2004 NCAA Division I-A football season

The 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for a spot in the national title game, triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unbeaten, and five teams finished the season with one loss. In 2004, the situation became even more complicated, as five teams went without losing, a record in the BCS era (this record was tied in 2009, when five teams also went undefeated and a sixth, Florida, lost to undefeated Alabama in the SEC title game). USC of the Pac-10, Oklahoma of the Big 12, Auburn of the SEC, Utah of the MWC, and Boise State of the WAC all finished the regular season undefeated. USC and Oklahoma started the season ranked #1 and #2, respectively, but the other three teams were handicapped by starting out of the top 15. Thus USC and OU played for the BCS National Championship, while Auburn, Utah, and Boise State had to content themselves with other bowl games.

The Orange Bowl proved a rout with USC defeating Oklahoma 55-19, which earned the Trojans their second consecutive AP title and first BCS title. This game, USC's victory over rival UCLA, and the BCS title were later vacated as part of the sanctions levied against USC as a result of an NCAA investigation. USC appealed the decision but was denied by the NCAA on May 26, 2011, and the BCS title for 2004 was officially vacated on June 6, 2011. The AP title was not vacated, as the AP does not punish teams for violations. These sanctions have been criticized by some NCAA football writers,    including ESPN’s Ted Miller, who wrote, “It's become an accepted fact among informed college football observers that the NCAA sanctions against USC were a travesty of justice, and the NCAA’s refusal to revisit that travesty are a massive act of cowardice on the part of the organization.”

Auburn played in the and beat Virginia Tech, the #8 ranked ACC champion. Utah became the first BCS Buster and beat Pitt, the #21 ranked champion of the Big East, in the. Boise State lost a close, high scoring game in the to Louisville, the #10 ranked Conference USA champion.

As with previous seasons, fans of successful teams left out of the BCS were disappointed. Auburn, Utah, and BSU all went unbeaten but were not offered a chance to compete for the championship. Auburn was especially the focus of national media attention on this topic; many thought that since Auburn managed to go undefeated in the traditionally tough SEC, they deserved a shot at the title. Adding to the BCS frustration was the fact that Auburn and Utah, though both in BCS bowl games, would not be able to play each other as a match-up of highly ranked unbeatens.

There was also a controversy in selecting the BCS bowls' second at-large team (Utah being the first). The University of California expected to get the invite, being ranked fourth in the BCS entering the last week of the regular season; the Texas Longhorns, who had been left out of the BCS the year before, was fifth before the final BCS rankings were released. Both teams finished at 10-1, but the Longhorns ultimately received enough support from poll voters to move into the fourth slot, which ensured they would also receive the final at-large bid. Texas coach Mack Brown was criticized for publicly politicking voters to put Texas ahead of California; Cal coach Jeff Tedford called for coaches' votes to be made public. Texas went on to defeat Michigan in the Rose Bowl, while California lost to Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl.

The Associated Press, as a result of two consecutive seasons of BCS controversy, prohibited the BCS from using their poll as part of its ranking formula. The AP poll was replaced by the Harris Interactive poll, and the AP continues to award its own national championship trophy.

In another first, the LSU Tigers lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Capital One Bowl, becoming the first school to lose a non-BCS bowl a year after winning the BCS National Championship Game.

In conference moves, Miami (FL) and Virginia Tech left the Big East to join the ACC, giving the ACC 11 members. Connecticut left the Independent ranks to join the Big East. Troy State also left their Independent status behind and joined the Sun Belt Conference. Florida Atlantic University made the move up from Division I-AA and became a I-A Independent. The total membership of Division I-A schools playing football now stood at 118.

Final AP Poll



 * 1) USC (11-0) Previously (13-0), forced to vacate two wins in 2010.
 * 2) Auburn (13-0)
 * 3) Oklahoma (12-1)
 * 4) Utah (12-0)
 * 5) Texas (11-1)
 * 6) Louisville (11-1)
 * 7) Georgia (10-2)
 * 8) Iowa (10-2)
 * 9) California (10-2)
 * 10) Virginia Tech (10-3)
 * 11) Miami (9-3)
 * 12) Boise St. (11-1)
 * 13) Tennessee (10-3)
 * 14) Michigan (9-3)
 * 15) Florida State (9-3)
 * 16) Louisiana St. (9-3)
 * 17) Wisconsin (9-3)
 * 18) Texas Tech (8-4)
 * 19) Arizona State (9-3)
 * 20) Ohio St. (8-4)
 * 21) Boston College (9-3)
 * 22)  (9-3)
 * 23) Virginia (8-4)
 * 24)  (10-2)
 * 25) Pittsburgh (8-4)

BCS bowls
Rankings given are AP rankings going into bowl games
 * Orange Bowl: #1 (BCS #1) USC 55, #2 (BCS #2) Oklahoma 19
 * Rose Bowl: (At Large) #5 Texas 38, (Big Ten Champ) #13 Michigan 37
 * Fiesta Bowl: (At Large, MWC Champ) #6 Utah 35, (Big East Co-Champ) #20 Pittsburgh 7
 * Sugar Bowl: (SEC Champ) #3 Auburn 16, (ACC Champ) #8 Virginia Tech 13

Other New Years Day bowls

 * #15 Tennessee 38, #22 Texas A&M 7
 * Capital One Bowl: #11 Iowa 30, #12 LSU 25
 * #17 Florida State 30, West Virginia 18
 * Outback Bowl: #8 Georgia 24, #16 Wisconsin 21

December bowl games

 * Peach Bowl: #14 Miami (FL) 27, #20 Florida 10
 * Houston Bowl: Colorado 33, 28
 * Liberty Bowl: (C-USA Champ) #7 Louisville 44, (WAC Champ) #10 Boise State 40
 * 37, #18 Virginia 34 (OT)
 * Continental Tire Bowl: #25 Boston College 37, North Carolina 24
 * 17, 13
 * 34, 21
 * Sun Bowl: #21 Arizona State 27, Purdue 23
 * Music City Bowl: Minnesota 20, Alabama 16
 * Holiday Bowl: #23 Texas Tech 45, #4 California 31
 * 34, 19
 * Alamo Bowl: #24 Ohio State 33, 7
 * Insight Bowl: 38, Notre Dame 21
 * Champs Sports Bowl: Georgia Tech 51, 14
 * Motor City Bowl: UConn 39, (MAC Champ) Toledo 10
 * Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii 59, UAB 40
 * Fort Worth Bowl: 32,  14
 * Las Vegas Bowl: Wyoming 24, UCLA 21
 * GMAC Bowl: 52,  35
 * New Orleans Bowl: 31, (SBC Champ)  10

Heisman Trophy voting
The Heisman Trophy is given annually to college football's most outstanding player


 * Winner: Matt Leinart (Jr.) USC, QB (1,325 pts.)
 * 2. Adrian Peterson (Fr.) Oklahoma, RB (997 pts.)
 * 3. Jason White (Sr.) Oklahoma, QB (957 pts.)
 * 4. Alex Smith (Jr.) Utah, QB (635 pts.)
 * 5. Reggie Bush (So.) USC, TB (597 pts.)

Other major awards

 * Walter Camp Award (top player): Matt Leinart, USC
 * Maxwell Award (top player): Jason White, Oklahoma
 * AP Player of the Year: Matt Leinart, USC
 * Lombardi Award (top linebacker): David Pollack, Georgia
 * John Mackey Award (tight end): Heath Miller, Virginia
 * Doak Walker Award (running back): Cedric Benson, Texas
 * Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player): David Pollack, Georgia
 * Outland Trophy (interior lineman): Jammal Brown, Oklahoma
 * Davey O'Brien Award (quarterback): Jason White, Oklahoma
 * Johnny Unitas Award (Sr. quarterback): Jason White, Oklahoma
 * Fred Biletnikoff Award (wide receiver): Braylon Edwards, Michigan
 * Jim Thorpe Award (defensive back): Carlos Rogers, Auburn
 * Lou Groza Award (placekicker): Mike Nugent, Ohio State
 * Ray Guy Award (punter): Daniel Sepulveda, Baylor
 * Paul "Bear" Bryant Award (Coach of the Year): Tommy Tuberville, Auburn
 * The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award: Urban Meyer, Utah
 * Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award: Paul Johnson, Navy