Rhode Island Rams football
| Rhode Island Rams | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1895 | ||
| Athletic director | Thorr Bjorn | ||
| Head coach | Jim Fleming 5th season, 11–40 (.216) | ||
| Stadium | Meade Stadium (capacity: 5,180) | ||
| Field surface | Grass | ||
| Location | Kingston, Rhode Island | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference | Colonial Athletic Association | ||
| All-time record | 384–543–43 (.418) | ||
| Rivalries | Brown Bears Connecticut Huskies | ||
| Colors | Keaney blue, navy blue, and white[1] | ||
| Website | GoRhody.com | ||
The Rhode Island Rams football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Rhode Island located in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Colonial Athletic Association.[2] Rhode Island's first football team was fielded in 1895. The team plays its home games at the 6,555 seat Meade Stadium in Kingston, Rhode Island.
Conference affiliations
 |
- Independent / Athletic League of New England State Colleges (1895–1946)[citation needed]
- Yankee Conference (1947–1996)
- Atlantic 10 Conference (1997–2006)
- Colonial Athletic Association (2007–present)
Notable former players
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2012) |
Notable alumni include
- Lou Abbruzzi
- Pat Abbruzzi
- Derek Cassidy
- Chy Davidson
- Frank Ferrara - Former New York Giant
- Andy Gresh
- Matt Hansen
- Chris Hixson
- Molly McGee
- Pat Narduzzi - Head Coach, University of Pittsburgh
- Darren Rizzi – Special Teams Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach for the Miami Dolphins
- Steve Furness
- Rick Moser
Playoffs
The Rams have appeared in the Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs three times, but not since 1985. They have just three winning seasons since that time, and none since 2002. Their combined record is 2–3.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Quarterfinals | Idaho State | L 0–51 |
| 1984 | Quarterfinals Semifinals |
Richmond Montana State |
W 23–17 L 20–32 |
| 1985 | First Round Quarterfinals |
Akron Furman |
W 35–27 L 15–59 |
Championships
Conference championships
The Rams have won seven conference championships, all of which were won during their tenure in the Yankee Conference, highlighted by two separate runs of numerous championships (four in five years during the 1950s and three in four years during the 1980s) and respective droughts between those runs, with a 24 year drought between titles in 1957 and 1981 and an ongoing drought since Rhode Island's last title in 1985 of over 30 years.
| Year | Conference | Coach | Overall Record | Conference Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Yankee Conference (Co-Championship) | Hal Kopp | 7–1 | 3–1 |
| 1953 | Yankee Conference (Co-Championship) | Hal Kopp | 6–2 | 3–1 |
| 1955 | Yankee Conference | Hal Kopp | 6–1–2 | 4–0 |
| 1957 | Yankee Conference (Co-Championship) | Herb Maack | 5–2–1 | 3–0–1 |
| 1981 | Yankee Conference (Co-Championship) | Bob Griffin | 6–6 | 4–1 |
| 1984 | Yankee Conference (Co-Championship) | Bob Griffin | 10–3 | 4–1 |
| 1985 | Yankee Conference | Bob Griffin | 10–3 | 5–0 |
| Total conference championships | 7 | |||
Divisional championships
The Rams have won one division title, done so during their tenure in the Yankee Conference, with an ensuing appearance in the conference title game.
| Year | Division Championship | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Yankee New England Division | Delaware | L 19–24 |
Rivalries
Active rivalry
Brown Bears
Inactive rivalry
Connecticut Huskies
References
- ^ "Color Palette". 2023 Rhode Island Rams Brand Guide (PDF). May 2, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
- ^ "Rhode Island Historical Data". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
