The 2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level, began on August 28, 2004, and concluded with the 2004 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 17, 2004, at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. James Madison won its first I-AA championship, defeating Montana by a final score of 31−21.
Conference changes and new programs Prior to the season, the Great West Conference was formed as a football-only conference for six unaffiliated teams from California, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Utah. A seventh prospective member, St. Mary's (CA), dropped their football program before the start of the season.
School 2003 Conference 2004 Conference Cal Poly I-AA Independent Great West East Tennessee State Southern Dropped Program North Dakota State North Central (D-II) Great West (I-AA) Northern Colorado D-II Independent Great West (I-AA) Siena MAAC Dropped Program St. Mary's (CA) I-AA Independent Dropped Program Southern Utah I-AA Independent Great West South Dakota State North Central (D-II) Great West (I-AA) Towson Patriot Atlantic 10 UC Davis D-II Independent Great West (I-AA)
I-AA team wins over I-A teams List of I-AA/FCS victories from the NCAA: September 4 – Florida Atlantic 35, Hawaii 28 OT September 11 – Florida Atlantic 20, North Texas 13 September 11 – New Hampshire 35, Rutgers 24 September 18 – Florida Atlantic 27, Middle Tennessee 20 September 18 – Maine 9, Mississippi State 7 September 25 – Eastern Illinois 31, Eastern Michigan 28
Conference standings
Postseason NCAA Division I-AA playoff bracket
* Denotes host institution
References