2008 Stanford Cardinal football team

2008 Stanford Cardinal football
100 px
Conference	Pacific-10 Conference
2008 record	5–7 (4–5 Pac-10)
Head coach	Jim Harbaugh (2nd year)
Offensive coordinator	David Shaw (2nd year)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Co-defensive coordinator	Andy Buh (1st as coordinator 2nd overall year)
Co-defensive coordinator	Ron Lynn (1st year)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Stanford Stadium (Capacity: 50,000)
Uniform
File:Pac-10-Uniform-SU-2008-2009.png

2008 Pacific-10 football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
#3 USC $		8	–	1					12	–	1
#10 Oregon		7	–	2					10	–	3
#19 Oregon State		7	–	2					9	–	4
California		6	–	3					9	–	4
Arizona		5	–	4					8	–	5
Arizona State		4	–	5					5	–	7
Stanford		4	–	5					5	–	7
UCLA		3	–	6					4	–	8
Washington State		1	–	8					2	–	11
Washington		0	–	9					0	–	12
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

The 2008 Stanford Cardinal football team represented Stanford University in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. 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 Pacific-10 Conference. The Cardinal improved on their a 4–8 record from the 2007 season by going 5–7. After winning back the Stanford Axe from rival California in 2007 for the first time in five years, Stanford lost the Axe to Cal in the 2008 Big Game.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent#	Rank#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 28	6:00 PM	Oregon State		Stanford Stadium • Stanford, CA	ESPN2	W 36–28	30,223
September 6	7:00 PM	at #15 Arizona State		Sun Devil Stadium • Tempe, AZ		L 17–41	59,441
September 13	10:00 AM	at TCU*		Amon G. Carter Stadium • Fort Worth, TX	The Mtn.	L 14–31	25,531
September 20	6:00 PM	San Jose State*		Stanford Stadium • Stanford, CA (Bill Walsh Legacy Game)		W 23–10	33,293
September 27	7:00 PM	at Washington		Husky Stadium • Seattle, WA		W 35–28	61,968
October 4	11:30 AM	at Notre Dame*		Notre Dame Stadium • Notre Dame, IN (Legends Trophy)	NBC	L 21–28	80,795
October 11	2:00 PM	Arizona		Stanford Stadium • Stanford, CA		W 24–23	30,689
October 18	1:00 PM	at UCLA		Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CA	CSNBA	L 20–23	64,883
November 1	2:00 PM	Washington State		Stanford Stadium • Stanford, CA		W 58–0	26,662
November 8	12:30 PM	at Oregon		Autzen Stadium • Eugene, OR	FSN	L 28–35	58,013
November 15	4:00 PM	#6 USC		Stanford Stadium • Stanford, CA	Versus	L 23–45	50,425
November 22	12:30 PM	at California		California Memorial Stadium • Berkeley, CA (111th Big Game)	ABC	L 16–37	70,089
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Pacific Time.

Schedule Source: 2008 Stanford Cardinal football schedule

Game summaries

Oregon State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Oregon State	0	17	3	8	28
Stanford	0	17	5	14	36

See also: 2008 Oregon State Beavers football team

Arizona State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Stanford	7	3	7	0	17
Arizona State	3	17	7	14	41

See also: 2008 Arizona State Sun Devils football team

TCU

	1	2	3	4	Total
Stanford	0	14	0	0	14
TCU	7	7	7	10	31

See also: 2008 TCU Horned Frogs football team

San Jose State

	1	2	3	4	Total
San Jose State	3	7	0	0	10
Stanford	0	7	6	10	23

See also: 2008 San Jose State Spartans football team

Washington

	1	2	3	4	Total
Stanford	7	14	7	7	35
Washington	7	7	7	7	28

See also: 2008 Washington Huskies football team

Notre Dame

	1	2	3	4	Total
Stanford	0	7	0	14	21
Notre Dame	7	14	7	0	28

See also: 2008 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team and Notre Dame – Stanford rivalry

Arizona

	1	2	3	4	Total
Arizona	3	14	0	6	23
Stanford	7	14	7	7	35

See also: 2008 Arizona Wildcats football team

UCLA

	1	2	3	4	Total
Stanford	7	7	0	6	20
UCLA	0	6	7	10	23

See also: 2008 UCLA Bruins football team

The week before, the Cardinal beat Arizona 24–23 in an exciting conference game, while the Bruins lost a close game to the Ducks. UCLA had a record of 44–31–3 on the Cardinal before game time.

With ten seconds left in this UCLA's homecoming game and the Bruins behind by four points, Bruin quarterback Kevin Craft passed to freshman Cory Harkey for a 7-yard touchdown to win the game, 23–20, over the Stanford Cardinal in the northeast corner of the Rose Bowl Saturday afternoon. Two turnovers by the Bruins led to the 14 Stanford points in the first half.

In the game, Craft had 285 passing yards and Taylor Embree caught 72 yards, while Stanford's Toby Gerhart rushed for 138 yards.

Washington State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Washington State	0	0	0	0	0
Stanford	10	21	20	7	58

See also: 2008 Washington State Cougars football team

Oregon

	1	2	3	4	Total
Stanford	3	14	3	8	28
Oregon	17	3	7	8	35

See also: 2008 Oregon Ducks football team

USC

	1	2	3	4	Total
USC	3	14	7	21	45
Stanford	10	7	0	6	23

See also: 2008 USC Trojans football team

The game marked the first sell out of the new Stanford Stadium since its opening in 2006.

California

	1	2	3	4	Total
Stanford	0	3	0	13	16
California	3	7	20	7	37

File:Tavita Pritchard passes at 2008 Big Game 1.JPG

Pritchard looks to pass

See also: 2008 California Golden Bears football team and Big Game (American football)

The Cardinal traveled up to Berkeley in an attempt to hold on to the Axe and earn a bowl berth with a sixth win. The Bears led 10–3 at the half and ran up 20 unanswered points in the third quarter. Stanford was able to score two quick back to back touchdowns in the fourth quarter but could not close a 21–point deficit. Tavita Pritchard threw for 306 yards and a score while Toby Gerhart rushed for 103 yards and a score. Although the loss relinquished the Axe to Cal and prevented Stanford from becoming bowl eligible, Harbaugh set the standards even higher for 2009 by declaring that "Bowl Championship Series eligible is what we’re aiming for."