The 2004 Music City Bowl was held on December 31, 2004, in Nashville, Tennessee, at The Coliseum. The game featured the Alabama Crimson Tide, of the SEC, and the Minnesota Golden Gophers, of the Big Ten. The game was ultimately won by Minnesota, 20âÂÂ16. Sponsored by Gaylord Hotels and Bridgestone, it was officially named the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl presented by Bridgestone.
Alabama was led by head coach Mike Shula and entered a game with a 6âÂÂ5 record, as the team ended their 2004 regular season by losing three of their final four games. The Crimson Tide offense was led by quarterback Spencer Pennginton, who was a backup at the beginning of the season, but was put into the starting role when Brodie Croyle was injured versus Western Carolina. Pennington led the Crimson Tide to a 3âÂÂ4 record as a starter and was the starting quarterback in the bowl game. Alabama also entered to the second-ranked overall defense in the country.
Glen Mason led the Golden Gophers into the bowl game, who also had a 6âÂÂ5 record. The Golden Gophers ended their 2004 regular season by losing five of their final six games after a 5âÂÂ0 start. The Minnesota offense was led by two 1,000-yard rushers in Laurence Maroney and Marion Barber III, the latter of which would be named MVP of the bowl game. The two running backs combined for 2,617 yards and twenty-three touchdowns.
Minnesota began the first drive of the game at their own 20âÂÂyard line following a touchback on the opening kickoff. Alabama quickly forced a turnover as Marion Barber III fumbled the ball, which Freddie Roach recovered and returned to the Minnesota 2âÂÂyard line. On their first play, Alabama quarterback Spencer Pennington completed a 2âÂÂyard touchdown pass to Le'Ron McClain, and following a Brian Bostick PAT, the Crimson Tide took an early 7âÂÂ0 lead. On their next two drives, Minnesota quarterback Bryan Cupito threw two interceptions, which Roman Harper and Anthony Madison intercepted, respectively.
Following the interception by Madison, Alabama began their drive at the 2âÂÂyard line. The Crimson Tide offense moved the ball only four yards before Spencer Pennington fumbled the ball. Keith Lipka recovered the fumble and returned it for a 1âÂÂyard touchdown, Minnesota and Alabama were back level at 7âÂÂ7.
Following a return by Tyrone Prothro on the kickoff, Alabama began at their own 15âÂÂyard line. The offense quickly picked up a first down after a 14âÂÂyard pass from Pennington to D. J. Hall. After the first down, the Crimson Tide offense stalled before Prothro fumbled the ball, recovered by Minnesota defensive back Justin Fraley. Running backs Marion Barber and Laurence Maroney quickly moved the ball forty-two yards in the final 2:54 to the Alabama 5âÂÂyard line before the end of the first quarter.
On the first play of the second quarter, Marion Barber rushed up the middle for a 5âÂÂyard touchdown. Following the PAT from Rhys Lloyd, Minnesota took a 14âÂÂ7 lead.
Alabama began their first drive of the second quarter at the 35âÂÂyard line following the kickoff. The Crimson Tide offense was quickly stifled as Pennington was sacked for an 8âÂÂyard loss on the first play. After two more plays, the offense only gained three yards before a Bo Freeland punt to the Minnesota 31âÂÂyard line. As usual, the Minnesota offense struck to their ground game as Barber and Maroney combined for sixty yards on ten carries to get the ball to the Alabama 9âÂÂyard line. After an incomplete pass and two penalties, the Golden Gophers finished the drive with a 26âÂÂyard field goal from Rhys Lloyd, extending their lead to 17âÂÂ7.
On their second drive of the quarter, Alabama began at their own 27âÂÂyard line. Le'Ron McClain caught a 7âÂÂyard pass on the first play as the Alabama offense steadily moved down field to the 46âÂÂyard line. On a 2nd-and-6, Spencer Pennington completed a 40âÂÂyard pass to wide receiver Keith Brown as the offense moved the ball to the Minnesota 6âÂÂyard line. On a 3rd-and-goal situation, Minnesota's defense gave the Alabama offense an automatic first down, placing the ball at the 2âÂÂyard line. After a 1âÂÂyard rush, McClain ran into the endzone for a 1âÂÂyard touchdown as Alabama trailed 17âÂÂ14 with less than three minutes left in the first half.
After conservative play-calling by Minnesota, the Golden Gophers punted the ball to Alabama with only twenty-eight seconds remaining. After a 15âÂÂyard penalty on Minnesota, the Alabama offense moved to the 31âÂÂyard line. Spencer Pennington completed two quick passes to Matt Caddell and D. J. Hall, moving the ball to the Minnesota 47âÂÂyard line. After a timeout, Pennington completed yet another pass Keith Brown to the 37âÂÂyard line. On the final play before halftime, Pennington lateralled the ball to Tyrone Prothro for a 13âÂÂyard gain. The offense ran out of time, and failing to score, Alabama trailed 17âÂÂ14 at halftime.
Minnesota kicked off to begin the third quarter, which Tyrone Prothro returned to the 26âÂÂyard line. Once again, the Alabama offense struggled to move the ball and was forced to punt. Minnesota's first drive began on their own 25âÂÂyard line. Laurence Maroney ran for ten yards on the first two plays of the drive, giving Minnesota a first down. Two plays later, Marion Barber broke off a 25âÂÂyard run to move the ball to the Alabama 23âÂÂyard line. After three more rushes by Barber and two incomplete passes, Rhys Lloyd kicked a 25âÂÂyard field goal to give Minnesota a six-point lead.
For the remainder of the quarter, both offenses struggled to move the ball. Both teams combined for four punts and one turnover in the final 10:10 of the third quarter.
Following another stalled drive for both offenses, Minnesota started a drive at Alabama's 48âÂÂyard line. Both Maroney and Barber split the carries again, gradually moving the ball downfield over the next 6:26 to the 14âÂÂyard line. Rhys Lloyd missed a 31âÂÂyard line to end Minnesota's drive, his sixth missed field goal of the season.
Down 20âÂÂ14, the Alabama offense started at their own 14âÂÂyard line following the missed field goal. Spencer Pennington completed a 23âÂÂyard pass to D. J. Hall, moving the ball to the 43âÂÂyard line. Three incomplete passes followed, forcing Alabama to punt once again. Minnesota took over at their own 10âÂÂyard line and failed to gain a first down, forcing a punt. However, Alabama tackled punter Rhys Lloyd in the end zone, gaining two points from the safety, and bringing themselves within four points at 20âÂÂ16.
Following the safety, Minnesota was forced to give Alabama the ball on a free kick. On the first three plays, Pennington completed three passes, giving Alabama a first down at the Minnesota 19âÂÂyard line. On the next three plays, the Pennington threw two incomplete passes, and a short, 4âÂÂyard completion to Matt Caddell. On 4th-and-6, Pennington threw another incompletion, turning the ball over on downs.
Minnesota started their final drive with just 1:26 left. As Alabama had used all three of their timeouts in the second half, Minnesota quarterback Bryan Cupito only needed to take a knee twice to run out the remainder of the clock, giving Minnesota a 20âÂÂ16 win for their seventh victory of the season. The loss sent Alabama to a .500 record at 6âÂÂ6, losing their final three games.