Louisville Finishes With Highest Football Ranking Ever

Stefan LeFors

After capping off its historic season with a victory over previously unbeaten Boise State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, the University of Louisville finished sixth in the final Associated Press poll, released on Wednesday. The No. 6 ranking marks the highest that a Conference USA team has ever finished, topping Tulane’s No. 7 mark in its undefeated 1998 season. The Cardinals were ranked seventh in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll.

Louisville posted the best overall record (11-1) in school history, matching the school record for victories held by the 2001 Cardinal squad (11-2). U of L led the nation in scoring at 49.8 points per game and became the first Division I team to ever score 50 points or more in five consecutive outings.

The Cardinals won their third regular season C-USA title in the last five years and averaged a record 56.6 points per game in posting an 8-0 league mark.

Wyndham New Orleans Bowl champion Southern Miss (7-5) received votes in the final Associated Press poll, while UTEP (8-4), which joins Conference USA in 2005, received votes in each of the final polls after completing a dramatic turnaround under first-year head coach Mike Price.

With victories by Louisville, Southern Miss and Cincinnati, Conference USA produced the second-best winning percentage (.600) among all Division I conferences during the 2004-05 bowl season. Only the Mountain West Conference (.667) had a greater winning percentage.

Final 2004 Associated Press Coaches Poll
1. USC
2. Auburn
3. Oklahoma
4. Utah
5. Texas
6. LOUISVILLE
7. Georgia
8. Iowa
9. California
10. Virginia Tech
11. Miami (Fla.)
12. Boise State
13. Tennessee
14. Michigan
15. Florida State
16. LSU
17. Wisconsin
18. Texas Tech
19. Arizona State
20. Ohio State
21. Boston College
22. Fresno State
23. Virginia
24. Navy
25. Pittsburgh

ARV
SOUTHERN MISS
UTEP


Final 2004 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll
1. USC
2. Auburn
3. Oklahoma
4. Texas
5. Utah
6. Georgia
7. LOUISVILLE
8. Iowa
9. California
10. Virginia Tech
11. Miami (Fla.)
12. Michigan
13. Boise State
14. Florida State
15. Tennessee
16. LSU
17. Texas Tech
18. Wisconsin
19. Ohio State
20. Arizona State
21. Boston College
22. Fresno State
23. Virginia
24. Navy
25. Florida

ARV
UTEP