Colgate Raiders football

Colgate Raiders football
Original: Colgate University Vector: RandyFitz · Public domain · source
Name	Colgate Raiders football
Currentseason	2025 Colgate Raiders football team
Firstseason	1890
Athleticdirector	Nicki Moore
Headcoach	Curt Cignetti
Stadium	Crown Field at Andy Kerr Stadium
Location	Hamilton, New York
Conference	Patriot League
Allamericans	Gene Filipski; Marvin Hubbard; Sandy Stephens
Natltitles	1 (1932 via major selectors)
Websitename	Colgate Raiders athletics

Colgate Raiders football is the intercollegiate American football program representing Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision as a member of the Patriot League. Founded in 1890, the program has produced nationally recognized teams, celebrated coaches, and NFL players while maintaining academic ties to institutions such as Ivy League schools and regional rivals.

History

Colgate football traces its origins to contests against regional powers such as Syracuse and Cornell in the 19th century, evolving through eras defined by figures like coach Andy Kerr and captain Glo Dunkle — later interacting with national programs including Notre Dame and Army. The 1932 season is often highlighted in national discussions alongside programs like USC and Michigan for its retroactive national championship recognition by several selectors. Postwar decades featured intersections with coaches who later worked at institutions such as Boston College and Penn State, and produced players who moved on to NFL careers with franchises including the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins.

Integration into modern conferences saw Colgate join the Patriot League in 1986, aligning with schools like Lehigh, Lafayette, and Bucknell. The program navigated rule changes from bodies including the NCAA and scheduling impacts from events like World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic. Under coaches such as Dick Biddle and Terry Slater, Colgate reached postseason play in the FCS Playoffs era, matching up against programs like Montana and Villanova.

Stadium

Home games are played at Crown Field at Andy Kerr Stadium, situated on the Colgate campus in Hamilton, New York. The venue, named in part for coach Andy Kerr and benefactor Crown Family, has hosted contests against regional opponents such as Cornell and intersectional games featuring teams like Boston College. Renovations over decades reflect influences from architects who also worked on facilities for programs like Yale and Harvard. The stadium’s capacity and amenities have been upgraded in eras concurrent with Patriot League initiatives and NCAA facility standards, allowing it to host playoff contests and events involving broadcasts with networks such as ESPN and CBS Sports Network.

Coaches and notable players

Colgate’s coaching lineage includes names who intersect with broader football history: Andy Kerr, a 1930s innovator; Hal Lahar, who also coached at Iowa State and Houston; Dick Biddle, who led Colgate into FCS prominence; and current head coach Curt Cignetti, previously associated with IUP and Elon. Assistant coaches have gone on to staffs at programs like Ohio State and Michigan.

Notable alumni include Marvin Hubbard, who starred in the AFL and with the Oakland Raiders and New York Jets; Glenn "Bama" Bacon in early professional ranks; and more recent NFL players who signed with teams such as the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Colgate standouts have earned honors associated with awards like the Walter Payton Award and appearances on All-American lists alongside contemporaries from Villanova and James Madison.

Seasons and records

Season-by-season performance ties Colgate to historical benchmarks: the 1930s peak with teams compared to contemporaries such as Notre Dame; the postwar years with matchups against Army; and the modern era marked by Patriot League championships and FCS playoff berths versus opponents such as Montana State. Statistical leaders include figures who rank in conference records for rushing, passing, and receiving alongside peers from Lehigh and Fordham. Colgate’s all-time win totals reflect long rivalries and scheduling with regional institutions including Syracuse and Cornell.

Historic single-season and career records have been set in eras overlapping with national rule changes enacted by the FCS governance. Playoff appearances placed the program on the national stage against powerhouse FCS teams and traditional programs drawn from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Rivalries and traditions

Primary rivalries include longstanding series with Syracuse, Cornell, Lehigh, and Lafayette, often culminating in annual matchups tied to regional travel corridors used by teams such as Buffalo and Rochester. Traditions on campus reflect connections to alumni networks with ties to institutions like Harvard and Princeton, and game-day customs that echo collegiate rituals seen at Army and Navy contests. Trophies and travel trophies exchanged in rivalry games mirror practices found in series such as the Rutgers–Princeton rivalry and other historic college football traditions.

Category:College football teams in New York (state)