2004 NCAA Division III football season

The 2004 NCAA Division III football season, part of the college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States, began in August 2004, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 2004 at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Linfield Wildcats won their first Division III championship by defeating the Mary Hardin–Baylor Crusaders, 28−21.

2004 NCAA Division III football season
Regular season	August – November 2004
Playoffs	November – December 2004
National championship	Salem Football Stadium Salem, VA
Champion	Linfield (1)
Gagliardi Trophy	Rocky Myers (S), Wesley (DE)
NCAA Division III football seasons

The Gagliardi Trophy, given to the most outstanding player in Division III football, was awarded to Rocky Myers, safety from Wesley (DE).

Conference changes and new programs

School	2003 conference	2004 conference
Eastern Oregon Mountaineers	Independent	Cascade (NAIA)
Stillman Tigers	Independent	Independent (Division II)

Conference standings

2004 American Southwest Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 4 Hardin–Simmons $^   9 – 0     10 – 1   No. 2 Mary Hardin–Baylor ^   8 – 1     13 – 2   Texas Lutheran   7 – 2     7 – 3   Howard Payne   6 – 3     7 – 3   Louisiana College   4 – 5     5 – 5   East Texas Baptist   4 – 5     4 – 6   Austin   3 – 6     3 – 7   Sul Ross   2 – 7     2 – 8   McMurry   1 – 8     2 – 8   Mississippi College   1 – 8     1 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com	2004 Atlantic Central Football Conference standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Salisbury $^   5 – 0     10 – 1   Wesley   4 – 1     8 – 2   Brockport   3 – 2     6 – 4   Buffalo State   2 – 3     4 – 6   Frostburg State   1 – 4     2 – 8   Apprentice §   0 – 5     3 – 7   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant § – Not an NCAA member	2004 Centennial Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Johns Hopkins +   4 – 2     9 – 2   Franklin & Marshall +   4 – 2     8 – 3   Muhlenberg +   4 – 2     8 – 3   Dickinson +   4 – 2     6 – 4   McDaniel +   4 – 2     6 – 4   Gettysburg   1 – 5     1 – 9   Ursinus   0 – 5     1 – 9   + – Conference co-champions
2004 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 5 Carthage +^   6 – 1     11 – 2   No. 12 Wheaton (IL) +^   6 – 1     10 – 2   Augustana (IL)   5 – 2     7 – 3   North Central (IL)   4 – 3     7 – 3   Millikin   4 – 3     5 – 5   Illinois Wesleyan   2 – 5     3 – 7   Elmhurst   1 – 6     4 – 6   North Park   0 – 7     1 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com	2004 Empire 8 Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 15 St. John Fisher +^   5 – 1     9 – 2   No. 20 Ithaca +   5 – 1     9 – 2   Springfield   4 – 2     8 – 2   Alfred   3 – 3     8 – 3   Norwich   3 – 3     7 – 4   Utica   1 – 5     3 – 7   Hartwick   0 – 6     1 – 8   + – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com	2004 Illini–Badger Football Conference standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Lakeland +   6 – 1     8 – 2   Concordia (WI) +   6 – 1     7 – 3   Aurora +^   6 – 1     6 – 5   MacMurray   4 – 3     6 – 3   Greenville   3 – 4     3 – 6   Eureka   2 – 5     3 – 7   Benedictine (IL)   1 – 6     1 – 9   Concordia (IL)   0 – 7     0 – 10   + – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
2004 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Mount St. Joseph $^   6 – 0     10 – 1   Hanover   5 – 1     6 – 4   Anderson (IN)   3 – 3     5 – 5   Bluffton   3 – 3     5 – 5   Franklin (IN)   3 – 3     5 – 5   Defiance   1 – 5     1 – 9   Manchester   0 – 6     0 – 10   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant	2004 Iowa Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 24 Wartburg +^   6 – 2     8 – 3   Coe +   6 – 2     7 – 3   Buena Vista   5 – 3     6 – 4   Central (IA)   5 – 3     6 – 4   Luther   5 – 3     6 – 4   Simpson (IA)   4 – 4     6 – 4   Loras   3 – 5     4 – 6   Cornell (IA)   1 – 7     2 – 8   Dubuque   1 – 7     2 – 8   + – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com	2004 Liberty League football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 21 Hobart $^   7 – 0     9 – 2   Union (NY)   6 – 1     6 – 3   RPI   4 – 3     5 – 4   Rochester (NY)   3 – 4     4 – 6   St. Lawrence   3 – 4     4 – 6   Merchant Marine   3 – 4     3 – 7   WPI   2 – 5     5 – 5   Coast Guard   0 – 7     1 – 8   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2004 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Alma $^   6 – 1     8 – 3   Olivet   5 – 2     8 – 2   Albion   5 – 2     7 – 3   Hope   5 – 2     6 – 4   Adrian   3 – 4     6 – 4   Tri-State *   2 – 5     2 – 8   Wisconsin Lutheran   2 – 5     2 – 8   Kalamazoo   0 – 7     1 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant * – Provisional NCAA Division III member	2004 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 11 Delaware Valley $^   9 – 0     12 – 1   Moravian   7 – 2     7 – 4   Albright   6 – 3     8 – 3   Wilkes   6 – 3     6 – 4   Widener   5 – 4     6 – 4   King's (PA)   4 – 5     4 – 6   Fairleigh Dickinson–Florham   3 – 6     4 – 6   Lebanon Valley   3 – 6     4 – 6   Susquehanna   3 – 6     4 – 6   Lycoming   3 – 6     3 – 7   Juniata   1 – 8     1 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com	2004 Midwest Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 22 St. Norbert $^   9 – 0     9 – 2   Monmouth (IL)   8 – 1     9 – 1   Lake Forest   7 – 2     8 – 2   Grinnell   5 – 4     6 – 4   Illinois College   5 – 4     6 – 4   Ripon   4 – 5     5 – 5   Carroll (WI)   3 – 6     3 – 7   Beloit   2 – 7     3 – 7   Lawrence   1 – 8     2 – 8   Knox   1 – 8     1 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2004 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 9 Concordia–Moorhead $^ 8 – 0 – 0 11 – 1 – 0 St. Thomas (MN) 6 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 Saint John's (MN) 6 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 St. Olaf 5 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Bethel (MN) 5 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Gustavus Adolphus 2 – 6 – 0 2 – 8 – 0 Augsburg 2 – 6 – 0 2 – 8 – 0 Hamline 1 – 7 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Carleton 1 – 7 – 0 2 – 8 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com	2004 New England Football Conference standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Bogan Division Fitchburg State xy   6 – 0     8 – 4   Bridgewater State   4 – 2     6 – 3   Westfield State   4 – 2     5 – 4   Worcester State   3 – 3     6 – 4   Maine Maritime   3 – 3     3 – 6   Massachusetts Maritime   1 – 5     1 – 8   Framingham State   0 – 6     0 – 9   Boyd Division Curry xy$^   5 – 1     9 – 2   Endicott x   5 – 1     6 – 4   UMass Dartmouth   4 – 2     7 – 4   Western New England   3 – 3     5 – 4   Nichols   3 – 3     4 – 6   Salve Regina   1 – 6     2 – 8   MIT   0 – 6     2 – 7   Championship: Curry 17, Fitchburg State 7 $ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant	2004 New England Small College Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Trinity (CT) $   8 – 0     8 – 0   Amherst   6 – 2     6 – 2   Colby   6 – 2     6 – 2   Williams   6 – 2     6 – 2   Middlebury   4 – 4     4 – 4   Wesleyan   3 – 5     3 – 5   Bates   2 – 6     2 – 6   Bowdoin   2 – 6     2 – 6   Tufts   2 – 6     2 – 6   Hamilton   1 – 7     1 – 7   $ – Conference champion
2004 New Jersey Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Rowan $^   6 – 0     10 – 3   TCNJ   5 – 1     7 – 2   Cortland   4 – 2     5 – 4   Montclair State   2 – 4     4 – 4   Western Connecticut   2 – 4     5 – 5   Kean   1 – 5     2 – 8   William Paterson   1 – 5     2 – 8   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant	2004 North Coast Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 10 Wooster $^   7 – 0     11 – 1   Wittenberg   5 – 2     7 – 3   Ohio Wesleyan   5 – 2     5 – 5   Denison   4 – 3     6 – 4   Wabash   4 – 3     6 – 4   Allegheny   4 – 3     5 – 5   Earlham   3 – 4     4 – 6   Kenyon   2 – 5     2 – 8   Oberlin   1 – 6     1 – 9   Hiram   0 – 7     0 – 10   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com	2004 Northwest Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 1 Linfield $^   5 – 0     13 – 0   No. 23 Willamette ^   4 – 1     7 – 4   Whitworth   3 – 2     7 – 2   Pacific Lutheran   2 – 3     6 – 3   Puget Sound   1 – 4     5 – 4   Lewis & Clark   0 – 5     1 – 8   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2004 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 3 Mount Union $^   9 – 0     12 – 1   No. 19 Ohio Northern   7 – 2     8 – 2   Capital   6 – 3     7 – 3   John Carroll   6 – 3     6 – 4   Baldwin–Wallace   5 – 4     6 – 4   Marietta   5 – 4     5 – 4   Otterbein   3 – 6     4 – 6   Wilmington (OH)   3 – 6     3 – 7   Muskingum   1 – 8     1 – 9   Heidelberg   0 – 9     0 – 10   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com	2004 Old Dominion Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 17 Bridgewater $^   6 – 0     8 – 3   Hampden–Sydney   5 – 1     8 – 2   Washington and Lee   4 – 2     6 – 4   Emory & Henry   3 – 3     4 – 6   Randolph–Macon   2 – 4     3 – 7   Guilford   1 – 5     1 – 9   Catholic University   0 – 6     0 – 10   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com	2004 Presidents' Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 8 Washington & Jefferson $^   5 – 0     12 – 1   Thiel   4 – 1     7 – 3   Waynesburg   3 – 2     7 – 3   Westminster (PA)   2 – 3     5 – 5   Grove City   1 – 4     3 – 7   Bethany (WV)   0 – 5     1 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2004 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 7 Occidental $^   6 – 0     10 – 2   Cal Lutheran   4 – 2     6 – 3   La Verne   3 – 3     4 – 5   Pomona-Pitzer   3 – 3     4 – 5   Redlands   3 – 3     4 – 5   Claremont-Mudd-Scripps   1 – 5     2 – 7   Whittier   1 – 5     2 – 7   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com	2004 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 14 Trinity (TX) $^   6 – 0     9 – 2   DePauw   5 – 1     8 – 2   Rhodes   3 – 3     5 – 5   Millsaps   3 – 3     4 – 5   Centre   2 – 4     4 – 6   Rose–Hulman   1 – 5     4 – 6   Sewanee   1 – 5     2 – 8   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com	2004 University Athletic Association football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Washington University $   3 – 0     6 – 4   Case Western Reserve   2 – 1     5 – 5   Carnegie Mellon   1 – 2     6 – 4   Chicago   0 – 3     3 – 6   $ – Conference champion
2004 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   North Martin Luther x   6 – 1     6 – 3   Northwestern (MN) x   6 – 1     6 – 5   Minnesota Morris   4 – 3     5 – 5   Crown   2 – 5     2 – 7   Trinity Bible   0 – 7     0 – 9   South Westminster (MO) x   6 – 1     6 – 3   Rockford   5 – 2     7 – 3   Blackburn   3 – 4     3 – 7   Principia   2 – 5     3 – 6   Maranatha Baptist   1 – 6     3 – 6   x – Division champion/co-champions	2004 USA South Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 16 Christopher Newport +^   5 – 1     9 – 3   Shenandoah +^   5 – 1     7 – 4   Methodist   4 – 2     7 – 3   North Carolina Wesleyan   3 – 3     4 – 4   Averett   2 – 4     6 – 4   Ferrum   1 – 5     4 – 6   Greensboro   1 – 5     2 – 8   + – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com	2004 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 13 Wisconsin–La Crosse $^   5 – 2     7 – 4   Wisconsin–Eau Claire   4 – 3     7 – 3   No. 25 Wisconsin–Whitewater   4 – 3     7 – 3   Wisconsin–Stevens Point   4 – 3     6 – 4   Wisconsin–Platteville   3 – 4     6 – 4   Wisconsin–Stout   3 – 4     5 – 4   Wisconsin–River Falls   3 – 4     3 – 7   Wisconsin–Oshkosh   2 – 5     5 – 5   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant Rankings from D3football.com
2004 NCAA Division III independents football records Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Mount Ida   –     6 – 2   Maryville (TN)   –     5 – 4   Chapman   –     4 – 5   Huntingdon   –     4 – 5   Thomas More   –     4 – 6   Colorado College   –     2 – 7   Husson   –     2 – 7   Menlo   –     1 – 7   Macalester   –     1 – 8   Plymouth State   –     1 – 8   Chowan   –     1 – 9

Conference champions

Conference champions

American Southwest Conference – Hardin–Simmons Atlantic Central Football Conference – Salisbury Centennial Conference – Dickinson, Franklin & Marshall, Johns Hopkins, McDaniel, and Muhlenberg College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin – Carthage and Wheaton (IL) Empire 8 Conference – Ithaca and St. John Fisher Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference – Mount St. Joseph Illini-Badger Football Conference – Aurora, Concordia (WI), and Lakeland Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Coe and Wartburg Liberty League – Hobart Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Alma Middle Atlantic Conference – Delaware Valley Midwest Conference – St. Norbert Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Concordia–Moorhead New England Football Conference – Fitchburg State (Bogan Division), Curry and Endicott (Boyd Division) Championship Game: Curry 17, Fitchburg State 7 New England Small College Athletic Conference – Trinity (CT) New Jersey Athletic Conference – Rowan North Coast Athletic Conference – Wooster Northwest Conference – Linfield Ohio Athletic Conference – Mount Union Old Dominion Athletic Conference – Bridgewater Presidents' Athletic Conference – Washington & Jefferson Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Occidental Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference – DePauw and Trinity (TX) University Athletic Association – Washington–Saint Louis Upper Midwest Athletic Conference – Westminster (MO) USA South Athletic Conference – Christopher Newport and Shenandoah Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wisconsin–La Crosse

Postseason

The 2004 NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs were the 32nd annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division III college football. The championship Stagg Bowl game was held at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia for the 12th time. This was the last bracket to feature 28 teams before expanding to 32 teams in 2005.

Playoff bracket

	First Round Campus Sites					Second Round Campus Sites					Quarterfinals Campus Sites					Semifinals Campus Sites					National Championship Game Salem Football Stadium Salem, Virginia
						Linfield		52
	UW–La Crosse		37			UW–La Crosse		14
	St. Norbert		23								Linfield		56
	Occidental		28								Occidental		27
	Willamette		14			Occidental		42
	Concordia–Moorhead		28			Concordia–Moorhead		40
	Wartburg		14													Linfield		52
																Rowan		0
						Rowan		45
	Hobart		35			Hobart		14
	Curry		16								Rowan		56
	St. John Fisher		31								Delaware Valley		7
	Muhlenberg		3			St. John Fisher		20
	Delaware Valley		21			Delaware Valley		26
	Shenandoah		17																		Linfield		28
																					Mary Hardin–Baylor		21
						Hardin–Simmons		28
	Mary Hardin–Baylor		32			Mary Hardin–Baylor		42
	Trinity (TX)		13								Mary Hardin–Baylor		52
	Christopher Newport		35								Wash. & Jefferson		16
	Salisbury		24			Christopher Newport		14
	Wash. & Jefferson		55**			Wash. & Jefferson		24
	Bridgewater (VA)		48													Mary Hardin–Baylor		38
																Mount Union		35
						Mount Union		27
	Wheaton (IL)		31			Wheaton (IL)		6
	Mount St. Joseph		7								Mount Union		38
	Carthage		31								Carthage		20
	Alma		28			Carthage		14
	Wooster		41			Wooster		7
	Aurora		34

* Overtime

Final D3football.com Poll

Team	Final Record	Points
1. Linfield (25)	13–0	625
2. Mary Hardin-Baylor	13–2	600
3. Mount Union	12–1	571
4. Hardin-Simmons	10–1	501
5. Carthage	11–2	491
6. Rowan	10–3	488
7. Occidental	10–2	463
8. Washington and Jefferson	12–1	447
9. Concordia-Moorhead	11-1	429
10. Wooster	11–1	397
11. Delaware Valley	12-1	363
12. Wheaton (Ill.)	10–2	339
13. UW-La Crosse	7-4	320
14. Trinity (Texas)	9–2	281
15. St. John Fisher	10–2	262
16. Christopher Newport	9-3	248
17. Bridgewater (Va.)	8-3	200
18. Salisbury	10-1	195
19. Ohio Northern	8–2	165
20. Ithaca	9–2	163
21. Hobart	9–2	95
22. St. Norbert	9–2	80
23. Willamette	7-4	71
24. Wartburg	8–3	53
25. UW-Whitewater	7-3	48

Others receiving votes: Mount St. Joseph 39, Trinity (Conn.) 33, Alma 31, UW-Eau Claire 30, Whitworth 17, Texas Lutheran 17, Aurora 16, Augustana 16, Muhlenberg 14, Johns Hopkins 12, Springfield 9, Shenandoah 9, Hampden-Sydney 9, Moravian 8, Albright 3, Capital 2, Waynesburg 1, New Jersey 1, Curry 1, McDaniel 1.

Awards

Gagliardi Trophy: Rocky Myers, Wesley (DE)

AFCA Coach of the Year: Jay Locey, Linfield

AFCA Regional Coach of the Year: Region 1: Chuck Priore, Trinity College (Conn.) Region 2: G. A. Mangus, Delaware Valley College Region 3: Jimmie Keeling, Hardin-Simmons University Region 4: Tim Rucks, Carthage College Region 5: Terry Horan, Concordia-Moorhead College (Minn.)

See also

• 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season
• 2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season
• 2004 NCAA Division II football season