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). 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.
Independent / Athletic League of New England State Colleges (1895–1946)
Yankee Conference (1947–1996)
Atlantic 10 Conference (1997–2006)
Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference (2007–present)
Playoffs
NCAA Division I-AA/FCS
The Rams have appeared in the Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs five times with a combined playoff record of 4–5.
Championships
Conference championships
The Rams have won eight conference championships, seven in the Yankee Conference and two in the Coastal Athletic Association, with their lone outright title coming in 2025.
The Yankee Conference titles were 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 run: a 24-year drought between titles in 1957 and 1981 and a 39-year drought between Rhode Island's final Yankee title in 1985 and their first CAA title in 2024.
† notes Co-championship
Divisional championships
The Rams have won one division title, in 1995: the Yankee Conference's New England Division.
Rivalries
Notable former players
Derek Cassidy
Chy Davidson
Tom Ehrhardt
Frank Ferrara
Steve Furness
Andy Gresh
Chris Hixson
Pat Narduzzi
Current NFL players
As of April 28, 2025, there are three former Rhode Island Rams player listed on team roster in the National Football League (NFL).
Ajani Cornelius, right tackle, Dallas Cowboys
Jordan Colbert, safety, Miami Dolphins
Rex Sunahara, long snapper, Cleveland Browns
Future non-conference opponents
Announced schedules as of July 28, 2026.