksonville State
6
–
2
8
–
3
Tennessee–Martin
6
–
2
8
–
4
Tennessee State
5
–
3
8
–
4
Murray State
4
–
4
5
–
7
Eastern Illinois
3
–
5
5
–
7
Southeast Missouri State
2
–
6
4
–
8
Austin Peay
2
–
6
2
–
9
Tennessee Tech
1
–
7
3
–
9
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Patriot League football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 16 Colgate $^
5
–
0
9
–
3
Holy Cross
5
–
1
7
–
4
Lehigh
4
–
2
5
–
6
Lafayette
3
–
3
7
–
4
Bucknell
2
–
4
5
–
6
Fordham
1
–
5
5
–
6
Georgetown
0
–
5
2
–
8
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Pioneer Football League standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Jacksonville $
7
–
1
9
–
4
San Diego
6
–
2
9
–
2
Dayton
6
–
2
9
–
3
Butler
4
–
4
6
–
5
Drake
4
–
4
6
–
5
Morehead State
4
–
4
6
–
6
Davidson
3
–
5
4
–
7
Valparaiso
2
–
6
3
–
8
Campbell
0
–
8
1
–
10
2008 Southern Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 5 Appalachian State $^
8
–
0
11
–
3
No. 9 Wofford ^
7
–
1
9
–
3
No. 17 Elon
6
–
2
8
–
4
Furman
4
–
4
7
–
5
Samford
4
–
4
6
–
5
Georgia Southern
4
–
4
6
–
5
The Citadel
2
–
6
4
–
8
Western Carolina
1
–
7
3
–
9
Chattanooga
0
–
8
1
–
11
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll
2008 Southland Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 12 Central Arkansas $
6
–
1
10
–
2
No. 22 Texas State ^
5
–
2
8
–
5
McNeese State
4
–
3
7
–
3
Northwestern State
4
–
3
7
–
5
Nicholls State
3
–
4
3
–
6
Southeastern Louisiana
2
–
5
5
–
7
Sam Houston State
2
–
5
4
–
6
Stephen F. Austin
2
–
5
4
–
8
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
East
Jackson State x
6
–
1
7
–
5
Alabama A&M
4
–
3
5
–
7
Alabama State
2
–
5
3
–
8
Mississippi Valley State
1
–
6
3
–
8
Alcorn State
1
–
6
2
–
10
West
Grambling State x$
7
–
0
11
–
2
Prairie View A&M
6
–
1
9
–
1
Southern
5
–
2
6
–
5
Arkansas–Pine Bluff
2
–
5
3
–
9
Texas Southern
1
–
6
4
–
8
Championship: Grambling State 41, Jackson State 9 December 13, 2008
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions
Conference champions [ ]
Automatic berths [ ]
Conference
Champion
Record*
Big Sky Conference
Montana
11–0, 8–0
Colonial Athletic Association
James Madison
10–1, 8–0
Missouri Valley Football Conference
Southern Illinois
9–2, 7–1
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
South Carolina State
10–2, 8–0
Ohio Valley Conference
Eastern Kentucky
8–3, 7–1
Patriot League
Colgate
9–2, 5–0
Southern Conference
Appalachian State
10–2, 8���0
Southland Conference
Texas State
8–4, 5–2
Invitation [ ]
Conference
Champion
Record*
Great West Conference
Cal Poly
8–2, 3–0
Big South Conference
Liberty
10–2, 5–0
Northeast Conference
Albany
8–3, 7–0
Pioneer Football League
Jacksonville
9–3, 7–1
Abstains [ ]
Conference
Champion
Record*
Ivy League
Brown
7–3, 6–1
Southwestern Athletic Conference
Grambling State
11–2, 7–0
*Overall record, Conference record
Postseason [ ]
NCAA Division I playoff bracket [ ]
First Round [6] November 29 Campus sites
Quarterfinals December 6 Campus sites
Semifinals December 12 and December 13 Campus sites
National Championship Game
December 19Finley Stadium Chattanooga, Tennessee
Wofford
35
1
James Madison *
38
1
James Madison *
31
Villanova
27
Colgate
28
Villanova *
55
1
James Madison*
27
4
Montana
35
Texas State
13
4
Montana *
31
4
Montana *
24
Weber State
13
Weber State
49
Cal Poly *
35
4
Montana
7
Richmond
24
South Carolina State
21
2
Appalachian State *
37
2
Appalachian State*
13
Richmond
33
Eastern Kentucky
10
Richmond *
38
Richmond
21
3
Northern Iowa*
20
Maine
15
3
Northern Iowa *
40
3
Northern Iowa *
36
New Hampshire
34
New Hampshire
29
Southern Illinois *
20
* Host institution
SWAC Championship Game [ ]
Date
Location
Venue
West Div. Champion
East Div. Champion
Result
December 13
Birmingham, Alabama
Legion Field
Grambling State
Jackson State
Grambling State, 41–9[7]
Gridiron Classic [ ]
The Gridiron Classic is an annual game between the champions of the Northeast Conference and the Pioneer Football League that has been held since December 2006.
Date
Location
Venue
NEC Champion
PFL Champion
Result
December 6
Albany, New York
University Field
Albany
Jacksonville
Albany, 28–0[8]
Final poll standings [ ]
Standings are from The Sports Network final 2008 poll.
Rank[9]
Team
Record
1
Richmond Spiders
13–3
2
Montana Grizzlies
14–2
3
James Madison Dukes
12–2
4
Northern Iowa Panthers
12–3
5
Appalachian State Mountaineers
11–3
6
Villanova Wildcats
10–3
7
Weber State Wildcats
10–4
8
New Hampshire Wildcats
10–3
9
Wofford Terriers
9–3
10
Cal Poly Mustangs
8–3
11
Southern Illinois Salukis
9–3
12
Central Arkansas Bears
10–2
13
South Carolina State Bulldogs
10–3
14
Liberty Flames
10–2
15
Harvard Crimson
9–1
16
Colgate Raiders
9–3
17
Elon Phoenix
8–4
18
Maine Black Bears
8–5
19
Eastern Kentucky Colonels
8–4
20
William & Mary Tribe
7–4
21
McNeese State Cowboys
7–4
22
Texas State Bobcats
8–5
23
Jacksonville State Gamecocks
8–3
24
Grambling State Tigers
11–2
25
Prairie View A&M Panthers
9–1
References [ ]
Pre-NCAA
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NCAA pre-divisional NCAA University Division
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NCAA Division I NCAA Division I-A/FBS NCAA Division I-AA/FCS NCAA College Division NCAA Division II NCAA Division III