2004 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game

Postseason college football game between the James Madison Dukes and the Montana Grizzlies

This article is about the Division I-AA (now FCS) championship game. For the Division I-A (now FBS) championship game, see 2004 Sugar Bowl.

College football game

2004 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship

I-AA National Championship Game
| James Madison Dukes | Montana Grizzlies

|

(12–2) | (12–2)
Atlantic 10 | Big Sky
31 | 21
Head coach:
Mickey Matthews | Head coach:
Bobby Hauck
| TSN| Seed

|

8| —
| TSN| Seed

|

7| —
|  | 1| 2| 3| 4 | Total

|
|
|
|
|

James Madison | 0| 10| 14| 7 | 31
Montana | 7| 0| 14| 0 | 21
Date| December 17, 2004
Season| 2004
Stadium| Finley Stadium
Location| Chattanooga, Tennessee
Referee| G. Hartleb[1]
Attendance| 16,771[2]
United States TV coverage
Network| ESPN2
|  NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship

< 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

[edit]

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

[edit]

Main article: 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

[edit]

Main article: 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

[edit]

### Scoring summary

[edit]

Scoring summary

| Quarter  | Time  | Drive | Team  | Scoring information  | Score

|
|
|
|
|

Plays | Yards  | TOP | JMU  | MONT
1  | 10:08  | 11  | 71  | 4:52  | MONT  | Jefferson Heidelberger 3-yard touchdown reception from Craig Ochs, Dan Carpenter kick good  | 0  | 7
2  | 8:54  | 14  | 74  | 6:27  | JMU  | 28-yard field goal by David Rabil  | 3  | 7
2  | 0:16  | 13  | 71  | 5:05  | JMU  | Maurice Fenner 1-yard touchdown run, Rabil kick good  | 10  | 7
3  | 11:58  | 6  | 80  | 3:02  | JMU  | Justin Rascati 11-yard touchdown run, Rabil kick good  | 17  | 7
3  | 8:51  | 9  | 75  | 3:01  | MONT  | Levander Segars 17-yard touchdown reception from Ochs, Carpenter kick good  | 17  | 14
3  | 7:29  | 3  | 29  | 0:24  | MONT  | Willie Walden 8-yard touchdown reception from Ochs, Carpenter kick good  | 17  | 21
3  | 3:25  | 9  | 72  | 3:57  | JMU  | Fenner 1-yard touchdown run, Rabil kick good  | 24  | 21
4  | 8:00  | 16  | 80  | 7:05  | JMU  | Rascati 6-yard touchdown run, Rabil kick good  | 31  | 21
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 31  | 21

[1][2][3][4]

### Game statistics

[edit]

| 1  | 2  | 3  | 4 | Total

|
|
|
|
|

Dukes | 0  | 10  | 14  | 7 | 31
Grizzlies  | 7  | 0  | 14  | 0 | 21
Montana running back Lex Hilliard Statistics  | JMU  | MONT

|
|

First downs | 32 | 21
Plays–yards | 79–446 | 61–415
Rushes–yards | 61–314 | 23–44
Passing yards | 132 | 371
Passing: comp–att–int | 13–18–0 | 29–38–1
Time of possession | 36:13 | 23:47
Team | Category | Player | Statistics

|
|
|

James Madison  | Passing | Justin Rascati | 13–18, 132 yds
Rushing | Maurice Fenner | 29 car, 164 yds, 2 TD
Receiving | Tom Ridley | 3 rec, 32 yds
Montana  | Passing | Craig Ochs | 29–38, 371 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Lex Hilliard | 12 car, 26 yds
Receiving | Jon Talmage | 6 rec, 84 yds

[1][2]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "James Madison vs Montana". ncaa.org. December 17, 2004. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
2. ^ a b c "Dukes 31, Grizzlies 21 (box score)". Great Falls Tribune. Great Falls, Montana. December 18, 2004. p. 7S. Retrieved January 31, 2019 - via newspapers.com.
3. ^ Hartlaub, Ron (December 18, 2004). "Dukes". The News Leader. Staunton, Virginia. p. B5. Retrieved February 1, 2019 - via newspapers.com.
4. ^ Geise, George (December 18, 2004). "Griz: Penalties hurt Montana". Great Falls Tribune. Great Falls, Montana. p. 6S. Retrieved February 1, 2019 - via newspapers.com.

## Further reading

[edit]

* "Dukes Beat Montana in I-AA NCAA Title Game". jmusports.com. December 17, 2004. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
* "Griz come up short on third championship". gogriz.com. December 17, 2004. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
* "Division I-AA poll". Missoulian. Missoula, Montana: The Sports Network. AP. November 23, 2004. p. D3. Retrieved February 5, 2019 - via newspapers.com.

## External links

[edit]

* Former JMU player prepares to watch team in national championship via YouTube

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*[comp]: Completions
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