Eisspeedway

Richmond Spiders football

Richmond Spiders football
2024 Richmond Spiders football team
First season1881; 143 years ago
Athletic directorJohn Hardt
Head coachRuss Huesman
7th season, 52–35 (.598)
StadiumRobins Stadium
(capacity: 8,217)
Field surfaceFieldTurf
LocationRichmond, Virginia, U.S.
NCAA divisionDivision I FCS
ConferenceCAA Football
(Patriot League in 2025)
All-time record593–672–53 (.470)
Bowl record1–1 (.500)
Claimed national titles1 (2008)
Conference titles14
RivalriesWilliam & Mary (rivalry)
James Madison (rivalry)
VMI (rivalry)
Consensus All-Americans1 (1969)
ColorsBlue and red[1]
   
Uniform outfitterNike
WebsiteRichmondSpiders.com

The Richmond Spiders are a college football team representing the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia. Richmond was the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision champion for the 2008 season. Richmond competes in CAA Football, a legally separate football league operated by the multi-sports Coastal Athletic Association that competes in the NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivision. Former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga head coach Russ Huesman was named head coach of the Spiders, on December 14, 2016, replacing Danny Rocco who had departed to become head coach at the University of Delaware a day earlier.[2]

In 2008, No. 7 Richmond beat Eastern Kentucky, Appalachian State, and Northern Iowa to advance to the NCAA Division I Football Championship against Montana. In the FCS National Championship Game on December 19, 2008, they defeated Montana 24–7 to win the first team NCAA national title for the University of Richmond in any sport.

Richmond's traditional rival in many sports is the College of William & Mary. Richmond and William & Mary have met 135 times since 1898, making the rivalry (sometimes referred to as "the South's oldest rivalry") the fourth most-played in Division I college football. Only Lafayette–Lehigh, Princeton–Yale, and Harvard–Yale have played more games. The winner of the annual W&M–Richmond match-up claims the Capital Cup (formerly the I-64 Trophy), which reflects the historical significance of the cities of Williamsburg and Richmond as the last two capitals of the Commonwealth of Virginia.[3]

Conference affiliations

All-Americans

Richmond Spiders in the NFL Draft

Undrafted players and non-NFL draftees

Aerial view of E. Claiborne Robins Stadium, the Spiders home

Playoffs

The Spiders have appeared in the Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs 13 times. Their combined record is 17–12. They were FCS National Champions in 2008.

Year Round Opponent Result
1984 First Round
Quarterfinals
Boston University
Rhode Island
W 35–33
L 17–23
1987 First Round Appalachian State L 3–20
1998 First Round Lehigh L 23–24
2000 First Round
Quarterfinals
Youngstown State
Montana
W 10–3
L 20–34
2005 First Round
Quarterfinals
Hampton
Furman
W 38–10
L 20–24
2007 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Eastern Kentucky
Wofford
Appalachian State
W 31–14
W 21–10
L 35–55
2008 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship Game
Eastern Kentucky
Appalachian State
Northern Iowa
Montana
W 38–10
W 33–13
W 21–20
W 24–7
2009 First Round
Quarterfinals
Elon
Appalachian State
W 16–13
L 31–35
2014 First Round
Second Round
Morgan State
Coastal Carolina
W 46–24
L 15–36
2015 Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
William & Mary
Illinois State
North Dakota State
W 48–13
W 39–27
L 7–33
2016 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
North Carolina A&T
North Dakota
Eastern Washington
W 39–10
W 27–24
L 0–38
2022 First Round
Second Round
Davidson
Sacramento State
W 41–0
L 31–38
2023 First Round
Second Round
North Carolina Central
Albany
W 49–27
L 13–41
2024 First Round Lehigh TBD

Bowl games

During their time as an NCAA University Division (Major College) team, Richmond appeared in two bowl games, both times in the Tangerine Bowl against the champion of the Mid-American Conference. They have a record of 1–1.

Year Coach Bowl Opponent Result
1968 Frank Jones Tangerine Bowl Ohio W 49–42
1971 Frank Jones Tangerine Bowl Toledo L 3–28

References

  1. ^ "Palettes – University of Richmond". Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  2. ^ "Huesman Named Head Coach Of Spiders Football". RichmondsSpiders.com. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
  3. ^ Richmond, William & Mary Rename Football Rivalry As Capital Cup Archived 2011-06-16 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ O'Connor, John (May 14, 2024). "Richmond Spiders shifting from CAA Football to Patriot League". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved May 14, 2024.