athletic affiliations Colonial Athletic Association Football
Since 1978, CAA Football members have accumulated 69 playoff berths, 18 Lambert Cups, 82 final top-25 rankings and 40 final top-10 rankings. Two National Championships, four NCAA Championship game appearances, eight NCAA semifinal appearances and more than 30 postseason wins in five years under the CAA Football banner...Unprecedented numbers in terms of Football Championship Subdivision success. CAA Football raised the profile of what was once the Yankee 2012 Standings Conference and later the Conference Overall Atlantic 10 Conference when W L W L it took the reins of the league Old Dominion 7 1 11 2 in 2007. Now five years into Richmond 6 2 8 3 the CAA’s leadership the New Hampshire 6 2 8 4 league has cemented itself as Villanova 6 2 8 4 an FCS power conference in Towson 6 2 7 4 terms of on-the-field success, James Madison 5 3 7 4 television exposure, marketMaine 4 4 5 6 ability and success of its playDelaware 2 6 5 6 ers at the next level. William and Mary 1 7 2 9 The conference continued Rhode Island 0 8 0 11 its stonghold in the national Georgia State 0 0 1 10 polls, showing at least seven teams ranked over a six-week stretch. In the Oct. 17 release of The Sports Network Top-25, a record nine CAA Football programs were ranked between No. 9 and No. 22. CAA Football ended the 2011 season with a national-best six teams among both Top-25 polls. The league has earned 80 total playoff berths, including 37 in the last 10 seasons. Getting into the playoffs isn’t where the success stops, as evidenced by 52 playoff wins since 2002. CAA Football has continued to make its presence felt at the national level by placing eight teams in the national semifinal round over the last five seasons, and advancing a team to the national title game four of the last five years. New Hampshire linebacker Matt Evans, Towson head coach Rob Ambrose and his rookie running back Terrance West helped CAA Football take home three of the four top national honors from The Sports Network. Evans, a junior in 2011, became the league’s third Buck Buchanan National Defensive Player of the Year. Adding the honors won by Ambrose, Evans and West gives CAA Football a total of 22 individual accolades accumulated by standouts from the league. Among the award winners, James Madison linebacker Derrick Lloyd (2001) and defensive lineman Arthur Moats (2009) each received the Buck Buchanan Award prior to Evans’ honor in 2011. Additionally James Madison’s Mickey Matthews (1999 & 2008) is the only two-time winner of the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award, as the league has garnered the honor six times. Success beyond the collegiate playing field can be measured in numerous ways. CAA Football has had 100 players drafted by NFL franchises dating back to 1948. A total of 26 players have been selected in the draft over the last 10 years, including the league’s second-highest draft pick ever -- former Delaware Blue Hen quarterback Joe Flacco (18th overall to the Baltimore Ravens in 2008). The league has also excelled in graduating student-athletes as 10 programs have earned NCAA Public Recognition Awards over the last three years for ranking among the Top 10 percent of the FCS in the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rating system. The CAA Football geographic footprint will encompass much of the East Coast during the 2012 season with schools located from Maine to Georgia. This season’s members include Delaware, Georgia State, James Madison, Maine, New Hampshire, Old Dominion, Rhode Island, Richmond, Towson, Villanova and William and Mary. While CAA Football officially began March 1, 2007, its roots date back more than 60 years. On December 3, 1946, the Code of the Yankee Conference went into effect. Established as an all-sports conference for the New England land grant colleges, the six charter members included Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Upon the formation of Division I-AA football in 1978, the league disbanded all sports except football. Delaware and Richmond were admitted to the conference in 1986, Villanova was added in 1988 and James Madison, Northeastern and William and Mary joined the league in 1993. The Atlantic 10 assumed operation control of the conference from 1997-2006, with Hofstra becoming part of the league in 2001 and Towson joining the group in 2004.
NCAA Division I Championship Subdivision
In the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision, JMU competes with approximately 120 teams and is eligible for a 20-team playoff. First-round playoff games are Nov. 24 and the title game Jan. 5, 2013 in Frisco, Texas. The first four rounds are at campus sites. Ten leagues have automatic playoff bids -- the CAA, Big Sky, Big South, Gateway, Mid-Eastern, Northeastern, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, and Southland -- and 10 spots are filled by at-large entries. Division I-AA had its first playoff in 1978. NCAA FCS The playoffs from Champions 1978-80 included four 1978 Florida A&M teams. Eight took part 1979 Eastern Kentucky in 1981, and the field 1980 Boise State went to 12 in 1982 and 1981 Idaho State to 16 in 1986. The last 1982 Eastern Kentucky expansion to 20 teams occurred in 2012, with 1983 Southern Illinois expansion to 24 teams expected in the near 1984 Montana State future. 1985 Georgia Southern This year’s title game will be the second 1986 Georgia Southern straight at Pizza Hut Park, home of FC Dallas 1987 Northeast Louisiana of Major League Soccer, after Chattanooga’s 1988 Furman Max Finley Stadium/Davenport Field held the 1989 Georgia Southern event for 15 years. CAA teams, past and pres1990 Georgia Southern ent, have won five national titles – Villanova 1991 Youngstown State in 2009, Richmond in 2008, JMU in 2004, 1992 Marshall Delaware in 2003 and Massachusetts in 1998. 1993 Youngstown State ESPN televises the playoffs’ semifinal and 1994 Youngstown State championship rounds. In 2004 for the first 1995 Montana time one semifinal game was played on 1996 Marshall Friday evening and the other on Saturday af1997 Youngstown State ternoon. The title game takes place on Friday 1998 Massachusetts 1999 Georgia Southern evening. 2000 Georgia Southern Towson’s CAA Football championship made 2001 Montana it one of five CAA Football programs to earn 2002 Western Kentucky a berth in the 2011 NCAA Championship field, 2003 Delaware a mark no other FCS conference has ever 2004 JMU equaled. James Madison and Old Dominion 2005 Appalachian State each garnered first round playoff victories 2006 Appalachian State helping CAA Football make up five of the final 2007 Appalachian State 16 teams in the NCAA’s second round. Maine 2008 Richmond went on the road and topped perennial power 2009 Villanova Appalachian State in the second round, but 2010 Eastern Washington the remaining four (James Madison, New 2011 North Dakota State Hampshire, Old Dominion and Towson) all 2012 North Dakota State stumbled. The Black Bears’ season ended the next weekend when it lost at Georgia Southern in the NCAA quarterfinal round.
2012 Playoffs First Round
South Dakota St. 58, Eastern Illinois 10 Bethune-Cookman 14, Coastal Carolina 24 Stony Brook 20, Villanova 10 Wagner 31, Colgate 20
Second Round
North Dakota St. 28, South Dakota St. 3 Wofford 23, New Hampshire 7 Georgia Southern 24, Central Ark. 16 Old Dominion 63, Coastal Carolina 35 Montana State 16, Stony Brook 10 Sam Houston St. 18, Cal Poly 16 Appalachian St. 37, Illinois State 38 Eastern Washington 29, Wagner 19
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Quarterfinals
North Dakota St. 14, Wofford 7 Georgia Southern 49, Old Dominion 35 Montana State 16, Sam Houston St. 34 Illinois State 35, Eastern Washington 51
Semifinals
North Dakota St. 23, Ga. Southern 20 Sam Houston St. 45, E. Washington 42
Championship Game
North Dakota State 39, Sam Houston State 13