Rhode Island Rams football

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Rhode Island Rams football
AmericanFootball current event.svg 2024 Rhode Island Rams football team
Rhode Island Rams logo.svg
First season 1895; 129 years ago
Athletic directorThorr Bjorn
Head coach Jim Fleming
9th season, 31–62 (.333)
Stadium Meade Stadium
(capacity: 6,555)
Field surface FieldTurf
Location Kingston, Rhode Island
NCAA division Division I FCS
Conference CAA Football
All-time record38554343 (.419)
Rivalries Brown (rivalry)
UConn (rivalry)
ColorsKeaney 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 Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference (CAA Football). [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.

Contents

Conference affiliations

Rhode Island has played as both an independent and conference-affiliated team. [3] [ page needed ][ better source needed ]

Playoffs

The Rams have appeared in the Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs three times, but not since 1985. They have seven winning seasons since that time, with much more recent success since 2018 as a program on the rise. Their combined playoff record is 2–3.

YearRoundOpponentResult
1981 QuarterfinalsIdaho StateL 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.

YearConferenceCoachOverall recordConference record
1952 Yankee Conference (co-championship) Hal Kopp 7–13–1
1953 Yankee Conference (co-championship) Hal Kopp 6–23–1
1955 Yankee Conference Hal Kopp 6–1–24–0
1957 Yankee Conference (co-championship) Herb Maack 5–2–13–0–1
1981 Yankee Conference (co-championship) Bob Griffin 6–64–1
1984 Yankee Conference (co-championship) Bob Griffin 10–34–1
1985 Yankee Conference Bob Griffin 10–35–0

Divisional championships

The Rams have won one division title, in 1995: the Yankee Conference's New England Division.

YearDivision championshipOpponentResult
1995 Yankee New England Division Delaware L 19–24

Rivalries

Brown

UConn

Retired numbers

No.PlayerYearsPos.No. retir.Ref.
12 Tom Ehrhardt 1983–1985 QB 1996 [4]

Notable former players

Current NFL players

As of August 30, 2023, there are no former Rhode Island Rams players listed on team rosters in the National Football League (NFL). [5]

Most recently two players were released prior to the 2023 NFL season.

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of December 9, 2022. [6]

20242025202620272028
Bryant at Minnesota at Western Michigan at Bryant at Boston College
at Brown Brown at Holy Cross Brown at Brown
at Bryant at Brown

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References

  1. "Color Palette". 2023 Rhode Island Rams Brand Guide (PDF). May 2, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  2. "THE CAA & CAA FOOTBALL". Coastal Athletic Association. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  3. "Record Book (PDF)" (PDF). University of Rhode Island. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  4. "Thomas E. Ehrhardt (1996) - Hall of Fame". University of Rhode Island. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  5. "Rhode Island Players/Alumni". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  6. "Rhode Island Rams Football Future Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved December 9, 2022.