2004 Music City Bowl

2004 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl presented by Bridgestone
7th Music City Bowl
Alabama Crimson Tide Minnesota Golden Gophers
(6–5) (6–5)
SEC Big Ten
16 20
Head coach: 
Mike Shula		 Head coach: 
Glen Mason
1234 Total
Alabama 7702 16
Minnesota 71030 20
DateDecember 31, 2004
Season2004
StadiumThe Coliseum
LocationNashville, Tennessee
MVPRB Marion Barber III, Minnesota
RefereeJack Cramer (Big East)[1]
Attendance66,089[2]
PayoutUS$1,110,125 per team [3]
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN
Nielsen ratings3.14[2]
Music City Bowl
 < 2003  2005 > 

The 2004 Music City Bowl was held on December 31, 2004, in Nashville, Tennessee at The Coliseum. The game featured the Alabama Crimson Tide, of the SEC, and the Minnesota Golden Gophers, of the Big Ten. The game was ultimately won by Minnesota, 20–16.[4] Sponsored by Gaylord Hotels and Bridgestone, it was officially named the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl presented by Bridgestone.

Alabama was led by head coach Mike Shula and entered a game with a 6–5 record, as the team ended their 2004 regular season by losing three of their final four games. The Crimson Tide offense was led by quarterback Spencer Pennginton, who was a backup at the beginning of the season, but was put into the starting role when Brodie Croyle was injured versus Western Carolina.[5] Pennington led the Crimson Tide to a 3–4 record as a starter and was the starting quarterback in the bowl game. Alabama also entered to the second-ranked overall defense in the country.[6]

Glen Mason led the Golden Gophers into the bowl game, who also had a 6–5 record. The Golden Gophers ended their 2004 regular season by losing five of their final six games after a 5–0 start. The Minnesota offense was led by two 1,000-yard rushers in Laurence Maroney and Marion Barber III, the latter of which would be named MVP of the bowl game. The two running backs combined for 2,617 yards and twenty-three touchdowns.[7]

  1. ^ "Music City Bowl". December 31, 2004. Archived from the original on August 20, 2008. Retrieved September 10, 2008.
  2. ^ a b "Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl presented by Bridgestone generates $16.8 million for local economy". Music City Bowl. April 26, 2004. Archived from the original on November 27, 2010. Retrieved September 10, 2008.
  3. ^ "Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl". Archived from the original on November 27, 2010. Retrieved January 16, 2008.
  4. ^ "Minnesota 20-16 Alabama (Dec 31, 2004) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  5. ^ "Croyle sustains season-ending injury to right knee". ESPN. September 18, 2004. Archived from the original on September 25, 2004. Retrieved September 10, 2008.
  6. ^ "Minnesota overcomes second-ranked 'Bama defense". ESPN. December 31, 2004. Archived from the original on January 18, 2005. Retrieved September 10, 2008.
  7. ^ "Minnesota Golden Gophers Statistics - 2004". ESPN. Archived from the original on October 11, 2008. Retrieved September 10, 2008.