2004 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game

Postseason college football game the Division I-AA (now FCS) championship game the Division I-A (now FBS) championship game 2004 Sugar Bowl August 2023 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship I-AA National Championship Game 2004 NCAA Division I-AA 2004 December 17 James Madison University James Madison Dukes 12–2 Atlantic 10 Mickey Matthews 8 — 0 10 14 7 University of Montana Montana Grizzlies 12–2 Big Sky Bobby Hauck 7 — 7 0 14 0 Finley Stadium Chattanooga, Tennessee G. Hartleb 16,771 ESPN2 2003 2005 The 2004 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the James Madison Dukes and the Montana Grizzlies. The game was played on December 17, 2004, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2004 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by James Madison, 31–21. Teams The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 2004 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket. James Madison Dukes 2004 James Madison Dukes football team James Madison finished their regular season with a 9–2 record (7–1 in conference). One of their losses was to West Virginia of Division I-A. The Dukes, unseeded in the tournament, defeated Lehigh, second-seed Furman, and third-seed William & Mary to reach the final. This was the first appearance for James Madison in a Division I-AA championship game. Montana Grizzlies 2004 Montana Grizzlies football team Montana finished their regular season with a 9–2 record (6–1 in conference). The Grizzlies, also unseeded in the tournament, defeated Northwestern State, New Hampshire, and Sam Houston State to reach the final. This was the fifth appearance for Montana in a Division I-AA championship game; they had won in 1995 and 2001, and lost in 1996 and 2000. Game summary Scoring summary JMU MONT 1 10:08 MONT 11 71 4:52 RecTD Jefferson Heidelberger Craig Ochs 3 good Dan Carpenter 0 7 2 8:54 JMU 14 74 6:27 FG 28 David Rabil 3 7 2 0:16 JMU 13 71 5:05 RushTD Maurice Fenner 1 good Rabil 10 7 3 11:58 JMU 6 80 3:02 RushTD Justin Rascati 11 good Rabil 17 7 3 8:51 MONT 9 75 3:01 RecTD Levander Segars Ochs 17 good Carpenter 17 14 3 7:29 MONT 3 29 0:24 RecTD Willie Walden Ochs 8 good Carpenter 17 21 3 3:25 JMU 9 72 3:57 RushTD Fenner 1 good Rabil 24 21 4 8:00 JMU 16 80 7:05 RushTD Rascati 6 good Rabil 31 21 31 21 http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_champs_records/2004/d1aa/iaafinal.htm James Madison vs Montana ncaa.org December 17, 2004 February 1, 2019https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27894492/dukes_31_grizzlies_21_box_score/ Dukes 31, Grizzlies 21 (box score) Great Falls Tribune Great Falls, Montana 7S December 18, 2004 January 31, 2019 newspapers.comhttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/27896736/dukes/ Dukes Ron Hartlaub The News Leader Staunton, Virginia B5 December 18, 2004 February 1, 2019 newspapers.comhttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/27896672/griz_penalties_hurt_montana/ Griz: Penalties hurt Montana George Geise Great Falls Tribune Great Falls, Montana 6S December 18, 2004 February 1, 2019 newspapers.com Game statistics Dukes 0 10 14 7 Grizzlies 7 0 14 0 thumb|right|upright|Montana running back Lex Hilliard James Madison Dukes JMU Montana Grizzlies MONT 32 79–446 61–314 132 13–18–0 36:13 21 61–415 23–44 371 29–38–1 23:47 James Madison Dukes James Madison Montana Grizzlies Montana Justin Rascati 13–18, 132 yds Maurice Fenner 29 car, 164 yds, 2 TD Tom Ridley 3 rec, 32 yds Craig Ochs 29–38, 371 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT Lex Hilliard 12 car, 26 yds Jon Talmage 6 rec, 84 yds References Further reading https://jmusports.com/news/2004/12/15/Football_0122152715.aspx?path=football Dukes Beat Montana in I-AA NCAA Title Game jmusports.com December 17, 2004 January 31, 2019 https://gogriz.com/news/2004/12/17/Griz_come_up_short_on_third_championship.aspx?path=football Griz come up short on third championship gogriz.com December 17, 2004 January 31, 2019 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28081137/division_iaa_poll/ Division I-AA poll AP The Sports Network Missoulian Missoula, Montana D3 November 23, 2004 February 5, 2019 newspapers.com External links Former JMU player prepares to watch team in national championship via YouTube Championship Game Category:21st century in Chattanooga, Tennessee Category:NCAA Division I Football Championship Games Category:James Madison Dukes football games Category:Montana Grizzlies football games Category:College football in Tennessee Category:American football competitions in Chattanooga, Tennessee NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game