CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2004 Utah State

3–⁠8 (2–⁠5 Sun Belt Conference), coached by Mick Dennehy.

Schedule and results

Utah State in 2004, game by game: lost at Alabama 17–48; won vs. Idaho 14–7; lost vs. No. 15 Utah 6–48; won at UNLV 31–21; lost at Troy 21–49; lost vs. North Texas 23–31; lost at Clemson 6–35; lost at Middle Tennessee 0–21; lost at UL Monroe 25–32; lost at Arkansas State 7–16; won vs. New Mexico State 34–25+10−42Lost 17–48 at Alabama-31AlabamaWon 14–7 vs. Idaho+7IdahoLost 6–48 vs. No. 15 Utah-42No. 15 UtahWon 31–21 at UNLV+10UNLVLost 21–49 at Troy-28TroyLost 23–31 vs. North Texas-8North TexasLost 6–35 at Clemson-29ClemsonLost 0–21 at Middle Tennessee-21Middle TennesseeLost 25–32 at UL Monroe-7UL MonroeLost 7–16 at Arkansas State-9Arkansas StateWon 34–25 vs. New Mexico State+9New Mexico State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 4atAlabamaL 17–⁠4825%
Sep 11vsIdahoW 14–⁠758%
Sep 18vs15UtahL 6–⁠4825%
Sep 25atUNLVW 31–⁠2136%
Oct 2atTroyL 21–⁠4933%
Oct 9vsNorth TexasL 23–⁠3149%
Oct 16atClemsonL 6–⁠3522%
Oct 30atMiddle TennesseeL 0–⁠2132%
Nov 6atUL MonroeL 25–⁠3245%
Nov 11atArkansas StateL 7–⁠1641%
Nov 20vsNew Mexico StateW 34–⁠2536%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat New Mexico State 34–⁠25; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 7th in the Sun Belt Conference.

In program history: The 112th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 120 on file).

Record
3–⁠8
Conference
2–⁠5 tied for 7th in Sun Belt Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
184–⁠333
Coach
Mick Dennehy
Elo
1316 −65 this season
SP+ rating
-17.8 No. 107 of 120; offense No. 115, defense No. 83
SRS
−16.4 No. 108 of 119 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
No. 66
Offensive coordinator
Bob Cole
Defensive coordinator
David Kotulski

How good, play by play

  • Offense116th of 118
  • Defense95th of 118
EPA per playSuccessExplosivenessFBS rank
Offense-0.2631%0.99116th of 118
Defense0.0547%0.7795th of 118
How these are measured

Play-weighted averages over games against FBS opponents; raw numbers, not adjusted for the strength of the opponent. EPA (expected points added) measures how much each play changed the expected score; success rate counts plays that kept the offense on schedule; explosiveness is the average EPA on successful plays. Lower is better on defense. Ranked by EPA per play among teams that were FBS that season.

Drives and havoc

Points per trip inside the 40Average startHavoc
Offense0.0own 262% allowed
Defense-0.3own 383% caused

A trip inside the 40 is a drive that reaches the opponent’s 40-yard line; points per trip is how many it scored on average (allowed, on defense). Average start is where drives began (the defense’s line is where its opponents started). Havoc is the share of plays ending in a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, an interception or a pass broken up. From CollegeFootballData.com.

Top recruits in the 2004 class

Beau Herbert RB★★No. 979
Sione Tavake FB★★No. 979
Michael Jones DT★★No. 979
Bevan Howard ILB★★No. 979
Tanner Cooley TE★★No. 979

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2004 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Quarterbacks12.00.722
Running backs32.00.767
Receivers32.00.767
Defensive line22.00.767
Linebackers22.00.767
Defensive backs12.00.767
Athletes and specialists12.00.767
Whole class132.00.763

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

2004 Sun Belt Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
North Texas7–⁠07–⁠5
Troy4–⁠27–⁠5
New Mexico State3–⁠25–⁠6
Middle Tennessee4–⁠45–⁠6
UL Monroe3–⁠35–⁠6
Arkansas State3–⁠43–⁠8
Louisiana2–⁠54–⁠7
Utah State2–⁠53–⁠8
Idaho2–⁠53–⁠9

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.