#TBT - Looking back at 2004

- Nicholas Eck

Starting today, and every Thursday leading up to Kickoff 2015, we will look back at one of the past seasons and recall the year that was. Our kickoff for this will be the 2004 season.

The 2004 NCAA Division 1-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for the two spots in the national title game (Orange Bowl), triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unblemished, and five teams had finished with one loss. In 2004, the situation became even more complicated as five teams finished perfect, a record for the BCS era (tied in 2009). USC of the Pac-10, Oklahoma of the Big 12, Auburn of the SEC, Utah of the MW, and Boise State of the WAC all finished the regular season undefeated. USC and Oklahoma started the season #1 and #2 respectively, but the other three teams were handicapped by starting outside the top 15. Thus the BCS National Championship was played between USC and OU, while Auburn, Utah, and Boise were having to be content with other bowl games.

Along with controversy picking the national title game participants, there was some controversy selecting the BCS at-large teams. Utah was the first at-large team to receive a bid (higher BCS rank). California was expected to get an invite, being ranked fourth in the BCS entering the final week of the regular season; Texas, who had been left out of the BCS last season entered fifth in the final rankings. Both teams finished 10-1, but the Longhorns received enough support from poll voters to jump the Golden Bears in the final BCS poll, ensuring the final at-large bid.

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

Prior to the start of the season, Miami (FL) and Virginia Tech left the Big East to join the ACC, giving the conference 11 members. Connecticut left the Independent ranks to join the Big East. Troy State also left their Independent status in the dust to join the Sun Belt Conference. Florida Atlantic made the leap from Division 1-AA to 1-A giving the big boys a total of 118 programs.

Conference Champions
*Tie breakers went to BCS representive*

ACC - Virginia Tech (7-1, 10-3)

Big East - Pittsburgh (4-2, 8-4)

Big Ten - Iowa (7-1, 10-2)

Big 12 - Oklahoma (8-0, 12-1)

C-USA - Louisville (8-0, 11-1)

MAC - Toledo (7-1, 9-4)

MWC - Utah (7-0, 12-0)

Pac-10 - Southern Cal (8-0, 13-0)

SEC - Auburn (8-0, 13-0)
Sun Belt - North Texas (7-0, 7-5)

WAC - Boise State (8-0, 11-1)

Top games of 2004

1. Southern Cal 55 - Oklahoma 19 (Orange Bowl)

The much-anticipated battle between #1 and #2 turned into a coronation for USC, which settled for a share of the National Championship last season. Heisman winner Matt Leinart threw a record five TD passes and the Trojans won the National Title over the Sooners.

2. Auburn 16 - Virginia Tech 13 (Sugar Bowl)

Auburn needed to blast Virginia Tech, and needed an Oklahoma win over USC in the Orange Bowl for a chance at split national champions. Instead, the Tigers built a 16 point lead on the Hokies, and then needed a couple of major blunders by the Hokies to hold on to a undefeated season.

3. Texas 38 - Michigan 37 (Rose Bowl)

In the week leading up to the game, Mack Brown and the Longhorns were barraged by questions about the worthiness to play in a BCS game. A winning kick put that controversy to rest. The Texas Longhorns proved that they did indeed belong in the Rose Bowl. It was the first ever matchup between two of college football elite programs.

Heisman Trophy Winner

Matt Leinart (JR) Southern Cal - QB (1325 points)

2. Adrian Peterson (FR) Oklahoma - RB (997)

3. Jason White (SR) Oklahoma - QB (957)

4. Alex Smith (JR) Utah - QB (635)

5. Reggie Bush (SO) Southern Cal - RB (597)

Epilogue

In the years following USC's 2004 season BCS title, it emerged that former Trojan running back Reggie Bush, who played for the team in 2004 (and 2005), had received illegal gifts in violation of NCAA rules. The subsequent NCAA investigation confirmed this, and the Trojan football program was hit with severe sanctions in the summer of 2010. Among these were the vacating of the last two wins of 2004 (including the Orange Bowl) and all wins in 2005 (they lost the Rose Bowl to Texas). After USC's appeal was denied, the BCS officially stripped them of the 2004 BCS title in 2011 and left the title for that year vacant.