Colgate Raiders football

History

In 1915, Colgate recorded its 100th victory with a win over Army and also beat Yale on their way to a 5–1 finish. The following season, they compiled an 8–1 record, with the lone loss coming against Yale, 7–3.

During the Great Depression, there was a proliferation of postseason benefit games to raise money for the unemployed. On December 6, 1930, Colgate traveled to New York City's Yankee Stadium to play New York University (NYU) in one of these games and won, 7–0. In 1932, Colgate finished undefeated, untied and unscored upon with a 9–0 record. They outscored their opponents 234–0. Parke H. Davis selected the 1932 Red Raiders to share the national championship. They did not, however, receive an invitation to the 1933 Rose Bowl, and as such, have been referred to as "undefeated, untied, unscored upon, and uninvited." The team was considered as a candidate to play in the first Sugar Bowl in January 1935 but the honor went to Temple University.

In 1982, Colgate football was relegated from the Division I-A to Division I-AA (now FCS) level. Since then, the team has advanced to the playoffs numerous times. In 2003, Colgate advanced to the Division I-AA final, having won 15 straight games that season (12–0 Schedule, 3 Playoff Wins), becoming the first and only Patriot League team to ever do so (achieving a final record of 15–1). There, the Raiders lost to Delaware, 40–0. Two Raiders have received the Walter Payton Award for most outstanding player in Division I-AA: Kenny Gamble in 1987 and Jamaal Branch in 2003.

Classifications

1937–1972: NCAA University Division

1972–1977: NCAA Division I

1978–1981: NCAA Division I–A

1982–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS

Conference memberships

1890–1972: Independent

1973–1977: Division I Independent

1978–1981: Division I–A Independent

1982–1985: Division I–AA Independent

1986–present: Patriot League

Achievements

Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs results

The Raiders have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs 11 times with a record of 7–11.

Notable players

Frank Abruzzino – NFL player of the early 1930s

Jamaal Branch – Former NFL running back for the New Orleans Saints (2006–2007)

Tom Burgess – Former Canadian Football League quarterback (1986–1995) 1990 Grey Cup MVP

Frank Castleman – Won Silver medal in 200 metre hurdles during the 1904 Summer Olympics

Nate Eachus – Former NFL fullback for the Kansas City Chiefs (2012)

Rich Erenberg – Former NFL running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1984–1986)

Arthur Fazzin – Actor and game show host better known as Art Fleming (1942–?, transferred to Cornell)

Dan Fortmann – Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1965, former NFL Guard/Linebacker for the Chicago Bears (1936–1943), 3× NFL Champion (1940, 1941 and 1943), 6× First Team All-Pro selection and 3× Pro Bowl selection

Kenny Gamble – Former NFL running back for the Kansas City Chiefs (1988–1990). As of 2023, he is the last Colgate player to be selected during the NFL draft

Bill Geyer – Former NFL Halfback for the Chicago Bears (1942–1943, 1946)

Michael Joseph Hayes – First Lieutenant in the United States Army. He was killed in an attack on Saint-Juvin, France on October 14, 1918, and was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

Nick Hennessey – Former NFL Offensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills (2009) and played in the Canadian Football League

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of January 2, 2026.