2004 Utah Utes football team

2004 Utah Utes football
Mountain West champion
Fiesta Bowl champion
Fiesta Bowl, W 35–7 vs. Pittsburgh
ConferenceMountain West Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 5
APNo. 4
Record12–0 (7–0 MW)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMike Sanford (2nd season)
Offensive schemeSpread option
Defensive coordinatorKyle Whittingham (10th season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumRice-Eccles Stadium
Seasons
← 2003
2005 →
2004 Mountain West Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 4 Utah $   7 0     12 0  
New Mexico   5 2     7 5  
BYU   4 3     5 6  
Wyoming   3 4     7 5  
Air Force   3 4     5 6  
Colorado State   3 4     4 7  
San Diego State   2 5     4 7  
UNLV   1 6     2 9  
  • $ – Conference champion and BCS representative as top non-AQ school to meet automatic qualification criteria
Rankings from AP Poll
Utah Utes fans rush the field and carry the goalpost after defeating rival BYU, completing a perfect regular season, and becoming the first BCS Buster by clinching a spot in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl (hence the sombrero).

The 2004 Utah Utes football team represented the University of Utah in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. This team was the original 'BCS Buster', meaning, this was the first time that a team from a BCS non-AQ conference was invited to play in one of the BCS bowl games. The team, coached by second-year head football coach Urban Meyer, played its home games in Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Utah finished the season 12–0, the fourth undefeated and untied season in school history. The Utes were one of three teams in the top-level Division I FBS to finish the season undefeated (the others being the USC Trojans and the Auburn Tigers.)

Utah was the highest-ranked BCS non-AQ team in each poll every week of the season.