2004 Silicon Valley Classic
Encyclopedia
The 2004 Silicon Valley Football Classic was a post-season college football
bowl game
between the and the on December 30, 2004, at Spartan Stadium
in San Jose, California
. It was the fifth and final time the Silicon Valley Football Classic
was played and the final game of the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season
for both teams. Northern Illinois defeated Troy 34-21.
For the 2004 bowl season the Silicon Valley Classic had contractual tie-ins with the Western Athletic Conference
(WAC) and the Pacific 10 Conference (Pac-10); neither conference had enough bowl-eligible teams. In previous years the SVC had an agreement to take the Pac-10's No. 6 team, but was displaced by the new Emerald Bowl
and had to settle for No. 7, if one existed. Organizers obtained permission from the Pac-10 to look elsewhere, and on November 16 announced an agreement with the Mid-American Conference
, which had five bowl-eligible teams but as yet only two bowls.
Since the beginning of the bowl in 2000, the Fresno State Bulldogs
represented the WAC. Although the SVC invited Fresno State back, the Bulldogs opted for the MPC Computers Bowl
, where they would face #18-ranked Virginia from the ACC. Left without a WAC team, organizers turned to the of the Sun Belt Conference
. Troy had never played in a bowl game before, having just moved up to Division I in 2001 and joined the Sun Belt in 2004.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
between the and the on December 30, 2004, at Spartan Stadium
Spartan Stadium (San Jose)
Spartan Stadium, located in San Jose, California, is the official stadium of the San José State University Spartans athletics teams. It is currently the home of the Spartan football and soccer teams....
in San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. It was the fifth and final time the Silicon Valley Football Classic
Silicon Valley Football Classic
The Silicon Valley Football Classic , sometimes referred to as the Silicon Valley Bowl or Silicon Valley Classic, was an NCAA-certified Division I-A post-season college football bowl game that was played at Spartan Stadium on the South Campus of San Jose State University in San Jose, California,...
was played and the final game of the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season
2004 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for a spot in the national title game, triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unbeaten, and five teams finished the season with one loss...
for both teams. Northern Illinois defeated Troy 34-21.
For the 2004 bowl season the Silicon Valley Classic had contractual tie-ins with the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
(WAC) and the Pacific 10 Conference (Pac-10); neither conference had enough bowl-eligible teams. In previous years the SVC had an agreement to take the Pac-10's No. 6 team, but was displaced by the new Emerald Bowl
Emerald Bowl
The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually at 40,800-seat AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, in San Francisco, California, since 2002...
and had to settle for No. 7, if one existed. Organizers obtained permission from the Pac-10 to look elsewhere, and on November 16 announced an agreement with the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
, which had five bowl-eligible teams but as yet only two bowls.
Since the beginning of the bowl in 2000, the Fresno State Bulldogs
Fresno State Bulldogs football
The Fresno State Bulldogs football team represents California State University, Fresno in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The green “V” on the Bulldogs' helmets, uniforms, field symbolize California Central Valley, specifically the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural valley from which they...
represented the WAC. Although the SVC invited Fresno State back, the Bulldogs opted for the MPC Computers Bowl
2004 MPC Computers Bowl
The 2004 MPC Computers Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the and the Virginia Cavaliers on December 27, 2004, at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho. Fresno State won the game 37-34 in overtime on a 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Paul Pinegar to Stephen Spach.Virginia...
, where they would face #18-ranked Virginia from the ACC. Left without a WAC team, organizers turned to the of the Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
. Troy had never played in a bowl game before, having just moved up to Division I in 2001 and joined the Sun Belt in 2004.