The 2004 Mountain West Conference football season was the sixth since eight former members of the Western Athletic Conference banded together to form the Mountain West Conference. It was the last season of the conference's original eight-team line up, as Texas Christian University (TCU) had agreed to join the conference for the 2005 season. Utah won the conference championship in 2004, the Utes' third title since the league began in 1999. On the strength of their perfect 11–0 record in the regular season, Utah became the first team from a BCS non-AQ conference to be invited to a Bowl Championship Series (BCS) bowl when they accepted an invitation to play Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl.
Bowl games BowlDateStadiumCityResultLas Vegas BowlDecember 23, 2004Sam Boyd StadiumLas VegasWyoming 24, UCLA 21Emerald BowlDecember 30, 2004SBC ParkSan FranciscoNavy 34, New Mexico 19Fiesta BowlJanuary 1, 2005Sun Devil StadiumTempe, ArizonaUtah 35, Pittsburgh 7
Awards Coach of the Year: Urban Meyer, Utah Offensive Player of the Year: QB Alex Smith, Jr, Utah Co-Defensive Players of the Year: LB Kirk Morrison, Sr, San Diego State and DB Morgan Scalley, Sr, Utah Freshman of the Year: WR Austin Collie, BYU
Pre-Season All Conference Team
OffenseQuarterbackAlex Smith, Jr, UtahRunning backDarnell Stephens, Sr, Air Force DonTrell Moore, Jr, New MexicoWide receiverDavid Anderson, Jr, Colorado State Todd Watkins, Jr, BYUTight endJoel Dreessen, Sr, Colorado StateOffensive LineRyan Cook, Jr, New MexicoTrenton Franz, Sr, WyomingChris Kemoeatu, Sr, UtahErik Pears, Sr, Colorado StateClaude Terrell, Sr, New MexicoKickerDeric Yaussi, Jr, WyomingKick returnerBo Nagahi, Sr, Utah
DefenseDefensive lineSteve Fifita, Sr, UtahZach Morris, Sr, WyomingMarcus Parker, Jr, New MexicoSione Pouha, Sr, UtahLinebackerKirk Morrison, Sr, San Diego StateBrady Poppinga, Sr, BYU John Rudzinski, Sr, Air ForceDefensive backJamaal Brimmer, Sr, UNLVAaron Francisco, Sr, BYUBrandon Payne, Sr, New MexicoMorgan Scalley, Sr, UtahPunterMatt Payne, Sr, BYU
All-Conference teams First-team:
OffenseQuarterbackAlex Smith, Jr, UtahRunning backDominique Dorsey, Sr, UNLVDonTrell Moore, Jr, New MexicoWide receiverSteve Savoy, So, Utah Todd Watkins, Jr, BYUTight endJoel Dreessen, Sr, Colorado StateOffensive LineRyan Cook, Jr, New MexicoTrenton Franz, Sr, WyomingChris Kemoeatu, Sr, UtahErik Pears, Sr, Colorado StateClaude Terrell, Sr, New MexicoKickerDeric Yaussi, Jr, WyomingKick returnerHoost Marsh, Fr, Wyoming
DefenseDefensive lineSteve Fifita, Sr, UtahZach Morris, Sr, WyomingMarcus Parker, Jr, New MexicoSione Pouha, Sr, UtahLinebackerKirk Morrison, Sr, San Diego StateBrady Poppinga, Sr, BYUNick Speegle, Sr, New MexicoDefensive backJamaal Brimmer, Sr, UNLVAaron Francisco, Sr, BYUBrandon Payne, Sr, New MexicoMorgan Scalley, Sr, UtahPunterMatt Payne, Sr, BYU
Second-team:
OffenseQuarterbackJohn Beck, So, BYURunning backCurtis Brown, So, BYUMarty Johnson, Sr, UtahWide receiverDavid Anderson, Jr, Colorado StateParis Warren, Sr, UtahTight endJohn Wadkowski, Jr, WyomingOffensive LineJon Wilson, Jr, Air ForceScott Young, Sr, BYUMike Kracalik, Sr, San Diego StateJoel Critchfield, Sr, UNLVJesse Boone, Jr, UtahKickerMatt Payne, Sr, BYUKick returnerJovon Bouknight, Jr, Wyoming
DefenseDefensive lineShaun Nua, Sr, BYUPatrick Goodpaster, Sr, Colorado StateBlake Lobel, Sr, San Diego StateDusty Hoffschneider, Jr, WyomingLinebackerMatt McCoy, Jr, San Diego StateRyan Claridge, Sr, UNLVAdam Seward, Sr, UNLVDefensive backJosh Bazinet, Sr, New MexicoGabriel Fulbright, Jr, New MexicoEric Weddle, So, UtahDerrick Martin, So, WyomingPunterAdam Brooks, Jr, Wyoming
References