2004 Linfield Wildcats football
NCAA Division III national champion
NWC champion
ConferenceNorthwest Conference
Ranking
D3Football.comNo. 1
Record13–0 (5–0 NWC)
Head coach
Home stadiumMaxwell Field
Seasons
← 2003
2005 →
2004 Northwest Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 1 Linfield $^   5 – 0     13 – 0  
No. 23 Willamette ^   4 – 1     7 – 4  
Whitworth   3 – 2     7 – 2  
Pacific Lutheran   2 – 3     6 – 3  
Puget Sound   1 – 4     5 – 4  
Lewis & Clark   0 – 5     1 – 8  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from D3football.com

The 2004 Linfield Wildcats football team was an American football team that represented Linfield University as a member of the Northwest Conference (NWC) during the 2004 NCAA Division III football season. In their ninth season under head coach Jay Locey, the Wildcats compiled a perfect 13–0 record and won the NCAA Division III national championship.[1]

The team opened its season with a 58–17 victory over Division II Western Oregon.[2] The following week, Linfield, ranked No. 2 in Division III, traveled east to face No. 7 Wisconsin–Stevens Point, winning that game by a 46–35 score.[3][4]

After sweeping through the regular season and winning an NWC championship, the Wildcats advanced to the Division III playoffs. They received a bye in the first round and then defeated Wisconsin–La Crosse in the second round, Occidental in the quarterfinals, Rowan in the semifinals, and Mary Hardin–Baylor in the Stagg Bowl for the national championship.[1]

Quarterback Brett Elliott broke the NCAA single-season touchdown record.[5] His season total of 59 touchdown passes included a school record seven in the Division III quarterfinal game against Occidental.[6] Elliott played high school football in Lake Oswego, Oregon, began his college career playing for Urban Meyer at Division I Utah, and transferred to Linfield after losing the starting job to Alex Smith.[5]

Jay Locey won the AFCA Coach of the Year for NCAA Division III for the 2004 NCAA Division III football season.

Linfield also won NAIA national championships in 1982, 1984, and 1986. The program extended its record to 49 consecutive seasons with a winning record, the longest such streak in all divisions of college football.[7]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 11Western Oregon*
W 58–174,000[2]
September 18at Wisconsin–Stevens Point*
W 46–352,139[4]
October 2at Pacific Lutheran
W 40–214,200[8]
October 9Whitworth
  • Maxwell Field
  • McMinnville, OR
W 48–373,000[9]
October 16Southern Oregon*
  • Maxwell Field
  • McMinnville, OR
W 56–344,000[10]
October 23at Puget Sound
W 35–161,880[11]
October 30Menlo*
  • Maxwell Field
  • McMinnville, OR
W 69–131,800[12]
November 6at Lewis & Clark
W 62–71,350[13]
November 13Willamette
  • Maxwell Field
  • McMinnville, OR
W 48–144,500[14]
November 27Wisconsin–La Crosse*
  • Maxwell Field
  • McMinnville, OR (NCAA Division III second round)
W 52–144,500[15]
December 4Occidental*
  • Maxwell Field
  • McMinnville, OR (NCAA Division III quarterfinal)
W 56–275,000[6]
December 11Rowan*
  • Maxwell Field
  • McMinnville, OR (NCAA Division III semifinal)
W 52–04,000[5]
December 18vs. Mary Hardin–Baylor*
W 28–213,240[7]
  • *Non-conference game

Roster

[16]

References

  1. ^ a b "2004 Football Schedule". Linfield University. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Linfield makes short work of Western Oregon". Statesman Journal. September 12, 2004. pp. 1B, 5B – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Linfield heads East for first time". Statesman Journal. September 18, 2004. p. 3D – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b "Big day for Elliott boosts Linfield". Statesman Journal. September 19, 2004. p. 6B – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c "Elliott leads Linfield in rout over Rowan". Home News Tribune. November 12, 2004. p. C5 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b "Linfield steamrolls Occidental". Statesman Journal. December 5, 2004. pp. B1, B5 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b "Mission accomplished". Statesman Journal. December 19, 2004. pp. 1B, 2B – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Linfield 40, PLU 21". Statesman Journal. October 3, 2004. p. 3B – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Linfield outlasts Whitworth in offensive showdown, remains undefeated". Statesman Journal. October 10, 2004. p. 5B – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Linfield 56, Southern Oregon 34". Statesman Journal. October 17, 2004. p. 6B – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Linfield 35, Puget Sound 16". Statesman Journal. October 24, 2004. p. 6B – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Linfield 69, Menlo 13". Statesman Journal. October 31, 2004. p. 6B – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Linfield 62, Lewis & Clark 7". Statesman Journal. November 7, 2004. p. 6B – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Reid English (November 14, 2004). "Linfield wins NWC showdown". Statesman Journal. pp. B1, B6 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Gary Horowitz (November 28, 2004). "Wildcats overwhelm Eagles". Statesman Journal. pp. 1B, 4B – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "2004 Football Roster". Linfield University. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
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