2004 NCAA Division II football season

2004 NCAA Division II football season
Regular season	August 26 – November 6, 2004
Playoffs	November 13 – December 11, 2004
National Championship	Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL
Harlon Hill Trophy	Chad Friehauf, Colorado Mines

The 2004 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began on August 26, 2004, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 11, 2004 at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama, hosted by the University of North Alabama. The Valdosta State Blazers defeated the Pittsburg State Gorillas, 36–31, to win their first Division II national title.

The Harlon Hill Trophy was awarded to Chad Friehauf, quarterback from Colorado Mines.

Conference changes and new programs

School	2003 Conference	2004 Conference
UC Davis	D-II Independent	Great West (I-AA)
North Dakota State	North Central (D-II)	Great West (I-AA)
Northern Colorado	North Central (D-II)	Great West (I-AA)
South Dakota State	North Central (D-II)	Great West (I-AA)
UMass Lowell	Northeast-10	Program Dropped

Conference standings

2004 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 2 Pittsburg State $^   9 – 0     14 – 1   No. 3 NW Missouri State ^   8 – 1     11 – 2   Washburn #   6 – 3     8 – 4   Central Missouri State   5 – 4     7 – 4   Emporia State   4 – 5     5 – 6   Missouri Southern   4 – 5     5 – 6   Missouri Western   4 – 5     5 – 6   Missouri–Rolla   2 – 7     3 – 8   Truman   2 – 7     2 – 9   Southwest Baptist   1 – 8     2 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant # – Mineral Water Bowl participant Rankings from AFCA Poll

Conference summaries

See also: List of NCAA Division II football seasons

Conference Champions

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Shaw Columbia Football Association – Central Washington Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Michigan Tech and Northwood Gulf South Conference – Valdosta State Lone Star Conference – Texas A&M–Kingsville Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association – Pittsburg State North Central Conference – Nebraska–Omaha Northeast-10 Conference – Bentley and C.W. Post Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference – Winona State Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – West Chester (East), Edinboro, Indiana (PA), and Shippensburg (West) Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Colorado Mines South Atlantic Conference – Carson-Newman Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Albany State West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Shepherd

Postseason

2004 NCAA Division II Football Championship
Teams	24
Finals Site	Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL
Champion	Valdosta State (1st title, title game)
Runner-up	Pittsburg State (4th title game)
Semifinalists	North Dakota West Chester
Winning coach	championship

The 2004 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the 31st single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football. The championship game was held at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama for the 17th time. This was the first year of the current 24-team playoff bracket.

Seeded teams

• Albany State
• East Stroudsburg
• Michigan Tech
• Northwest Missouri State
• Northwood
• Pittsburg State
• Shippensburg
• Valdosta State

Playoff bracket

	First Round November 13 Campus Sites					Second Round November 20 Campus Sites					Quarterfinals November 27 Campus Sites					Semifinals December 4 Campus Sites					National Championship Game December 11 Braly Municipal Stadium, Florence, Alabama
						1	Michigan Tech*	3
	5	North Dakota††	20			5	North Dakota	20
	4	St. Cloud State	17								5	North Dakota	19
											6	Grand Valley State	15
						2	Northwood (MI)*	7
	6	Grand Valley State	16			6	Grand Valley State	10
	3	Winona State	13													5	North Dakota	19
																1	Pittsburg State	31
						1	Pittsburg State*	70
	4	Colorado Mines	52			4	Colorado Mines	35
	5	Midwestern State	33								1	Pittsburg State	50
											2	Northwest Missouri State	36
						2	Northwest Missouri State*	34
	3	Texas A&M–Kingsville	40			3	Texas A&M–Kingsville	14
	6	Southeastern Oklahoma	30																		1	Pittsburg State	31
																					2	Valdosta State	36
						1	Shippensburg	28
	4	West Chester	35			4	West Chester	33
	5	C.W. Post	3								4	West Chester	48
											2	East Stroudsburg	38
						2	East Stroudsburg*	36
	6	Edinboro	47			6	Edinboro	32
	3	Bentley	44													4	West Chester	21
																2	Valdosta State	45
						1	Albany State (GA)*	42
	4	Arkansas Tech	24			4	Arkansas Tech	24
	5	Catawba	20								1	Albany State (GA)	24
											2	Valdosta State	38
						2	Valdosta State*	38
	3	Carson–Newman	35			3	Carson–Newman	12
	6	Fayetteville State	14

* Home team    † Overtime