NCAA football bowl games, 2004-05
Encyclopedia
The 2004-05 NCAA
college football
bowl season was a series of 32 post-season games (including the Bowl Championship Series
) played in December 2004 and January 2005 for Division I-A football teams and their all-stars. The post-season began with the New Orleans Bowl on December 14, 2004, and concluded on January 29, 2005, with the season-ending Senior Bowl.
Of the 59 Division I-A football teams with winning records, 56 were invited to the various bowl games. This season, bowl officials had more difficulty than usual filling their slots. Because the regular season was only 11 games, teams had to finish at least 6-5 to qualify. Teams that were allowed under NCAA rules to play a 12th regular-season game in return for playing at Hawaii
had to finish at least 7-5.
Four conferences - the Big Ten
, Big 12
, Pac-10, and SEC
- all failed to produce enough bowl-eligible teams to fill their contracted bowl slots. In addition, a massive brawl between Clemson and South Carolina
players during their November 20 game, less than 24 hours following the Pacers–Pistons brawl during a National Basketball Association
game, led both schools to announce that they would not go to any bowl game as a self-imposed punishment. Both schools were otherwise bowl-eligible, thus forcing bowl organizers to scramble even more to fill their slots. In addition, Utah's
unexpected entry into the BCS
caused further shuffling of normal bowl tie-ins.
The main beneficiary of this unexpected chaos was the Mid-American Conference
, which received five bowl bids instead of its contracted two. The only bowl-eligible team willing to accept an invitation that was left out of this season's bowl games was another MAC school, . The Zips would make their first bowl appearance the next season.
Many of these teams, including almost all of the teams from minor conferences, participated in bowls in December. Three schools made their first-ever bowl appearance this season: UAB
(Hawaii Bowl
), UConn (2004 Motor City Bowl
), and . Of these three, only UConn won its game.
The bowl season kicked off on December 14 with the fourth annual New Orleans Bowl
, one of two bowl games played at the Louisiana Superdome
in New Orleans. Dustin Almond passed for 249 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for a touchdown as well, as Southern Miss Golden Eagles (Conference USA
) defeated the North Texas Mean Green (Sun Belt Conference
) 31-10.
The first of two bowl games at the Citrus Bowl
in Orlando, Florida
was the Champs Sports Bowl
, held on December 21. It featured the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (ACC
) and the Syracuse Orange (Big East
). Georgia Tech quarterback Reggie Ball passed for two touchdowns and ran for another, while the Yellow Jackets defense recorded a touchdown off of an interception and a safety. Georgia Tech romped, 51-14.
The Bowling Green Falcons (MAC) met the Memphis Tigers (C-USA) on December 22 in Mobile, Alabama
in the GMAC Bowl
. In a meeting of high-powered offenses, Memphis's Danny Wimprime threw for 324 yards and 4 touchdowns, but was outdone by his counterpart Omar Jacobs
, who had 365 yards and 5 touchdowns. Bowling Green won, 52-35.
The Fort Worth Bowl, held on December 23 at Amon G. Carter Stadium
in the titular city
, matched a departing C-USA team with a future member of that conference. The Cincinnati Bearcats, which left C-USA for the Big East Conference
after the 2004-05 season, played the Marshall Thundering Herd, which joined C-USA from the MAC for 2005-06. Cincinnati quarterback Gino Guidugli returned from a broken hand to throw for two touchdowns, and the Bearcats defense held Marshall to 134 yards of total offense in a 32-14 win. The loss broke the Thundering Herd's streaks of 20 consecutive winning seasons and five winning bowl appearances (in nonconsecutive years).
The first matchup of the bowl season that pitted a team from a BCS
conference against a non-BCS team was the Las Vegas Bowl
, held at Sam Boyd Stadium
in that city
on December 23. The UCLA Bruins (Pac-10) played the Wyoming Cowboys (Mountain West Conference
), with UCLA the heavy favorite. The underdog Cowboys took an early 10-0 lead, but the Bruins stormed back to take a 21-10 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Cowboys scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter on a trick play, and capped off the first major upset of the bowl season with a touchdown pass from Corey Bramlet to John Wadkowski with 57 seconds left. The 24-21 Wyoming win was the Cowboys' first bowl victory since 1968.
On December 24, the Hawaii Warriors (WAC) played the Hawaii Bowl
on their home field, Aloha Stadium
in Honolulu for the third time in the bowl's three-year existence. The Warriors faced a first-time bowl participant in the UAB Blazers (C-USA). In an offensive shootout that saw both quarterbacks (Hawaii's Timmy Chang
and UAB's Darrell Hackney) throw for over 400 yards, the homestanding Warriors won 59-40. The Warriors' Chad Owens
caught two of Chang's four touchdown passes and returned a punt for a TD. Chang finished his career as the first Division I-A quarterback to throw for over 17,000 yards in his career, and also finished with career records for pass attempts, completions, and total offense.
On December 27, the second matchup between BCS and non-BCS teams took place in the MPC Computers Bowl
in Boise, Idaho
. The Fresno State Bulldogs (WAC) played the Virginia Cavaliers (ACC). UVa went out to a 21-7 second-quarter lead, but the Bulldogs stormed back to tie the game at 24 early in the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers retook the lead early in the fourth quarter on a rushing touchdown by Wali Lundy, but Bulldogs quarterback Paul Pinegar threw a 3-yard TD pass to Jason Fairman with 19 seconds left; the ensuing extra point tied the game at 31, leading to the first overtime of the 2004-05 bowl season. In the overtime, the Cavaliers had the ball first and kicked a field goal. On the Bulldogs' first play in overtime, Pinegar threw his fifth TD pass of the day, connecting with Stephen Spach to give the Bulldogs a 37-34 upset win.
The other bowl on December 27, the Motor City Bowl
held at Ford Field
in Detroit
, was also a BCS/non-BCS matchup. The UConn Huskies made their first-ever bowl appearance in their second year in Division I-A and first as a member of the Big East. They faced the MAC champion Toledo Rockets, which were playing little more than an hour's drive from their campus. Rockets quarterback Bruce Gradowski, affected by a broken hand suffered in the MAC championship game, was ineffective before being benched at halftime. However, the Huskies were effective enough that a healthy Gradowski may not have made a difference; UConn quarterback Dan Orlovsky threw for two TDs with no interceptions, and return specialist Larry Taylor had 157 return yards, including a punt return for a TD. UConn won 39-10, giving the BCS its first win in three tries against non-BCS teams this season.
On December 28 in Shreveport, Louisiana
, another BCS/non-BCS matchup took place in the Independence Bowl
between the Iowa State Cyclones (Big 12) and the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks (MAC). Iowa State went out to a 10-0 lead in the second quarter, but Miami scored a touchdown late in that quarter to reduce the Cyclones' halftime lead to 10-7. The RedHawks scored a TD to take a 13-10 lead in the third quarter, but missed the extra point. The Cyclones' Ryan Kock scored the winning TD early in the fourth quarter, and the Cyclones defense held on for the 17-13 win. Two Cyclones, quarterback Bret Meyer and running back Stevie Hicks, rushed for over 100 yards each. RedHawks receiver Michael Larkin extended his NCAA record of consecutive games with a reception to 50. This was the last game for RedHawks head coach Terry Hoeppner
, who took the head job at Indiana
.
The second bowl on December 28, the Insight Bowl
held at Bank One Ballpark
in Phoenix, Arizona
, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks
, was the second of the 2004-05 bowl season to pit two BCS member teams. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the only independent
BCS member, took on the Oregon State Beavers from the Pac-10. The Beavers never trailed in the game, and easily defeated the Irish 38-21. Beavers quarterback Derek Anderson
threw for 359 yards and four touchdown passes, with no interceptions.
The game was a rematch of the 2001 Fiesta Bowl
, played at the nearby Sun Devil Stadium
, with a similar result (Oregon State blowout victory).
On December 29, the Colorado Buffaloes (Big 12
) took on the UTEP Miners (WAC) in the Houston Bowl
at Reliant Stadium
in the host city
. The Miners led for most of the game, but Buffaloes quarterback Joel Klatt threw two TD passes in the fourth quarter to lead CU to a 33-28 win. Klatt finished 24-for-33 for 333 yards. Miners QB Jordan Palmer, younger brother of 2002 Heisman Trophy
winner Carson Palmer
, threw for 328 yards and two TDs, but only completed two of his last 12 passes, finishing 22-for-42 with two interceptions.
In the other game on December 29, the Alamo Bowl
held at the Alamodome
in San Antonio
, the Ohio State Buckeyes (Big Ten) took on the Oklahoma State Cowboys (Big 12), in a game which matched two schools whose initialisms are "OSU". This was also Ohio State's first December bowl since the 1993
Holiday Bowl
. The Buckeyes defense set the tone for the game early, intercepting Cowboys quarterback Donovan Woods during the game's first possession. Justin Zwick, starting at quarterback in place of the suspended Troy Smith
, threw a touchdown pass to Anthony Gonzalez three plays later, giving the Buckeyes a lead that they never relinquished. The Buckeyes won 33-7.
In the first of four games on December 30, the Boston College Eagles, which left the Big East in July 2005 to join the ACC, played one of its future conference rivals, the North Carolina Tar Heels, in the Continental Tire Bowl at Bank of America Stadium
in Charlotte, North Carolina
. Eagles quarterback Paul Peterson earned MVP honors by going 24-for-33 for 236 yards and two TDs before breaking his leg in the fourth quarter. Andre Callender added 174 rushing yards for the Eagles. The game was close for the first three quarters, and tied three times, but the Eagles pulled away to win their fifth consecutive bowl game and final game as a Big East member 37-24.
The second game on December 30, the Emerald Bowl
held at SBC Park in San Francisco, pitted the Navy Midshipmen (independent
) against the New Mexico Lobos (MWC). After the Lobos jumped to an early 7-0 lead, Navy QB Aaron Polanco took over the game, rushing for three touchdowns and throwing for a fourth. The Midshipmen defense performed well in the clutch, forcing two turnovers in the first half that led to TDs and making a successful goal-line stand in the third quarter. After the stand, the Midshipmen offense then went on a 26-play drive that lasted nearly 15 minutes, ending with a field goal, that sealed Navy's 34-19 win. The Midshipmen finished the season 10-2, their first 10-win season since 1905.
In the third game on December 30 (also the second of three in California
), the Holiday Bowl
was held at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, pitting the Pac-10's California Golden Bears and the Big 12's Texas Tech Red Raiders. Cal, edged out for a BCS bowl berth by Texas
in the last week of the regular season, was out to prove that it deserved a BCS berth. The Bears played well at first, finishing the first quarter with a 14-7 lead. However, the second and third quarters belonged to the Red Raiders, who outscored the Bears 31-3 in those periods, going on to score the biggest upset of the bowl season with a 45-31 win. Raiders QB Sonny Cumbie torched the Bears defense for 520 passing yards, going 40-for-60 with three TDs and no interceptions. The brightest spot for Cal was running back J.J. Arrington, who ran for 173 yards and a touchdown, making him only the third Pac-10 runner to reach 2,000 yards rushing in a season.
The last game of December 30 was the Silicon Valley Football Classic
at Spartan Stadium in San José
. The Northern Illinois Huskies (MAC), playing in their first bowl game in 21 years, faced the Troy State Trojans from the Sun Belt, a school that joined NCAA Division I-A in 2001 and were playing in their first bowl game ever. The Trojans opened strong, scoring two touchdowns, a pass and a run by D.T. McDowell, in the first quarter to build a 14-0 lead. The Huskies came back, tying the score by the end of the first quarter with rushing touchdowns by Garrett Wolfe
and Josh Haldi, then building a 34-14 lead in the fourth quarter. The Trojans attempted a comeback, with McDowell running in another touchdown, but failed on their next possession on fourth and goal, and the Huskies were able to run out the clock to complete a 34-21 win. This would be the last game ever for this bowl, as poor attendance due to a driving rainstorm, a rarity of December in the Bay Area, along with bad publicity as neither the Pac-10 or WAC had teams with the necessary winning records and other negative press led the NCAA to strip the Silicon Valley Football Classic of its certification on April 20, 2005.
The first game on December 31, the Music City Bowl
held at The Coliseum
in Nashville
, matched the Alabama Crimson Tide (SEC) and Minnesota Golden Gophers (Big Ten). The first quarter was one of the sloppiest in recent years, with the two teams turning the ball over five times (Minnesota three times, Alabama twice). On the first play of the second quarter, the Gophers took a 14-7 lead on a touchdown run by Marion Barber III
and never trailed again. Late in the fourth quarter, the Gophers, then leading 20-14, took a deliberate safety on a punt from their own end zone. On the ensuing possession, the Tide drove to the Gophers' 15-yard-line, but their threat ended with an incomplete pass on fourth down. The Gophers then ran out the clock for the 20-16 win. Barber ran for 187 yards, and fellow Gophers running back Laurence Maroney
ran for 105. Alabama, which was second in the nation in total defense going into the game, had not given up a 100-yard game to an opposing rusher this season.
The next game on New Year's Eve, the Sun Bowl
, held at the stadium of the same name
in El Paso, Texas
, pitted the Arizona State Sun Devils against the Purdue Boilermakers in what would be the sole Big Ten/Pac-10 matchup on the bowl schedule. The first half of the game was a defensive struggle, with the Sun Devils taking a 3-2 lead into the locker room. The offensive fireworks began on the first play from scrimmage of the second half, with Boilermakers QB Kyle Orton
connecting with Brian Hare on an 80-yard TD pass. The Sun Devils answered with a Sam Keller TD pass to Derek Hagan to retake the lead. This set the stage for a wild fourth quarter that featured four lead changes, two of them in the last two minutes of the game. Purdue got the ball with 1:55 remaining and trailing 20-16; Orton took the Boilermakers down the field in four plays and 33 seconds, completing the drive with a 6-yard TD pass to Charles Davis. The Sun Devils then took only four plays to move the ball 80 yards, ending in a 19-yard Keller TD pass to Rudy Burgess with 43 seconds left. The ensuing extra point gave the Devils a 27-23 lead. Purdue was unable to move the ball in the remaining seconds, sealing the Devils' win.
The third game on December 31, and the last of the bowl season to feature two non-BCS schools, was the Liberty Bowl
, held in the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis
. One of the most intriguing matchups of the bowl season pitted the two top-ranked offenses in NCAA Division I-A. The Louisville Cardinals (C-USA) led the nation in scoring and total yardage per game; their opponents, WAC champion the Boise State Broncos, were second in both categories. The Broncos also took their undefeated regular season record and Division I-A's then-longest winning streak of 22 games into the contest. In a wild game that saw five lead changes, the Cardinals won 44-40, ending the Broncos' streak, despite a season-high four turnovers. The Cardinals racked up 564 yards of total offense, surpassing the 500-yard mark for the ninth time this season. Starting Louisville QB Stefan LeFors
threw for two touchdowns, ran for a third, and made the key block allowing a fourth touchdown to score, but also had an interception run back for a TD. The Broncos went into the game averaging 511 yards per game on offense, but could only manage 281. This was the last game for Louisville in C-USA; in July 2005, they joined the BCS as a new member of the Big East.
The final game on December 31 was the Peach Bowl, held at the Georgia Dome
in Atlanta. It matched the Florida Gators
of the SEC with one of their two bitter in-state rivals, the Miami Hurricanes
from the ACC. The Hurricanes did most of their damage on special teams and defense, returning a blocked field goal and a punt for touchdowns, and intercepting Gators QB Chris Leak
twice. Miami won 27-10, extending their winning streak against Florida to six games and giving 'Canes senior QB Brock Berlin (a former Florida player) a 5-0 record as a starter against Miami's two major in-state rivals (Florida and Florida State
).
The Cotton Bowl Classic, held in the stadium of the same name
in Dallas on January 1, matched the Tennessee Volunteers (SEC) and the Texas A&M Aggies (Big 12). On the game's seventh play from scrimmage, Vols QB Rick Clausen, a third-stringer for most of the season, completed a short pass to C.J. Fayton, who promptly turned the reception into a 57-yard touchdown to give the Vols an early lead. Clausen passed for two more TDs with no interceptions, Vols running back Gerald Riggs racked up 102 yards and a TD on the ground, and the Vols defense pressured the Aggies into five turnovers. Tennessee ended with a 38-7 win, their most one-sided bowl win ever.
Also on New Year's Day, the Outback Bowl
was held at Raymond James Stadium
in Tampa, Florida
. The game matched the Georgia Bulldogs and the Wisconsin Badgers in the first of two Big Ten-SEC New Year's Day contests. The first 20 minutes of the game were mostly a defensive battle, with the Badgers taking a 6-3 lead. Georgia QB David Greene threw a TD pass in the second quarter to give the Bulldogs a lead they never relinquished. He added a second TD pass in the third quarter, but had an interception run back for a Badgers TD in the fourth. Thomas Brown added 111 rushing yards and a TD for the Bulldogs, and Lombardi Award
winner David Pollack
forced a key Badgers fumble with one of his three sacks. The Bulldogs held on for a 24-21 win, extending Greene's NCAA record for wins by a starting quarterback to 42.
The third bowl game on January 1 was the Gator Bowl
, held at ALLTEL Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida
. It matched the Florida State Seminoles (ACC) and the West Virginia Mountaineers (Big East). Longtime Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden
was facing his former school for the first time since the two met in this game in 1982. The 'Noles went out to an early lead when Leon Washington ran 69 yards for a TD; he finished with 195 yards rushing on only 12 carries. However, inconsistent Seminoles QB Chris Rix
helped keep the Mountaineers in the game, throwing two interceptions and fumbling three times, losing one, in the first half. Rix eventually settled down, leading the Seminoles on two touchdown drives in the second half. Lorenzo Booker added 101 yards rushing for the Seminoles. The Mountaineers ran for 238 yards against the nation's top rushing defense, led by 134 yards and two TDs by Kay-Jay Harris
. However, special teams miscues hurt the Mountaineers. In the first half alone, a return man fumbled away a kickoff, two different kickers missed extra points, a kickoff was booted out of bounds, and the Mountaineers faked a field goal but failed to convert the first-down run. Even more tellingly, the Mountaineers were unsuccessful in the red zone; they advanced the ball past the Seminoles 20 five times, but could only score a TD and a field goal. The Seminoles pulled away to a 30-18 win, saving them from an unprecedented third straight bowl loss and giving Bowden his 18th bowl victory, one shy of Joe Paterno
's record of 19.
The fourth bowl game on January 1, the second of the bowl season held at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, and the other Big Ten vs. SEC contest on New Year's Day was the Capital One Bowl
, featuring the Iowa Hawkeyes and the LSU Tigers. The Hawkeyes scored on their first possession, with QB Drew Tate burning an LSU blitz by completing a pass to Clinton Solomon that turned into a 57-yard touchdown play. This gave Iowa a lead that it did not give up until the game's last minute. The Hawkeyes defense largely bottled up the Tigers' running game, except for a 74-yard TD run by Alley Broussard in the second quarter, and Iowa had a 24-12 lead early in the fourth. Freshman QB JaMarcus Russell
came off the bench for LSU and connected with Skyler Green for two fourth-quarter TD passes, the last of which gave LSU a 25-24 lead with 46 seconds left. After a failed 2 point conversion, Iowa got the ball back, and Tate completed two passes, but a penalty pushed the Hawkeyes back to their own 44 with 14 seconds left. Tate threw long to Warren Holloway, who was open because of an LSU coverage breakdown, and Holloway scored the winning touchdown with no time remaining. No extra point was attempted, and Iowa won 30-25. The result spoiled Nick Saban
's last game as LSU head coach; he left to become head coach of the Miami Dolphins
. With the loss, Saban's record fell to 30-1 when leading at the half with LSU, who also became the first defending BCS national champion to lose a non-BCS bowl the following year.
The Rose Bowl
, held on January 1 in the stadium of the same name
in Pasadena, California
, pitted the Big Ten champions, the Michigan Wolverines and Texas Longhorns from the Big 12. Utah's unexpected entry into the BCS games, combined with Texas' leapfrogging Cal in the final BCS rankings, plus the fact that Pac-10 champion Southern California was playing in the Orange Bowl for the National Championship made it impossible for the Rose Bowl to maintain its traditional Big Ten/Pac-10 matchup for only the third time since 1947.
Nonetheless, the matchup promised to be highly entertaining, as well as historic. It matched Michigan, the winningest college football program of all time, and Texas, the third-winningest, for the first time ever. The 2271 games played by the two teams mark the most games ever played by two teams before they met for the first time. It was also the Longhorns' first trip ever to the Rose Bowl, and the game itself proved to be a record-setting performance as well. In all, 16 Rose Bowl individual or team records were set or tied during the game, as well as numerous team and conference records.
The game proved to be an offensive showcase. Longhorns QB Vince Young
had 372 yards of total offense, rushing for 192 yards and four TDs and passing for 180 yards and a fifth TD, setting new Rose Bowl record for most total touchdowns. He became the first Texas quarterback to throw for over 1000 yards and rush for over 1000 yards in a single season. Together with Doak Walker Award
-winning running back Cedric Benson
, the two became the first Texas duo to each run for 1000 yards in the same season.
Wolverines freshman QB Chad Henne
threw for four TDs, tying both the Michigan and Rose Bowl single game record. Three of Henne's TDs went to All-American receiver and Fred Biletnikoff Award
winner Braylon Edwards
. Edwards set a Rose Bowl record for touchdown passes caught in a game, and also set Michigan and Big Ten records for career touchdown receptions (39). Another Wolverines receiver, Steve Breaston
, amassed 310 all-purpose yards, breaking a Rose Bowl record set by O.J. Simpson in 1969.
By midway through the third quarter, the teams had been tied at 7, 14, and 21, but the Wolverines took a 31-21 lead going into the fourth quarter. In that quarter, Young ran for TDs before and after a Michigan field goal, giving the Longhorns a 35-34 lead. The Wolverines retook the lead with 3:04 remaining on Garrett Rivas' third field goal of the day. On the ensuing possession, Young led the 'Horns into position for a 37-yard field goal with 2 seconds left. Michigan took both of its remaining timeouts in an attempt to "ice" Texas kicker Dusty Mangum
. He finally put a wobbly kick through the uprights as time expired, giving the Longhorns a 38-37 win. The thrilling come-from-behind fourth quarter victory marked their sixth such victory of the year. The game was won on the final play for the first time in Rose Bowl history, and the only the third time in Longhorns
history.
The final game on January 1 was the Fiesta Bowl
, held at Sun Devil Stadium
in Tempe, Arizona
(suburban Phoenix). It matched the Pittsburgh Panthers, the Big East champions and the Mountain West champion Utah Utes. This was another historic matchup, as Utah became the first school from outside the BCS membership to appear in a BCS game. It was also the swan song for Utes head coach Urban Meyer
, who left after the game to take the head coaching job at Florida.
The matchup was fairly controversial, though not because of the Utes' presence; in their 11-0 regular season, they had defeated three schools from BCS conferences, two of which participated in bowl games, by an average of 22 points. No opponent came within two touchdowns of the Utes. The controversy surrounded the presence of Pittsburgh, or more to the point, the Big East, in the BCS pool. The Panthers finished 8-3 in a conference that had just lost its two strongest programs (Miami-Florida and Virginia Tech) to the ACC — a tiebreaker among four teams granted Pittsburgh the Big East championship. However, the BCS is still contractually obligated to place the Big East champion in one of its bowls.
Utah's vaunted offense started the game slowly, but the Utes nonetheless went into halftime leading 14-0. The tone for the game was initially set by the Utes defense, which mercilessly pressured Panthers QB Tyler Palko, and special teams, which blocked a Pittsburgh field goal attempt and nearly blocked a punt. In the third quarter, the Utah offense came alive, with QB Alex Smith
, a Heisman Trophy
finalist who became the top overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft
, throwing two TD passes and connecting on a hook and lateral that ended in a Paris Warren
TD. By the end of that quarter, the Utes led by their final margin of 35-7. The win capped off a fairy-tale 12-0 season, Utah's first perfect season since 1930, and sent Meyer off to his new job in Gainesville
with a historic win.
Smith went 29-for-37 passing for 328 yards and three TDs with no interceptions, and also led the Utes in rushing with 68 yards. Warren caught 15 passes for 180 yards and a TD, as well as scoring on the pass-and-lateral play. The Utes defense sacked Palko nine times.
In the second game of the bowl season held at the Superdome in New Orleans, the SEC champion Auburn Tigers took on the Virginia Tech Hokies, the ACC champions in the Sugar Bowl
on January 3.
Despite finishing the regular season 12-0 and winning the powerful SEC, Auburn was not able to crack the top two in the BCS rankings, shutting the Tigers out of the BCS title game. Their main hope for a split national championship (as happened the season before with LSU and Southern California) was to score a resounding win over the Hokies and hope that Oklahoma
unimpressively defeated Southern California in the Orange Bowl the following evening. Auburn would then have to hope that enough voters in the AP
media poll switch their votes from Oklahoma to give the Tigers the AP title.
The Tigers had a chance to blow the game open in the first half, but were unable to score a touchdown in three trips inside the Hokies' 10-yard line, settling for three field goals from John Vaughn. Auburn's defense was more than up to the challenge from the Hokies, shutting them out in the first half. Tech did not help itself, as Jesse Allen dropped an easy touchdown reception on fourth-and-goal at the Auburn 1 in the second quarter.
Auburn finally drove for a TD on the first possession of the second half, and kept their 16-0 lead into the fourth quarter. However, two second-half turnovers kept the Hokies in the game, and their offense finally awakened in the fourth quarter. Tech QB Bryan Randall threw two TD passes to Josh Howard, the last an 80-yard bomb, in the fourth quarter, cutting the Auburn lead to 16-13. The Hokies then attempted an onside kick, but the Tigers recovered and chose to run out the clock to instead of trying to score again. This preserved the Tigers' perfect 13-0 season; however, it effectively ended Auburn's faint hopes for a split national championship.
Tigers QB Jason Campbell was the game's MVP, completing 11 of his 16 pass attempts for 189 yards and a touchdown. However, he was intercepted once. For the Hokies, Randall went 21-for-38 passing for 299 yards and two TDs, but was intercepted twice.
In the final major bowl game of the BCS, the Orange Bowl, played on January 4, 2005, the top-ranked Southern California Trojans, the Pac-10 Champions, were able to obtain the National Championship title with a huge 55-19 victory over the second-ranked and Big 12 champion Oklahoma Sooners.
An Orange Bowl record five touchdown passes were thrown by Heisman Trophy
winner Matt Leinart
, and 38 points were scored by the Trojans in the first 20 minutes of the first half alone to effectively seal the victory.
The game was billed as the Game of the Century by many. It was the first time that two teams went wire-to-wire ranked #1 and #2. USC came into the game as a slight underdog after opening as a 3 point favorite. Most of the experts predicted an Oklahoma win, calling the Trojans thin at all positions except for all-purpose threat Reggie Bush. The Sooners looked to prove the experts correct by driving the field on their first possession for a 7-0 lead. The Trojans tied the score 7-7 on a spectacular diving catch by Tight End Dominique Byrd. It looked like it would be a classic back-and-forth battle until a key turnover turned the tide to USC for good. USC had just punted to Oklahoma and got a good roll inside Oklahoma's 10 yard line. Inexplicably, Senior Mark Bradley tried to pick up the ball and promptly fumbled it away. Lendale White scored on the next play and USC never looked back. From that point on, Matt Leinart was on fire as was his primary target, Sophomore WR Steve Smith. Smith caught 3 TD passes on the night, also an Orange Bowl record. Oklahoma continued turning the ball over as the Trojan defense proved too tough all night. Freshmam RB sensation Adrian Peterson was held to well under 100 yards, despite having been the first freshman to finish second in the Heisman balloting.
Many fans left after the third quarter at which point the score was 48-10, USC. After the Trojans took a 55-10 lead, Oklahoma got a safety on USC QB Matt Leinart. The Sooners followed it up with a short drive for the final points.
, the first of the four post-BCS bowl games played January 15, 2005 at The Villages retirement center in Lady Lake, Florida
, Marcus Randall
(quarterback for LSU) ran seven out of eleven passes for 88 yards as he led the South squad to a win over the North by the score of 24-21. Randall was also declared the game's Most Valuable Player.
, played January 15, 2005 (just after the Gridiron Classic) at SBC Park in San Francisco, saw two Louisville Cardinal teammates, Stefan LeFors and J.R. Russell, propel the East squad to a 45-27 win over the West team. The two teams combined for 1,013 yards of offense in the highest-scoring Shrine Game since 1979.
LeFors was named the MVP for the offense, while Alex Green (from Duke
) won the MVP for the defense.
was played January 22, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada
. The West won the game by a score of 21-16 over the East.
game played in Wailuku, Hawaii
. Michigan State
's Ronald Stanley scored with two defensive touchdowns to help win the game for the East over the West by the score of 20-13. For his efforts, Stanley won Most Valuable Player. This was the first time since 1996 that the Hula Bowl used the East and West squads format.
, the final game of the 2004-2005 college football season, Kansas State
's Darren Sproles
, Akron's Charlie Frye
, and Ohio State's Mike Nugent
led the North to a 23-13 victory over the South in the annual bowl game played January 29, 2005, in Mobile, Alabama
. Frye won the Most Valuable Player honors for his completion of 10 to 12 passes and making possible a 22-yard touchdown at the game's conclusion to seal the victory for the North. Nugent scored three field goals from 25, 36, and 41 yards, respectively, while Sproles earned the North's defensive player of the game for five carries gaining 55 yards. Leroy Hill
of Clemson earned the defensive player honors for the South team.
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
bowl season was a series of 32 post-season games (including the Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
) played in December 2004 and January 2005 for Division I-A football teams and their all-stars. The post-season began with the New Orleans Bowl on December 14, 2004, and concluded on January 29, 2005, with the season-ending Senior Bowl.
Non-BCS bowls
Hawaii Warriors football
The Hawaii Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team, which is currently coached by Greg McMackin, is part of the Western Athletic Conference until 2012, when the team joins the Mountain West Conference.The Hawaii Warriors...
had to finish at least 7-5.
Four conferences - the Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
, Big 12
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
, Pac-10, and SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
- all failed to produce enough bowl-eligible teams to fill their contracted bowl slots. In addition, a massive brawl between Clemson and South Carolina
2004 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
The 2004 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the Southeastern Conference during the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Gamecocks were led by Lou Holtz in his sixth and final season as USC head coach and played their home games in...
players during their November 20 game, less than 24 hours following the Pacers–Pistons brawl during a National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
game, led both schools to announce that they would not go to any bowl game as a self-imposed punishment. Both schools were otherwise bowl-eligible, thus forcing bowl organizers to scramble even more to fill their slots. In addition, Utah's
2004 Utah Utes football team
The 2004 Utah Utes football team represented the University of Utah in the college football season of 2004–2005. This team was the original 'BCS Buster', meaning, this was the first time that a team from a non-BCS conference was invited to play in one of the BCS bowl games. The team, coached by 2nd...
unexpected entry into the BCS
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
caused further shuffling of normal bowl tie-ins.
The main beneficiary of this unexpected chaos was the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
, which received five bowl bids instead of its contracted two. The only bowl-eligible team willing to accept an invitation that was left out of this season's bowl games was another MAC school, . The Zips would make their first bowl appearance the next season.
Many of these teams, including almost all of the teams from minor conferences, participated in bowls in December. Three schools made their first-ever bowl appearance this season: UAB
2004 UAB Blazers football team
The 2004 UAB Blazers football team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the college football season of 2004, and was the fourteenth team fielded by the school. The team's head coach was Watson Brown, who was entering his tenth season as the program's head coach...
(Hawaii Bowl
2004 Hawaii Bowl
The 2004 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, part of the 2004 bowl game season, took place on December 24, 2004, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The competing teams were the UAB Blazers, representing Conference USA and the Hawaii Warriors, representing the Western Athletic Conference...
), UConn (2004 Motor City Bowl
2004 Motor City Bowl
The 2004 Motor City Bowl, part of the 2004–05 NCAA football bowl games season, occurred on December 27, 2004 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.- Team selection :...
), and . Of these three, only UConn won its game.
New Orleans Bowl
- 31, 10
The bowl season kicked off on December 14 with the fourth annual New Orleans Bowl
New Orleans Bowl
The New Orleans Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana since 2001. The game was sponsored by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts from 2002 to 2004 and was officially called the Wyndham New...
, one of two bowl games played at the Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
in New Orleans. Dustin Almond passed for 249 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for a touchdown as well, as Southern Miss Golden Eagles (Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
) defeated the North Texas Mean Green (Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
) 31-10.
Champs Sports Bowl
- Georgia Tech2004 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football teamThe 2004 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the college football season of 2004-2005. The team's coach is former Dallas Cowboys, Samford Bulldogs, and Troy Trojans coach Chan Gailey...
51, 14
The first of two bowl games at the Citrus Bowl
Citrus Bowl
The Florida Citrus Bowl is a stadium in Orlando, Florida, USA, built for football, which currently seats around 70,000 people....
in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
was the Champs Sports Bowl
Champs Sports Bowl
The Champs Sports Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that is played in Orlando, Florida, at the Citrus Bowl. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group which also organizes the Capital One Bowl and Florida Classic...
, held on December 21. It featured the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
) and the Syracuse Orange (Big East
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
). Georgia Tech quarterback Reggie Ball passed for two touchdowns and ran for another, while the Yellow Jackets defense recorded a touchdown off of an interception and a safety. Georgia Tech romped, 51-14.
GMAC Bowl
- 52, 35
The Bowling Green Falcons (MAC) met the Memphis Tigers (C-USA) on December 22 in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
in the GMAC Bowl
GMAC Bowl
The GoDaddy.com Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game that has been played annually at Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama since 1999. It currently matches teams from the Sun Belt Conference and the Mid-American Conference, and...
. In a meeting of high-powered offenses, Memphis's Danny Wimprime threw for 324 yards and 4 touchdowns, but was outdone by his counterpart Omar Jacobs
Omar Jacobs
Omar T. Jacobs is an American football quarterback, who is currently a member of the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, who had 365 yards and 5 touchdowns. Bowling Green won, 52-35.
Fort Worth Bowl
- 32, 14
The Fort Worth Bowl, held on December 23 at Amon G. Carter Stadium
Amon G. Carter Stadium
Amon G. Carter Stadium is an open-air football stadium on the campus of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. It is the home stadium of the TCU Horned Frogs football team. It was named after Amon G...
in the titular city
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, matched a departing C-USA team with a future member of that conference. The Cincinnati Bearcats, which left C-USA for the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
after the 2004-05 season, played the Marshall Thundering Herd, which joined C-USA from the MAC for 2005-06. Cincinnati quarterback Gino Guidugli returned from a broken hand to throw for two touchdowns, and the Bearcats defense held Marshall to 134 yards of total offense in a 32-14 win. The loss broke the Thundering Herd's streaks of 20 consecutive winning seasons and five winning bowl appearances (in nonconsecutive years).
Las Vegas Bowl
- Wyoming2004 Wyoming Cowboys football teamThe 2004 Wyoming Cowboys football team represented the University of Wyoming in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Cowboys offense scored 318 points while the defense allowed 297 points. Led by head coach Joe Glenn, the Cowboys competed in the Las Vegas Bowl.-Schedule:-External links:*...
24, 21
The first matchup of the bowl season that pitted a team from a BCS
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
conference against a non-BCS team was the Las Vegas Bowl
Las Vegas Bowl
The Maaco Bowl Las Vegas is an NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually at 40,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. since 1992. From 1992 to 1996, matchups featured the champion teams from the Big West and Mid-American...
, held at Sam Boyd Stadium
Sam Boyd Stadium
Sam Boyd Stadium is a football stadium located in Whitney, Nevada, an unincorporated community in the Las Vegas metropolitan area; the mailing address of the stadium is "Las Vegas". The stadium is named after Sam Boyd, a major figure in the hotel/casino industry in Las Vegas. The stadium consists...
in that city
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
on December 23. The UCLA Bruins (Pac-10) played the Wyoming Cowboys (Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
), with UCLA the heavy favorite. The underdog Cowboys took an early 10-0 lead, but the Bruins stormed back to take a 21-10 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Cowboys scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter on a trick play, and capped off the first major upset of the bowl season with a touchdown pass from Corey Bramlet to John Wadkowski with 57 seconds left. The 24-21 Wyoming win was the Cowboys' first bowl victory since 1968.
Hawaii Bowl
- Hawaii2004 Hawaii Warriors football teamThe 2004 Hawaii Warriors football team represented the University of Hawaii at Manoa in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A college football season. Hawaii finished the 2004 season with a 8-5 record, going 4-4 in WAC play. The Warriors made their third straight appearance in the Hawaii Bowl, facing off...
59, UAB2004 UAB Blazers football teamThe 2004 UAB Blazers football team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the college football season of 2004, and was the fourteenth team fielded by the school. The team's head coach was Watson Brown, who was entering his tenth season as the program's head coach...
40
On December 24, the Hawaii Warriors (WAC) played the Hawaii Bowl
Hawaii Bowl
The Hawaii Bowl is a post-season National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game that has been played annually at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii since 2002. Typically played on either Christmas Day or Christmas Eve, the game matches teams from either...
on their home field, Aloha Stadium
Aloha Stadium
Aloha Stadium is a stadium located in the Halawa CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. Currently Aloha Stadium is home to the University of Hawaii Warriors football team...
in Honolulu for the third time in the bowl's three-year existence. The Warriors faced a first-time bowl participant in the UAB Blazers (C-USA). In an offensive shootout that saw both quarterbacks (Hawaii's Timmy Chang
Timmy Chang
Timothy Kealii'okaaina Awa Chang is a retired American football player. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
and UAB's Darrell Hackney) throw for over 400 yards, the homestanding Warriors won 59-40. The Warriors' Chad Owens
Chad Owens
Chad Owens is a professional American, Canadian and Arena football wide receiver and kick returner for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
caught two of Chang's four touchdown passes and returned a punt for a TD. Chang finished his career as the first Division I-A quarterback to throw for over 17,000 yards in his career, and also finished with career records for pass attempts, completions, and total offense.
MPC Computers Bowl
- 37, Virginia2004 Virginia Cavaliers football teamThe 2004 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's coach was coach Al Groh. They played their home games at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia.- Schedule :...
34
On December 27, the second matchup between BCS and non-BCS teams took place in the MPC Computers Bowl
MPC Computers Bowl
The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I FBS college football bowl game that has been played annually at 33,500-seat Bronco Stadium on the campus of Boise State University in Boise, Idaho, since 1997...
in Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
. The Fresno State Bulldogs (WAC) played the Virginia Cavaliers (ACC). UVa went out to a 21-7 second-quarter lead, but the Bulldogs stormed back to tie the game at 24 early in the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers retook the lead early in the fourth quarter on a rushing touchdown by Wali Lundy, but Bulldogs quarterback Paul Pinegar threw a 3-yard TD pass to Jason Fairman with 19 seconds left; the ensuing extra point tied the game at 31, leading to the first overtime of the 2004-05 bowl season. In the overtime, the Cavaliers had the ball first and kicked a field goal. On the Bulldogs' first play in overtime, Pinegar threw his fifth TD pass of the day, connecting with Stephen Spach to give the Bulldogs a 37-34 upset win.
Motor City Bowl
- UConn 39, Toledo 10
The other bowl on December 27, the Motor City Bowl
Motor City Bowl
The Little Caesars Pizza Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually since 1997. The first five games were played at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. Starting in 2002, the game was moved to 65,000-seat Ford Field in downtown...
held at Ford Field
Ford Field
Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...
in Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, was also a BCS/non-BCS matchup. The UConn Huskies made their first-ever bowl appearance in their second year in Division I-A and first as a member of the Big East. They faced the MAC champion Toledo Rockets, which were playing little more than an hour's drive from their campus. Rockets quarterback Bruce Gradowski, affected by a broken hand suffered in the MAC championship game, was ineffective before being benched at halftime. However, the Huskies were effective enough that a healthy Gradowski may not have made a difference; UConn quarterback Dan Orlovsky threw for two TDs with no interceptions, and return specialist Larry Taylor had 157 return yards, including a punt return for a TD. UConn won 39-10, giving the BCS its first win in three tries against non-BCS teams this season.
Independence Bowl
- 17, 13
On December 28 in Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, another BCS/non-BCS matchup took place in the Independence Bowl
Independence Bowl
The Independence Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that is played annually at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, so named because it was inaugurated in the United States bicentennial year, 1976....
between the Iowa State Cyclones (Big 12) and the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks (MAC). Iowa State went out to a 10-0 lead in the second quarter, but Miami scored a touchdown late in that quarter to reduce the Cyclones' halftime lead to 10-7. The RedHawks scored a TD to take a 13-10 lead in the third quarter, but missed the extra point. The Cyclones' Ryan Kock scored the winning TD early in the fourth quarter, and the Cyclones defense held on for the 17-13 win. Two Cyclones, quarterback Bret Meyer and running back Stevie Hicks, rushed for over 100 yards each. RedHawks receiver Michael Larkin extended his NCAA record of consecutive games with a reception to 50. This was the last game for RedHawks head coach Terry Hoeppner
Terry Hoeppner
Terry Hoeppner was an American college football coach who served as head coach of the Miami RedHawks from 1999 to 2004 and the Indiana Hoosiers from 2005 to 2006...
, who took the head job at Indiana
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
.
Insight Bowl
- 38, Notre Dame2004 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football teamThe 2004 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was the college football team that represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Tyrone Willingham, and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana.- Season...
21
The second bowl on December 28, the Insight Bowl
Insight Bowl
The Insight Bowl is an NCAA college football bowl game played in Arizona since 1989. From 1989 to 1999, the games were played at Arizona Stadium in Tucson. The game moved to Phoenix in 2000 and was played at Chase Field until 2005. After the 2005 playing the Insight Bowl moved to Sun Devil Stadium...
held at Bank One Ballpark
Chase Field
Chase Field is a baseball stadium located in downtown Phoenix, Arizona and is the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball. It opened in , just in time for the Diamondbacks' first game as an expansion team...
in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, was the second of the 2004-05 bowl season to pit two BCS member teams. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the only independent
NCAA Division I-A independent schools
NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision independent schools are four-year institutions whose football programs are not part of an NCAA-affiliated conference. This means that FBS independents are not required to schedule each other for competition like conference schools do...
BCS member, took on the Oregon State Beavers from the Pac-10. The Beavers never trailed in the game, and easily defeated the Irish 38-21. Beavers quarterback Derek Anderson
Derek Anderson (American football)
Derek Matthew Anderson is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
threw for 359 yards and four touchdown passes, with no interceptions.
The game was a rematch of the 2001 Fiesta Bowl
2001 Fiesta Bowl
The 2001 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, played on January 1, 2001, was the 30th edition of the Fiesta Bowl. The game was played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona between the Oregon State Beavers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish .In the game, Oregon State quarterback Jonathan Smith threw for 305 yards...
, played at the nearby Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium is an outdoor football stadium, located on the campus of Arizona State University, in Tempe, Arizona, United States. The stadium's current seating capacity is 71,706 and the playing surface is natural grass...
, with a similar result (Oregon State blowout victory).
Houston Bowl
- Colorado2004 Colorado Buffaloes football teamThe 2004 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado at Boulder in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team played their home games in Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado.-Schedule:-Coaching staff:...
33, 28
On December 29, the Colorado Buffaloes (Big 12
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
) took on the UTEP Miners (WAC) in the Houston Bowl
Houston Bowl
The Houston Bowl is a now-defunct NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A college football bowl game that was played annually in Houston, Texas from 2000 to 2005. The game was originally known as the galleryfurniture.com Bowl in 2000 and 2001...
at Reliant Stadium
Reliant Stadium
Reliant Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Houston, Texas, USA. Reliant Stadium has a seating capacity of 71,500, a total square footage of with of natural grass playing surface....
in the host city
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. The Miners led for most of the game, but Buffaloes quarterback Joel Klatt threw two TD passes in the fourth quarter to lead CU to a 33-28 win. Klatt finished 24-for-33 for 333 yards. Miners QB Jordan Palmer, younger brother of 2002 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...
, threw for 328 yards and two TDs, but only completed two of his last 12 passes, finishing 22-for-42 with two interceptions.
Alamo Bowl
- Ohio State2004 Ohio State Buckeyes football teamThe 2004 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 2004-2005. The team's head football coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games at Ohio Stadium. The team finished the season with a record of 8-4, and a Big Ten...
33, 7
In the other game on December 29, the Alamo Bowl
Alamo Bowl
The Alamo Bowl is a major American college football bowl game played annually since 1993 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It matches the second choice team from the Pacific-12 Conference and the third choice team from the Big 12 Conference.Traditionally, the Alamo Bowl has been...
held at the Alamodome
Alamodome
The Alamodome is a domed 65,000 seat, multi-purpose facility that is primarily used as a football/basketball stadium and convention center in San Antonio, Texas, U.S...
in San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, the Ohio State Buckeyes (Big Ten) took on the Oklahoma State Cowboys (Big 12), in a game which matched two schools whose initialisms are "OSU". This was also Ohio State's first December bowl since the 1993
1993 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Florida State crowned national champions, but not without controversy.Under the Bowl Coalition, undefeated Big 8 champ and #2 ranked Nebraska hosted ACC champ and #1 ranked Florida State in the Orange Bowl...
Holiday Bowl
Holiday Bowl
The Holiday Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A college football bowl game that has been played annually at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, since 1978. Beginning with the 2010 playing the bowl will officially be known as the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl after...
. The Buckeyes defense set the tone for the game early, intercepting Cowboys quarterback Donovan Woods during the game's first possession. Justin Zwick, starting at quarterback in place of the suspended Troy Smith
Troy Smith
Troy James Smith is an American football quarterback for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State.Smith has also played for the San Francisco 49ers. He...
, threw a touchdown pass to Anthony Gonzalez three plays later, giving the Buckeyes a lead that they never relinquished. The Buckeyes won 33-7.
Continental Tire Bowl
- Boston College 37, North Carolina2004 North Carolina Tar Heels football team-Coaching staff:-Schedule:Did not play: Clemson and Maryland.-Team Statistics:-References:...
24
In the first of four games on December 30, the Boston College Eagles, which left the Big East in July 2005 to join the ACC, played one of its future conference rivals, the North Carolina Tar Heels, in the Continental Tire Bowl at Bank of America Stadium
Bank of America Stadium
Bank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East...
in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. Eagles quarterback Paul Peterson earned MVP honors by going 24-for-33 for 236 yards and two TDs before breaking his leg in the fourth quarter. Andre Callender added 174 rushing yards for the Eagles. The game was close for the first three quarters, and tied three times, but the Eagles pulled away to win their fifth consecutive bowl game and final game as a Big East member 37-24.
Emerald Bowl
- 34, 19
The second game on December 30, the Emerald Bowl
Emerald Bowl
The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually at 40,800-seat AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, in San Francisco, California, since 2002...
held at SBC Park in San Francisco, pitted the Navy Midshipmen (independent
NCAA Division I-A independent schools
NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision independent schools are four-year institutions whose football programs are not part of an NCAA-affiliated conference. This means that FBS independents are not required to schedule each other for competition like conference schools do...
) against the New Mexico Lobos (MWC). After the Lobos jumped to an early 7-0 lead, Navy QB Aaron Polanco took over the game, rushing for three touchdowns and throwing for a fourth. The Midshipmen defense performed well in the clutch, forcing two turnovers in the first half that led to TDs and making a successful goal-line stand in the third quarter. After the stand, the Midshipmen offense then went on a 26-play drive that lasted nearly 15 minutes, ending with a field goal, that sealed Navy's 34-19 win. The Midshipmen finished the season 10-2, their first 10-win season since 1905.
Holiday Bowl
- Texas Tech 45, 31
In the third game on December 30 (also the second of three in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
), the Holiday Bowl
Holiday Bowl
The Holiday Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A college football bowl game that has been played annually at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, since 1978. Beginning with the 2010 playing the bowl will officially be known as the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl after...
was held at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, pitting the Pac-10's California Golden Bears and the Big 12's Texas Tech Red Raiders. Cal, edged out for a BCS bowl berth by Texas
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
in the last week of the regular season, was out to prove that it deserved a BCS berth. The Bears played well at first, finishing the first quarter with a 14-7 lead. However, the second and third quarters belonged to the Red Raiders, who outscored the Bears 31-3 in those periods, going on to score the biggest upset of the bowl season with a 45-31 win. Raiders QB Sonny Cumbie torched the Bears defense for 520 passing yards, going 40-for-60 with three TDs and no interceptions. The brightest spot for Cal was running back J.J. Arrington, who ran for 173 yards and a touchdown, making him only the third Pac-10 runner to reach 2,000 yards rushing in a season.
Silicon Valley Football Classic
- 34, 21
The last game of December 30 was the Silicon Valley Football Classic
Silicon Valley Football Classic
The Silicon Valley Football Classic , sometimes referred to as the Silicon Valley Bowl or Silicon Valley Classic, was an NCAA-certified Division I-A post-season college football bowl game that was played at Spartan Stadium on the South Campus of San Jose State University in San Jose, California,...
at Spartan Stadium in San José
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. The Northern Illinois Huskies (MAC), playing in their first bowl game in 21 years, faced the Troy State Trojans from the Sun Belt, a school that joined NCAA Division I-A in 2001 and were playing in their first bowl game ever. The Trojans opened strong, scoring two touchdowns, a pass and a run by D.T. McDowell, in the first quarter to build a 14-0 lead. The Huskies came back, tying the score by the end of the first quarter with rushing touchdowns by Garrett Wolfe
Garrett Wolfe
Garrett Wolfe is an American football running back. He was drafted by the Bears in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played his college football at Northern Illinois. He is currently a free agent.-Personal life:...
and Josh Haldi, then building a 34-14 lead in the fourth quarter. The Trojans attempted a comeback, with McDowell running in another touchdown, but failed on their next possession on fourth and goal, and the Huskies were able to run out the clock to complete a 34-21 win. This would be the last game ever for this bowl, as poor attendance due to a driving rainstorm, a rarity of December in the Bay Area, along with bad publicity as neither the Pac-10 or WAC had teams with the necessary winning records and other negative press led the NCAA to strip the Silicon Valley Football Classic of its certification on April 20, 2005.
Music City Bowl
- Minnesota2004 Minnesota Golden Gophers football teamThe 2004 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the college football season of 2004-2005. The team's coach was Glen Mason. It played its home games at the H.H.H. Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota....
20, Alabama2004 Alabama Crimson Tide football teamThe 2004 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama during the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. This was the team's 72nd season in the SEC. The Crimson Tide were led by head coach Mike Shula who was entering his second season as head coach. They began their...
16
The first game on December 31, the Music City Bowl
Music City Bowl
The Music City Bowl is a post-season American college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played in Nashville, Tennessee, since 1998.-Site:The first Music City Bowl was played at Vanderbilt Stadium in 1998...
held at The Coliseum
LP Field
LP Field is a football stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County....
in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, matched the Alabama Crimson Tide (SEC) and Minnesota Golden Gophers (Big Ten). The first quarter was one of the sloppiest in recent years, with the two teams turning the ball over five times (Minnesota three times, Alabama twice). On the first play of the second quarter, the Gophers took a 14-7 lead on a touchdown run by Marion Barber III
Marion Barber III
Marion Sylvester Barber III is an American football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota....
and never trailed again. Late in the fourth quarter, the Gophers, then leading 20-14, took a deliberate safety on a punt from their own end zone. On the ensuing possession, the Tide drove to the Gophers' 15-yard-line, but their threat ended with an incomplete pass on fourth down. The Gophers then ran out the clock for the 20-16 win. Barber ran for 187 yards, and fellow Gophers running back Laurence Maroney
Laurence Maroney
Laurence Maroney is an American football running back who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 21st overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota.-Early years:Maroney attended Normandy Senior High School in St...
ran for 105. Alabama, which was second in the nation in total defense going into the game, had not given up a 100-yard game to an opposing rusher this season.
Sun Bowl
- Arizona State2004 Arizona State Sun Devils football teamThe Arizona State Sun Devils football team represented Arizona State University in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. It played its home games at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.-Schedule:...
27, Purdue2004 Purdue Boilermakers football teamThe 2004 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the 2004 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Joe Tiller and played its home games at Ross-Ade Stadium. Purdue played twelve games in the 2004 season, finishing with a 7-5 record and a loss in the...
23
The next game on New Year's Eve, the Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl
The Sun Bowl is an annual U.S. college football bowl game that is usually played at the end of December in El Paso, Texas. The Sun Bowl, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl are the second-oldest bowl games in the country, behind the Rose Bowl...
, held at the stadium of the same name
Sun Bowl Stadium
The Sun Bowl is an outdoor football stadium, on the campus of the University of Texas at El Paso. It is home to the UTEP Miners of Conference USA , and the late December college football bowl game, the Hyundai Sun Bowl...
in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, pitted the Arizona State Sun Devils against the Purdue Boilermakers in what would be the sole Big Ten/Pac-10 matchup on the bowl schedule. The first half of the game was a defensive struggle, with the Sun Devils taking a 3-2 lead into the locker room. The offensive fireworks began on the first play from scrimmage of the second half, with Boilermakers QB Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
connecting with Brian Hare on an 80-yard TD pass. The Sun Devils answered with a Sam Keller TD pass to Derek Hagan to retake the lead. This set the stage for a wild fourth quarter that featured four lead changes, two of them in the last two minutes of the game. Purdue got the ball with 1:55 remaining and trailing 20-16; Orton took the Boilermakers down the field in four plays and 33 seconds, completing the drive with a 6-yard TD pass to Charles Davis. The Sun Devils then took only four plays to move the ball 80 yards, ending in a 19-yard Keller TD pass to Rudy Burgess with 43 seconds left. The ensuing extra point gave the Devils a 27-23 lead. Purdue was unable to move the ball in the remaining seconds, sealing the Devils' win.
Liberty Bowl
- Louisville2004 Louisville Cardinals football teamThe 2004 Louisville Cardinals football team represented the University of Louisville in the 2004 college football season. The team, led by Bobby Petrino in his second year at the school, played their home games in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium...
44, Boise State2004 Boise State Broncos football teamThe 2004 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 2004 college football season. Boise State competed as a member of the Western Athletic Conference , and played their home games at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho...
40
The third game on December 31, and the last of the bowl season to feature two non-BCS schools, was the Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...
, held in the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. One of the most intriguing matchups of the bowl season pitted the two top-ranked offenses in NCAA Division I-A. The Louisville Cardinals (C-USA) led the nation in scoring and total yardage per game; their opponents, WAC champion the Boise State Broncos, were second in both categories. The Broncos also took their undefeated regular season record and Division I-A's then-longest winning streak of 22 games into the contest. In a wild game that saw five lead changes, the Cardinals won 44-40, ending the Broncos' streak, despite a season-high four turnovers. The Cardinals racked up 564 yards of total offense, surpassing the 500-yard mark for the ninth time this season. Starting Louisville QB Stefan LeFors
Stefan LeFors
Stefan Wayne LeFors is a former quarterback in American and Canadian football who is currently a high school coach. He was originally drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
threw for two touchdowns, ran for a third, and made the key block allowing a fourth touchdown to score, but also had an interception run back for a TD. The Broncos went into the game averaging 511 yards per game on offense, but could only manage 281. This was the last game for Louisville in C-USA; in July 2005, they joined the BCS as a new member of the Big East.
Peach Bowl
- Miami (Florida)2004 Miami Hurricanes football team-Schedule:...
27, Florida2004 Florida Gators football teamThe 2004 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2004 college football season...
10
The final game on December 31 was the Peach Bowl, held at the Georgia Dome
Georgia Dome
The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...
in Atlanta. It matched the Florida Gators
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
of the SEC with one of their two bitter in-state rivals, the Miami Hurricanes
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
from the ACC. The Hurricanes did most of their damage on special teams and defense, returning a blocked field goal and a punt for touchdowns, and intercepting Gators QB Chris Leak
Chris Leak
Christopher Patrick Leak is an American professional football player who is currently a quarterback for the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League. He played college football for the University of Florida, and led the Florida Gators to victory in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game...
twice. Miami won 27-10, extending their winning streak against Florida to six games and giving 'Canes senior QB Brock Berlin (a former Florida player) a 5-0 record as a starter against Miami's two major in-state rivals (Florida and Florida State
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
).
Cotton Bowl Classic
- 38, Texas A&M2004 Texas A&M Aggies football teamThe 2004 Texas A&M Aggies football team completed the season with a 7-5 record. The Aggies had a regular season Big 12 record of 5-3.-Schedule:-Utah:-Wyoming:-Clemson:-Kansas State:-Iowa State:-Oklahoma State:...
7
The Cotton Bowl Classic, held in the stadium of the same name
Cotton Bowl (stadium)
The Cotton Bowl is a stadium which opened in 1929 and became known as "The House That Doak Built" due to the immense crowds that former SMU running back Doak Walker drew to the stadium during his college career in the late 1940s. Originally known as Fair Park Stadium, it is located in Fair Park,...
in Dallas on January 1, matched the Tennessee Volunteers (SEC) and the Texas A&M Aggies (Big 12). On the game's seventh play from scrimmage, Vols QB Rick Clausen, a third-stringer for most of the season, completed a short pass to C.J. Fayton, who promptly turned the reception into a 57-yard touchdown to give the Vols an early lead. Clausen passed for two more TDs with no interceptions, Vols running back Gerald Riggs racked up 102 yards and a TD on the ground, and the Vols defense pressured the Aggies into five turnovers. Tennessee ended with a 38-7 win, their most one-sided bowl win ever.
Outback Bowl
- Georgia 24, Wisconsin2004 Wisconsin Badgers football teamThe 2004 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison during the 2004 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by Barry Alvarez, the Badgers completed the season with a 9-3 record, including a 6-2 mark in the Big Ten Conference, good for a third-place...
21
Also on New Year's Day, the Outback Bowl
Outback Bowl
The Outback Bowl is an annual New Year's Day college football bowl game played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The event was originally called the Hall of Fame Bowl from 1986 to 1994 until being renamed in 1995 for its new title sponsor, Outback Steakhouse...
was held at Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. The game matched the Georgia Bulldogs and the Wisconsin Badgers in the first of two Big Ten-SEC New Year's Day contests. The first 20 minutes of the game were mostly a defensive battle, with the Badgers taking a 6-3 lead. Georgia QB David Greene threw a TD pass in the second quarter to give the Bulldogs a lead they never relinquished. He added a second TD pass in the third quarter, but had an interception run back for a Badgers TD in the fourth. Thomas Brown added 111 rushing yards and a TD for the Bulldogs, and Lombardi Award
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
winner David Pollack
David Pollack
-Injury:In the Bengals' September 17, 2006 game against in-state rival Cleveland Browns, Pollack suffered what was later determined to be a broken sixth cervical vertebrae on a first quarter tackle on running back Reuben Droughns. He reportedly suffered no paralysis, but was taken off the field on...
forced a key Badgers fumble with one of his three sacks. The Bulldogs held on for a 24-21 win, extending Greene's NCAA record for wins by a starting quarterback to 42.
Gator Bowl
- Florida State2004 Florida State Seminoles football team-Schedule:-Miami, FL:Originally scheduled for September 6, 2004, the game between Miami and Florida State was postponed due to Hurricane Francis. On September 10, both teams met at the Orange Bowl in Miami, FL. The Seminoles took the upper hand in the first half with a 45 yard field goal by Xavier...
30, West Virginia2004 West Virginia Mountaineers football teamThe 2004 West Virginia Mountaineers football team completed the regular season with a 8–4 and traveled to the , where they lost to the Florida State Seminoles 30–18...
18
The third bowl game on January 1 was the Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
, held at ALLTEL Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. It matched the Florida State Seminoles (ACC) and the West Virginia Mountaineers (Big East). Longtime Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
was facing his former school for the first time since the two met in this game in 1982. The 'Noles went out to an early lead when Leon Washington ran 69 yards for a TD; he finished with 195 yards rushing on only 12 carries. However, inconsistent Seminoles QB Chris Rix
Chris Rix
Christopher Charles Rix is a former NCAA Division I Filipino-American football quarterback for the Florida State Seminoles football team. Rix is also widely known as a coach and sportscaster.- Early life:...
helped keep the Mountaineers in the game, throwing two interceptions and fumbling three times, losing one, in the first half. Rix eventually settled down, leading the Seminoles on two touchdown drives in the second half. Lorenzo Booker added 101 yards rushing for the Seminoles. The Mountaineers ran for 238 yards against the nation's top rushing defense, led by 134 yards and two TDs by Kay-Jay Harris
Kay-Jay Harris
Kevin Jermaine "Kay-Jay" Harris is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at West Virginia....
. However, special teams miscues hurt the Mountaineers. In the first half alone, a return man fumbled away a kickoff, two different kickers missed extra points, a kickoff was booted out of bounds, and the Mountaineers faked a field goal but failed to convert the first-down run. Even more tellingly, the Mountaineers were unsuccessful in the red zone; they advanced the ball past the Seminoles 20 five times, but could only score a TD and a field goal. The Seminoles pulled away to a 30-18 win, saving them from an unprecedented third straight bowl loss and giving Bowden his 18th bowl victory, one shy of Joe Paterno
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
's record of 19.
Capital One Bowl
- Iowa2004 Iowa Hawkeyes football teamThe 2004 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa in the 2004 college football season. They played their home games in Kinnick Stadium and were coached by Kirk Ferentz. Finishing the 2003 season with a 10-3 record and an Outback Bowl victory, the Hawkeyes began the season 2-0...
30, LSU2004 LSU Tigers football teamThe 2004 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2004–2005. Coached by Nick Saban in his last season at LSU, the Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The team finished with a 9–3 record and an...
25
The fourth bowl game on January 1, the second of the bowl season held at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, and the other Big Ten vs. SEC contest on New Year's Day was the Capital One Bowl
Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
, featuring the Iowa Hawkeyes and the LSU Tigers. The Hawkeyes scored on their first possession, with QB Drew Tate burning an LSU blitz by completing a pass to Clinton Solomon that turned into a 57-yard touchdown play. This gave Iowa a lead that it did not give up until the game's last minute. The Hawkeyes defense largely bottled up the Tigers' running game, except for a 74-yard TD run by Alley Broussard in the second quarter, and Iowa had a 24-12 lead early in the fourth. Freshman QB JaMarcus Russell
JaMarcus Russell
JaMarcus Trenell Russell is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. Russell played college football for the LSU Tigers where he finished 21–4 as a starter and was named MVP of the 2007 Sugar Bowl. The Oakland Raiders selected Russell with the first overall pick of the 2007...
came off the bench for LSU and connected with Skyler Green for two fourth-quarter TD passes, the last of which gave LSU a 25-24 lead with 46 seconds left. After a failed 2 point conversion, Iowa got the ball back, and Tate completed two passes, but a penalty pushed the Hawkeyes back to their own 44 with 14 seconds left. Tate threw long to Warren Holloway, who was open because of an LSU coverage breakdown, and Holloway scored the winning touchdown with no time remaining. No extra point was attempted, and Iowa won 30-25. The result spoiled Nick Saban
Nick Saban
Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
's last game as LSU head coach; he left to become head coach of the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. With the loss, Saban's record fell to 30-1 when leading at the half with LSU, who also became the first defending BCS national champion to lose a non-BCS bowl the following year.
Rose Bowl
- Texas 38, Michigan2004 Michigan Wolverines football teamThe 2004 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2004 college football season. The team's head football coach was Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium...
37
The Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
, held on January 1 in the stadium of the same name
Rose Bowl (stadium)
The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12...
in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, pitted the Big Ten champions, the Michigan Wolverines and Texas Longhorns from the Big 12. Utah's unexpected entry into the BCS games, combined with Texas' leapfrogging Cal in the final BCS rankings, plus the fact that Pac-10 champion Southern California was playing in the Orange Bowl for the National Championship made it impossible for the Rose Bowl to maintain its traditional Big Ten/Pac-10 matchup for only the third time since 1947.
Nonetheless, the matchup promised to be highly entertaining, as well as historic. It matched Michigan, the winningest college football program of all time, and Texas, the third-winningest, for the first time ever. The 2271 games played by the two teams mark the most games ever played by two teams before they met for the first time. It was also the Longhorns' first trip ever to the Rose Bowl, and the game itself proved to be a record-setting performance as well. In all, 16 Rose Bowl individual or team records were set or tied during the game, as well as numerous team and conference records.
The game proved to be an offensive showcase. Longhorns QB Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
had 372 yards of total offense, rushing for 192 yards and four TDs and passing for 180 yards and a fifth TD, setting new Rose Bowl record for most total touchdowns. He became the first Texas quarterback to throw for over 1000 yards and rush for over 1000 yards in a single season. Together with Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
-winning running back Cedric Benson
Cedric Benson
Cedric Myron Benson is an American football running back for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears fourth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft...
, the two became the first Texas duo to each run for 1000 yards in the same season.
Wolverines freshman QB Chad Henne
Chad Henne
Chad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
threw for four TDs, tying both the Michigan and Rose Bowl single game record. Three of Henne's TDs went to All-American receiver and Fred Biletnikoff Award
Fred Biletnikoff Award
The Fred Biletnikoff Award has been presented since 1994 to America's top college football receiver by the TQC Foundation, Inc. , an independent not-for-profit organization which created the award in 1994 and has sponsored it since...
winner Braylon Edwards
Braylon Edwards
-Cleveland Browns:-2005:Edwards began his rookie season as Cleveland's third wide receiver – he would have started higher, but a hold-out caused him to miss the beginning of training camp. Early in the season Edwards revealed that he had a staph infection, and missed a few weeks as a result of it....
. Edwards set a Rose Bowl record for touchdown passes caught in a game, and also set Michigan and Big Ten records for career touchdown receptions (39). Another Wolverines receiver, Steve Breaston
Steve Breaston
Steven William Breaston is an American football wide receiver and punt returner for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, amassed 310 all-purpose yards, breaking a Rose Bowl record set by O.J. Simpson in 1969.
By midway through the third quarter, the teams had been tied at 7, 14, and 21, but the Wolverines took a 31-21 lead going into the fourth quarter. In that quarter, Young ran for TDs before and after a Michigan field goal, giving the Longhorns a 35-34 lead. The Wolverines retook the lead with 3:04 remaining on Garrett Rivas' third field goal of the day. On the ensuing possession, Young led the 'Horns into position for a 37-yard field goal with 2 seconds left. Michigan took both of its remaining timeouts in an attempt to "ice" Texas kicker Dusty Mangum
Dusty Mangum
Dustin Ross Mangum is a former placekicker for the University of Texas at Austin's college football team from 2001 to 2004. Mangum, who began his college football career as a walk-on, is best known for capping UT's 2004-2005 season with a 37-yard game-winning field goal as time expired in the...
. He finally put a wobbly kick through the uprights as time expired, giving the Longhorns a 38-37 win. The thrilling come-from-behind fourth quarter victory marked their sixth such victory of the year. The game was won on the final play for the first time in Rose Bowl history, and the only the third time in Longhorns
Texas Longhorn Athletics
Texas Longhorns athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of The University of Texas at Austin. These teams are referred to as the Texas Longhorns , taking their name from the Longhorn cattle that were an important part of the development of Texas, and are now the...
history.
Fiesta Bowl
- Utah2004 Utah Utes football teamThe 2004 Utah Utes football team represented the University of Utah in the college football season of 2004–2005. This team was the original 'BCS Buster', meaning, this was the first time that a team from a non-BCS conference was invited to play in one of the BCS bowl games. The team, coached by 2nd...
35, Pittsburgh2004 Pittsburgh Panthers football teamThe 2004 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2004 college football season in which they won a share of The Big East Conference Championship and were awarded with a BCS berth to the 2005 Fiesta Bowl.- Schedule :...
7
The final game on January 1 was the Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
, held at Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium is an outdoor football stadium, located on the campus of Arizona State University, in Tempe, Arizona, United States. The stadium's current seating capacity is 71,706 and the playing surface is natural grass...
in Tempe, Arizona
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
(suburban Phoenix). It matched the Pittsburgh Panthers, the Big East champions and the Mountain West champion Utah Utes. This was another historic matchup, as Utah became the first school from outside the BCS membership to appear in a BCS game. It was also the swan song for Utes head coach Urban Meyer
Urban Meyer
Urban Frank Meyer, III is an American football coach and former player. He is head football coach at Ohio State University, having been hired for the position in November 2011...
, who left after the game to take the head coaching job at Florida.
The matchup was fairly controversial, though not because of the Utes' presence; in their 11-0 regular season, they had defeated three schools from BCS conferences, two of which participated in bowl games, by an average of 22 points. No opponent came within two touchdowns of the Utes. The controversy surrounded the presence of Pittsburgh, or more to the point, the Big East, in the BCS pool. The Panthers finished 8-3 in a conference that had just lost its two strongest programs (Miami-Florida and Virginia Tech) to the ACC — a tiebreaker among four teams granted Pittsburgh the Big East championship. However, the BCS is still contractually obligated to place the Big East champion in one of its bowls.
Utah's vaunted offense started the game slowly, but the Utes nonetheless went into halftime leading 14-0. The tone for the game was initially set by the Utes defense, which mercilessly pressured Panthers QB Tyler Palko, and special teams, which blocked a Pittsburgh field goal attempt and nearly blocked a punt. In the third quarter, the Utah offense came alive, with QB Alex Smith
Alex Smith
Alexander Douglas Smith is a professional American football player and starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Smith was drafted with the 1st-overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft by San Francisco from the University of Utah...
, a Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
finalist who became the top overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
, throwing two TD passes and connecting on a hook and lateral that ended in a Paris Warren
Paris Warren
Paris Jazz Warren is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
TD. By the end of that quarter, the Utes led by their final margin of 35-7. The win capped off a fairy-tale 12-0 season, Utah's first perfect season since 1930, and sent Meyer off to his new job in Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
with a historic win.
Smith went 29-for-37 passing for 328 yards and three TDs with no interceptions, and also led the Utes in rushing with 68 yards. Warren caught 15 passes for 180 yards and a TD, as well as scoring on the pass-and-lateral play. The Utes defense sacked Palko nine times.
Sugar Bowl
- Auburn2004 Auburn Tigers football teamThe 2004 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. Auburn compiled a record of 13–0, winning the Southeastern Conference championship and finishing the season ranked #2 in both the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll...
16, Virginia Tech2004 Virginia Tech Hokies football teamThe 2004 Virginia Tech Hokies football team won the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in its inaugural year in the conference, running off a streak of eight straight wins to end the regular season after a 2-2 start. Tech finished 10th in the final Associated Press poll with a 10-3 record...
13
In the second game of the bowl season held at the Superdome in New Orleans, the SEC champion Auburn Tigers took on the Virginia Tech Hokies, the ACC champions in the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
on January 3.
Despite finishing the regular season 12-0 and winning the powerful SEC, Auburn was not able to crack the top two in the BCS rankings, shutting the Tigers out of the BCS title game. Their main hope for a split national championship (as happened the season before with LSU and Southern California) was to score a resounding win over the Hokies and hope that Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
unimpressively defeated Southern California in the Orange Bowl the following evening. Auburn would then have to hope that enough voters in the AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
media poll switch their votes from Oklahoma to give the Tigers the AP title.
The Tigers had a chance to blow the game open in the first half, but were unable to score a touchdown in three trips inside the Hokies' 10-yard line, settling for three field goals from John Vaughn. Auburn's defense was more than up to the challenge from the Hokies, shutting them out in the first half. Tech did not help itself, as Jesse Allen dropped an easy touchdown reception on fourth-and-goal at the Auburn 1 in the second quarter.
Auburn finally drove for a TD on the first possession of the second half, and kept their 16-0 lead into the fourth quarter. However, two second-half turnovers kept the Hokies in the game, and their offense finally awakened in the fourth quarter. Tech QB Bryan Randall threw two TD passes to Josh Howard, the last an 80-yard bomb, in the fourth quarter, cutting the Auburn lead to 16-13. The Hokies then attempted an onside kick, but the Tigers recovered and chose to run out the clock to instead of trying to score again. This preserved the Tigers' perfect 13-0 season; however, it effectively ended Auburn's faint hopes for a split national championship.
Tigers QB Jason Campbell was the game's MVP, completing 11 of his 16 pass attempts for 189 yards and a touchdown. However, he was intercepted once. For the Hokies, Randall went 21-for-38 passing for 299 yards and two TDs, but was intercepted twice.
Orange Bowl
- Southern Cal2004 USC Trojans football teamThe 2004 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2004-2005 NCAA Division I-A college football season. Although now vacated for breaking NCAA rules, the team won the 2004 BCS National Championship by winning the 2005 Orange Bowl, that year's BCS National...
55, Oklahoma 19
In the final major bowl game of the BCS, the Orange Bowl, played on January 4, 2005, the top-ranked Southern California Trojans, the Pac-10 Champions, were able to obtain the National Championship title with a huge 55-19 victory over the second-ranked and Big 12 champion Oklahoma Sooners.
An Orange Bowl record five touchdown passes were thrown by Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Matt Leinart
Matt Leinart
Matthew Stephen Leinart , is an American professional football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League...
, and 38 points were scored by the Trojans in the first 20 minutes of the first half alone to effectively seal the victory.
The game was billed as the Game of the Century by many. It was the first time that two teams went wire-to-wire ranked #1 and #2. USC came into the game as a slight underdog after opening as a 3 point favorite. Most of the experts predicted an Oklahoma win, calling the Trojans thin at all positions except for all-purpose threat Reggie Bush. The Sooners looked to prove the experts correct by driving the field on their first possession for a 7-0 lead. The Trojans tied the score 7-7 on a spectacular diving catch by Tight End Dominique Byrd. It looked like it would be a classic back-and-forth battle until a key turnover turned the tide to USC for good. USC had just punted to Oklahoma and got a good roll inside Oklahoma's 10 yard line. Inexplicably, Senior Mark Bradley tried to pick up the ball and promptly fumbled it away. Lendale White scored on the next play and USC never looked back. From that point on, Matt Leinart was on fire as was his primary target, Sophomore WR Steve Smith. Smith caught 3 TD passes on the night, also an Orange Bowl record. Oklahoma continued turning the ball over as the Trojan defense proved too tough all night. Freshmam RB sensation Adrian Peterson was held to well under 100 yards, despite having been the first freshman to finish second in the Heisman balloting.
Many fans left after the third quarter at which point the score was 48-10, USC. After the Trojans took a 55-10 lead, Oklahoma got a safety on USC QB Matt Leinart. The Sooners followed it up with a short drive for the final points.
USC Sanctions
On June 10, 2010, the NCAA placed Southern California on a probation period of four years, with two years without any bowl game appearances, and forfeiture of all games in which Reggie Bush (an ineligible player because of accepting payments from an agent) participated in beginning in Dec. 2004, and therefore, includes the Orange Bowl BCS National Championship game. On June 6, 2011 the NCAA officially vacated Southern California's Orange Bowl BCS National Championship game win.Gridiron Classic
In the Gridiron ClassicGridiron Classic
The Gridiron Classic was the name given to a college football game played between teams from the Pioneer Football League and Northeast Conference at the end of the 2006-2009 seasons...
, the first of the four post-BCS bowl games played January 15, 2005 at The Villages retirement center in Lady Lake, Florida
Lady Lake, Florida
Lady Lake is a town in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,828 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 13,244...
, Marcus Randall
Marcus Randall
Marcus Randall is an American football player who plays for Team Arkansas of the All American Football League. Randall played quarterback for LSU, Tennessee Titans and Green Bay Packers of the National Football League.-College career:...
(quarterback for LSU) ran seven out of eleven passes for 88 yards as he led the South squad to a win over the North by the score of 24-21. Randall was also declared the game's Most Valuable Player.
East-West Shrine Game
The 80th East-West Shrine GameEast-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
, played January 15, 2005 (just after the Gridiron Classic) at SBC Park in San Francisco, saw two Louisville Cardinal teammates, Stefan LeFors and J.R. Russell, propel the East squad to a 45-27 win over the West team. The two teams combined for 1,013 yards of offense in the highest-scoring Shrine Game since 1979.
LeFors was named the MVP for the offense, while Alex Green (from Duke
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
) won the MVP for the defense.
Las Vegas All-American Classic
The 4th edition of the Las Vegas All-American ClassicLas Vegas All-American Classic
The North-South All-American Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game that was played each January or February from 2002 to 2006 , and then took 2 years off due to lack of sponsorship...
was played January 22, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. The West won the game by a score of 21-16 over the East.
Hula Bowl
A total 92 of the best seniors in college football were represented in the January 22, 2005 version of the Hula BowlHula Bowl
The Hula Bowl was an independently administered post-season invitational college football game held each year in Hawaii from 1947 to 2008. The game was last played at Aloha Stadium in the Hālawa district of Honolulu, Hawaii. At one point the longest-running sporting event in Hawaii, it had been...
game played in Wailuku, Hawaii
Wailuku, Hawaii
Wailuku is a census-designated place in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 12,296 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Maui County.Wailuku is located just west of Kahului, at the mouth of the Īao Valley...
. Michigan State
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
's Ronald Stanley scored with two defensive touchdowns to help win the game for the East over the West by the score of 20-13. For his efforts, Stanley won Most Valuable Player. This was the first time since 1996 that the Hula Bowl used the East and West squads format.
Senior Bowl
In the Senior BowlSenior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
, the final game of the 2004-2005 college football season, Kansas State
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
's Darren Sproles
Darren Sproles
Darren Lee Sproles is an American football running back of the NFL who plays for the New Orleans Saints. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, Akron's Charlie Frye
Charlie Frye
Charles Frye, , is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Akron.-Early years:...
, and Ohio State's Mike Nugent
Mike Nugent
Mike Nugent is an American football placekicker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
led the North to a 23-13 victory over the South in the annual bowl game played January 29, 2005, in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. Frye won the Most Valuable Player honors for his completion of 10 to 12 passes and making possible a 22-yard touchdown at the game's conclusion to seal the victory for the North. Nugent scored three field goals from 25, 36, and 41 yards, respectively, while Sproles earned the North's defensive player of the game for five carries gaining 55 yards. Leroy Hill
Leroy Hill
Leroy Hill, Jr. is an American football linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks. He played high school football in Milledgeville, GA for the Baldwin High School Braves...
of Clemson earned the defensive player honors for the South team.
Conference Standings
In the list of teams that played in the minor bowl games as well as the BCS, winners are marked in bold and losers are marked in italics. The list is sorted by winning percentage, then by number of competing teams, and finally alphabetically by conference name.| Conf | # | W | L | Pct | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mt West Mountain West Conference The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999... |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0.667 | New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming |
| C-USA Conference USA Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports... |
5 | 3 | 2 | 0.600 | Cincinnati, Louisville, Memphis, Southern Miss, UAB |
| Pac-10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0.600 | Arizona St, California, Oregon St, UCLA, USC |
| ACC Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities... |
6 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 | Florida St, Georgia Tech, Miami (FL), North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech |
| Big Ten Big Ten Conference The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east... |
6 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 | Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio St, Purdue, Wisconsin |
| SEC Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama... |
6 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 | Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee |
| WAC Western Athletic Conference The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS... |
4 | 2 | 2 | 0.500 | Boise St, Fresno St, Hawaii, UTEP |
| Indep. | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.500 | Navy, Notre Dame |
| Big 12 Big 12 Conference The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving... |
7 | 4 | 3 | 0.571 | Colorado, Iowa St, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech |
| Big East Big East Conference The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports... |
5 | 2 | 3 | 0.400 | Boston College, UConn, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, West Virginia |
| MAC Mid-American Conference The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members... |
5 | 2 | 3 | 0.400 | Bowling Green, Marshall, Miami (OH), Northern Illinois, Toledo |
| Sun Belt Sun Belt Conference The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions... |
2 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | North Texas, Troy |