2008 Brown Bears football team

The 2008 Brown Bears football team was an American football team that represented Brown University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Brown tied for first in the Ivy League. Brown averaged 7,088 fans per game.

2008 Brown Bears football
Ivy League co-champion
Conference	Ivy League
Record	7–3 (6–1 Ivy)
Head coach	Phil Estes (11th season)
Offensive coordinator	Frank Sheehan (3rd season)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Defensive coordinator	Michael Kelleher (8th season)
Base defense	4–3
Captains	Michael Dougherty Darrell Harrison
Home stadium	Brown Stadium
Seasons ← 2007 2009 →

2008 Ivy League football standings

v t e	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

In their 12th season under head coach Phil Estes, the Bears compiled a 7–3 record and outscored opponents 269 to 190. Michael Dougherty and Darrell Harrison were the team captains.^[1]

The Bears' 5–1 conference record earned the Ivy League co-championship. Brown outscored Ivy opponents 205 to 105.^[2]

After beating their eventual co-champion, Harvard, the Bears were briefly ranked No. 25 for the first week of October. They lost their next two games, and did not return to the national top 25 for the rest of the year.

Brown played its home games at Brown Stadium in Providence, Rhode Island.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 20	Stony Brook*	Brown Stadium Providence, RI	W 12–7	3,652	[3]
September 27	Harvard	Brown Stadium Providence, RI	W 24–22	5,618	[4]
October 4	at Rhode Island*	Meade Stadium Kingston, RI (rivalry)	L 13–37	6,014	[5]
October 11	at Holy Cross*	Fitton Field Worcester, MA	L 34–41	7,493	[6]
October 18	at Princeton	Powers Field at Princeton Stadium Princeton, NJ	W 31–10	11,814	[7]
October 25	Cornell	Brown Stadium Providence, RI	W 27–7	9,298	[1]
November 1	at Penn	Franklin Field Philadelphia, PA	W 34–27	15,056	[8]
November 8	Yale	Brown Stadium Providence, RI	L 3–13	9,010	[9]
November 15	at Dartmouth	Memorial Field Hanover, NH	W 45–16	2,215	[1]
November 22	Columbia	Brown Stadium Providence, RI	W 41–10	7,865	[10]
*Non-conference game

References

1. "Game-by-Game Results (1878-2019) (Football)". Providence, R.I.: Brown University. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
2. "Year-by-Year History". Ivy League Football Media Guide (PDF). Princeton, N.J.: Ivy League. 2017. pp. 43–44. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
3. Szostak, Mike (September 21, 2008). "Tenacious Defense Carries Brown to Season-Opening Win". The Providence Journal. Providence, R.I. p. C1 – via NewsBank.
4. Benbow, Julian (September 28, 2008). "Brown Ends Eight-Year Skid Against Harvard". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. C14 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "URI Routs Brown". The Call. Woonsocket, R.I. October 5, 2008. p. B3 – via NewsBank.
6. Toland, Jennifer (October 12, 2008). "Crusaders Win Air Show". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. C19 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Tigers' Offense Has a Brown-Out". The Trentonian. Trenton, N.J. October 19, 2008. p. C1 – via NewsBank.
8. Juliano, Joe (November 2, 2008). "Mistakes Hurt Penn in Loss". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. D7 – via Newspapers.com.
9. Fuller, Jim (November 9, 2008). "Bulldogs Show Hart, Keep Title Hopes Alive". New Haven Register. New Haven, Conn. p. D1 – via NewsBank.
10. "Bears Drub Lions for Share of Ivy League Crown". The Providence Journal. Providence, R.I. November 23, 2008. p. C8 – via NewsBank.