Best of the 2000's Counting Down the Mountain West Top 10 Teams: #2 2004 Utah Utes

by Jeremy Mauss on Jan 29, 2010 3:00 AM PST in Best of the 2000's

Now, it is time to continue the countdown of the decades best team, and now we move to the number four spot. Sorry for the delay in these posts.

#2 2004 Utah Utes (12-0)

This is the first team to bust through the BCS form being outside of a non-automatic qualifying league and they did so at the toughest standard by needing a sixth ranking to gain access. This team was coached by Urban Meyer who took the Utes to a whole new level by defeating every team easily with the closest game against Air Force that was 49-35, and a game that was in question for part of the contest.

This team had the best player in Mountain West history with QB Alex Smith who seemed to do as he wish against all opponents. He was a perfect fit for Urban Meyer's offense, because even though he was not super fast he was quick enough and when there was a run option he nearly always made the right play that helped the Utes.

Other key players on that team were WR's Steve Savoy and Parris Warren who combined for over 2,000 yards and 23 touchdowns, and then RB's Marty Johnson who scored 14 scores, and then Quinton Ganther. Both of them ran for 1,400 yards, but then if you include QB Alex Smith and WR Steve Savoy the running game was nearly unstoppable.

The defense was not as good as the offense but did hold four opponents under double digits, but also allowed seven games with 20 or more points. One of those single digit teams was Pitt who Utah took apart in the Fiesta Bowl. This was truly the first team in college football that proved that the non-AQ schools could defeat BCS level teams. The Utes beat Texas A&M, Arizona, North Carolina, and Pitt all from BCS leagues. Now those were not powerhouses -- Pitt did win the Big East -- but they were still from the big money leagues.

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The MWC was way down in 2004

Especially when you look at where it is today, and TCU had not yet joined.

I am not sure Utah in 2004 was better than TCU in 2009. I would put TCU’s 2009 team #1 in this list.

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by utesfan100 on Jan 29, 2010 7:16 AM PST reply actions

You would put the 2009 Horned Frogs ahead of the 2008 Utes?

They may be athletically better but the ’08 Utes were better coached and had better leadership. The 2008 Utes would have beat Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.

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by Michael Rueckert on Jan 29, 2010 7:59 AM PST up reply actions

There is no way to justify putting 2009 TCU ahead of 2008 Utah:
13-0 > 12-1
AP #2 > AP #6
Coaches #4 > Coaches #6
Utah had victories over two teams that finished in the top 10; TCU had zero. Utah beat four teams who finished ranked; TCU beat three.
And most importantly, Utah did not just win their bowl game, they dominated from start to finish.

And if you’re going to argue the importance of margin of victory, then 2004 Utah deserves the honor as there was not a single game that was in doubt during the second half.

by Ute in DC on Jan 29, 2010 12:53 PM PST up reply actions

Valid points

I would also argue that Boise State in 2009 was much better than Alabama in 2008.

I did not mention MOV here, but MOV over lower competition reduces its usefulness.

The basis of my comparison between Utah of 2008 and TCU of 2009 is that TCU and Utah were nearly equal in 2008 and TCU was better in 2009 than 2008.

Boise State’s Fiesta Bowl win made their 2009 team look scary good to me. It is a damn shame they, and Utah of 2008 or 2004, did not get their day on the field.

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by utesfan100 on Jan 30, 2010 2:02 PM PST up reply actions

I somewhat agree

But they went undefeated something TCU did not, plus that 04 team played 3 decent BCS teams that year before Pitt. Also, they waxed EVERYONE on their schedule.

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by Jeremy Mauss on Jan 29, 2010 1:40 PM PST up reply actions