# 2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season

The 2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level, began on August 28, 2004, and concluded with the 2004 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 17, 2004, at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. James Madison won their first I-AA championship, defeating Montana by a final score of 31−21.

## Conference changes and new programs

* Prior to the season, the Great West Conference was formed as a football-only conference for six unaffiliated teams from California, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Utah. A seventh prospective member, St. Mary's (CA), dropped their football program before the start of the season.
| School | 2003 Conference | 2004 Conference |
| Cal Poly | I-AA Independent | Great West |
| East Tennessee State | Southern | Dropped Program |
| North Dakota State | North Central (D-II) | Great West (I-AA) |
| Northern Colorado | D-II Independent | Great West (I-AA) |
| Siena | MAAC | Dropped Program |
| St. Mary's (CA) | I-AA Independent | Dropped Program |
| Southern Utah | I-AA Independent | Great West |
| South Dakota State | North Central (D-II) | Great West (I-AA) |
| Towson | Patriot | Atlantic 10 |
| UC Davis | D-II Independent | Great West (I-AA) |

## I-AA team wins over I-A teams

* September 4 – Florida Atlantic 35, Hawaii 28 $^{OT}$
* September 11 – Florida Atlantic 20, North Texas 13
* September 11 – New Hampshire 35, Rutgers 24
* September 18 – Florida Atlantic 27, Middle Tennessee 20
* September 18 – Maine 9, Mississippi State 7
* September 25 – Eastern Illinois 31, Eastern Michigan 28

## Conference standings

2004 Atlantic 10 Conference football standings :
| 2004 Atlantic 10 Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  North Division No. 6 New Hampshire x^  6 –2  11 –3   UMass  4 –4  6 –5   Northeastern  4 –4  5 –6   Hofstra  3 –5  5 –6   Maine  3 –5  5 –6   Rhode Island  2 –6  4 –7   South Division No. 1 James Madison x^  7 –1  13 –2   No. 3 William & Mary x^  7 –1  11 –3   No. 7 Delaware x^  7 –1  9 –4   Villanova  3 –5  6 –5   Richmond  2 –6  3 –8   Towson  0 –8  3 –8   x – Division champion/co-champions^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantRankings from The Sports Network poll | 2004 Big Sky Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 2 Montana $^  6 –1  12 –3   No. 8 E. Washington ^  6 –1  9 –4   Montana State  4 –3  6 –5   Portland State  4 –3  7 –4   Northern Arizona  3 –4  4 –7   Idaho State  2 –5  3 –8   Sacramento State  2 –5  3 –8   Weber State  1 –6  1 –10   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantRankings from The Sports Network poll | 2004 Big South Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 24 Coastal Carolina $  4 –0  10 –1   Liberty  3 –1  6 –5   Gardner–Webb  2 –2  5 –6   Charleston Southern  1 –3  5 –5   VMI  0 –4  0 –11   $ – Conference championRankings from The Sports Network poll |
| 2004 Gateway Football Conference standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 9 Southern Illinois $^  7 –0  10 –2   No. 11 Western Kentucky ^  6 –1  9 –3   No. 25 Northern Iowa  5 –2  7 –4   Southwest Missouri State  3 –4  6 –5   Western Illinois  2 –5  4 –7   Illinois State  2 –5  4 –7   Youngstown State  2 –5  4 –7   Indiana State  1 –6  4 –7   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantRankings from The Sports Network poll | 2004 Great West Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 16 Cal Poly $  4 –1  9 –2   UC Davis  3 –2  6 –4   No. 23 North Dakota State  2 –3  8 –3   South Dakota State  2 –3  6 –5   Southern Utah  2 –3  6 –5   Northern Colorado  2 –3  2 –9   $ – Conference championRankings from The Sports Network poll | 2004 Ivy League football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 13 Harvard $  7 –0  10 –0   No. 21 Penn  6 –1  8 –2   Cornell  4 –3  4 –6   Brown  3 –4  6 –4   Princeton  3 –4  5 –5   Yale  3 –4  5 –5   Dartmouth  1 –6  1 –9   Columbia  1 –6  1 –9   $ – Conference championRankings from The Sports Network poll |
| 2004 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Duquesne $  4 –0  7 –3   Marist  3 –1  3 –6   La Salle  1 –3  3 –7   Saint Peter's  1 –3  3 –7   Iona  1 –3  2 –8   $ – Conference champion | 2004 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 12 Hampton +^  6 –1  10 –2   No. 22 South Carolina State +  6 –1  9 –2   Bethune–Cookman  4 –3  6 –4   Delaware State  4 –3  4 –7   Howard  3 –4  6 –5   Morgan State  3 –4  5 –6   North Carolina A&T  1 –6  3 –8   Norfolk State  1 –6  1 –8   Florida A&M  0 –0  3 –8   + – Conference co-champions^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantFlorida A&M games did not count as conference games.Rankings from The Sports Network poll | 2004 Northeast Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Monmouth +  6 –1  10 –1   Central Connecticut State +  6 –1  8 –2   Albany  4 –3  4 –7   Sacred Heart  3 –4  6 –4   Robert Morris  3 –4  6 –5   Wagner  3 –4  6 –5   Stony Brook  2 –5  3 –7   Saint Francis (PA)  1 –6  3 –8   + – Conference co-champions |
| 2004 Ohio Valley Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 14 Jacksonville State $^  7 –1  9 –2   Murray State  6 –2  7 –4   Eastern Kentucky  6 –2  6 –5   Eastern Illinois  4 –4  5 –6   Tennessee Tech  3 –4  6 –5   Samford  3 –5  4 –7   Southeast Missouri State  3 –5  3 –8   Tennessee State  2 –5  4 –7   Tennessee–Martin  1 –7  2 –9   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantRankings from The Sports Network poll | 2004 Patriot League football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 15 Lehigh +^  5 –1  9 –3   No. 19 Lafayette +^  5 –1  8 –4   Bucknell  4 –2  7 –4   Colgate  4 –2  7 –4   Fordham  2 –4  5 –6   Holy Cross  1 –5  3 –8   Georgetown  0 –6  3 –8   + – Conference co-champions^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantRankings from The Sports Network poll | 2004 Pioneer Football League standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  North Division Drake xy$  4 –0  10 –2   San Diego  3 –1  7 –4   Dayton  2 –2  7 –3   Valparaiso  1 –3  5 –6   Butler  0 –4  1 –10   South Division Morehead State xy  2 –1  6 –6   Jacksonville x  2 –1  3 –7   Davidson  1 –2  2 –7   Austin Peay  1 –2  2 –9   Championship: Drake 20, Morehead State 17 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant |
| 2004 Southern Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 5 Furman $^  6 –1  10 –3   No. 10 Georgia Southern $^  6 –1  9 –3   No. 18 Wofford  4 –3  8 –3   Appalachian State  4 –3  6 –5   Western Carolina  2 –5  4 –7   The Citadel  2 –5  3 –7   Elon  2 –5  3 –8   Chattanooga  2 –5  2 –9   $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantRankings from The Sports Network I-AA Poll | 2004 Southland Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  No. 4 Sam Houston State +^  4 –1  11 –3   No. 17 Northwestern State +^  4 –1  8 –4   Texas State  3 –2  5 –6   Nicholls State  2 –3  5 –5   Stephen F. Austin  1 –4  6 –4   McNeese State  1 –4  4 –7   + – Conference co-champions^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participantRankings from The Sports Network poll | 2004 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  East No. 20 Alabama State xy$  6 –1  10 –2   Alabama A&M  5 –2  7 –4   Alcorn State  4 –3  7 –4   Jackson State  3 –4  4 –7   Mississippi Valley State  1 –6  3 –8   West Southern xy  6 –1  8 –4   Arkansas–Pine Bluff  5 –2  6 –3   Grambling State  3 –4  6 –5   Prairie View A&M  1 –6  3 –8   Texas Southern  0 –7  0 –11   Championship: Alabama State 40, Southern 35 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participantRankings from The Sports Network Poll |
| 2004 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings vteConfOverall Team W L W L  Florida Atlantic   –  9 –3   Southeastern Louisiana   –  7 –4   FIU   –  3 –7   Savannah State   –  2 –8 |

## Postseason
### NCAA Division I-AA playoff bracket

| First Round November 27 Campus sites | First Round November 27 Campus sites | First Round November 27 Campus sites | Quarterfinals December 4 Campus sites | Quarterfinals December 4 Campus sites | Quarterfinals December 4 Campus sites | Semifinals December 10 and December 11 Campus sites | Semifinals December 10 and December 11 Campus sites | Semifinals December 10 and December 11 Campus sites | | National Championship Game December 17 Finley Stadium Chattanooga, Tennessee | National Championship Game December 17 Finley Stadium Chattanooga, Tennessee | National Championship Game December 17 Finley Stadium Chattanooga, Tennessee |
| 1 | Southern Illinois* (10–1) | 31 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Eastern Washington (8–3) | 35 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Eastern Washington (8–3) | 35 | Eastern Washington* | Eastern Washington* | 34 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Sam Houston State | Sam Houston State | 35 | | | | | | | |
| Sam Houston State* (9–2) | Sam Houston State* (9–2) | 54 | Sam Houston State | Sam Houston State | 35 | | | | | | | |
| Western Kentucky (9–2) | Western Kentucky (9–2) | 24 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Western Kentucky (9–2) | Western Kentucky (9–2) | 24 | | | | Sam Houston State | Sam Houston State | 13 | | | | |
| | | | | | | Montana* | Montana* | 34 | | | | |
| Montana* (9–2) | Montana* (9–2) | 56 | | | | | | | Montana* | Montana* | 34 | | | | |
| Northwestern State (8–3) | Northwestern State (8–3) | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Northwestern State (8–3) | Northwestern State (8–3) | 7 | Montana* | Montana* | 47 | | | | | | | |
| | | | New Hampshire | New Hampshire | 17 | | | | | | | |
| | New Hampshire (9–2) | 27 | New Hampshire | New Hampshire | 17 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Georgia Southern* (9–2) | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Georgia Southern* (9–2) | 3 | | | | | | | | 7 | Montana | 21 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 8 | James Madison | 31 |
| 3 | William & Mary* (9–2) | 42 | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | James Madison | 31 |
| | Hampton (10–1) | 35 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Hampton (10–1) | 35 | 3 | William & Mary* | 44 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Delaware | 38 | | | | | | | |
| Delaware* (8–3) | Delaware* (8–3) | 28 | | Delaware | 38 | | | | | | | |
| Lafayette (8–3) | Lafayette (8–3) | 14 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Lafayette (8–3) | Lafayette (8–3) | 14 | | | | 3 | William & Mary* | 34 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | James Madison | 48 | | | | |
| James Madison (9–2) | James Madison (9–2) | 14 | | | | | | | | James Madison | 48 | | | | |
| Lehigh* (9–2) | Lehigh* (9–2) | 13 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Lehigh* (9–2) | Lehigh* (9–2) | 13 | | James Madison | 14 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Furman* | 13 | | | | | | | |
| | Jacksonville State (9–1) | 7 | 2 | Furman* | 13 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Furman* (9–2) | 49 | | | | | | | | | | |
* Denotes host institution