Fitchburg State Falcons football

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Fitchburg State Falcons football
Fitchburg st falcons mark.png
First season1984;41 years ago (1984)
Athletic directorMatthew Burke
Head coach Izzy Abraham
2nd season, 2–8 (.200)
StadiumElliot Field
(capacity: 1,200)
Field surface FieldTurf
Location Fitchburg, Massachusetts
NCAA division Division III
Conference MASCAC
Past conferences NEFC
All-time record130–293–1 (.308)
Bowl record0–3 (.000)
Division titles2 NEFC Bogan Division (2004–2005)
Rivalries Worcester State (Sterling Cup)
ColorsGreen and yellow [1]
   
Mascot Falcons
Website fitchburgfalcons.com

The Fitchburg State Falcons football team represents Fitchburg State University in college football at the NCAA Division III level. The Falcons are members of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, fielding its team in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference since 2013. The Falcons play their home games at Elliot Field in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. [2]

Contents

Fitchburg State is known for the longest college football losing streak at the time, which ended in 1989 after thirty-plus losses. The school was featured in many news sources, such as The New York Times , ESPN, and many local newspapers. [3] Fitchburg State defeated Southeastern Massachusetts on October 14, 1989, by the score of 33–7. Thanks to notable plays by the defence, including a recovered fumble by Paul Camick a sophomore at the time, It was the first Fitchburg State win in over four years. In the ensuing celebrations at Fitchburg, five people were arrested. [4]

On September 9, 2023, Taylor Crout became the first female football player to play a non-kicking position in an NCAA game at any level, which she did for the Falcons. [5]

The Falcons’ head coach is Izzy Abraham, who took over the position for the 2024 season. [6]

Conference affiliations

Championships

Division championships

Fitchburg State claims 2 division titles, the most recent of which came in 2005.

YearDivisionCoachOverall RecordConference RecordOpponentCG result
2004 NEFC Bogan Patrick Haverty 8–46–0 Curry L 7–17
20058–36–0 Curry L 7–14

Bowl games

Fitchburg State has participated in three bowl games, and has a record of 0–3.

SeasonCoachBowlOpponentResult
2004 Patrick Haverty ECAC Bowl Springfield L 7–53
2005 ECAC Bowl Bridgewater State L 17–34
2015 ECAC Bowl Alfred L 10–11

List of head coaches

Key

Key to symbols in coaches list
GeneralOverallConferencePostseason [A 1]
No.Order of coaches [A 2] GCGames coachedCWConference winsPWPostseason wins
DCDivision championshipsOWOverall winsCLConference lossesPLPostseason losses
CCConference championshipsOLOverall lossesCTConference tiesPTPostseason ties
NCNational championshipsOTOverall ties [A 3] C%Conference winning percentage
†Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame O%Overall winning percentage [A 4]

Coaches

List of head football coaches showing season(s) coached, overall records, and conference records
No.NameSeason(s)GCOWOLOTO%CWCLCTC%
1 Dave Secino 1984–19895344900.05822400.058
2 Vin Keough [12] 1990–19922742300.14831700.150
3 Mike Woessner [13] 1993–19954742210.16732100.125
4 Chris Nugai [14] 1996–19971931600.15811500.063
5 Dave Flynn [15] [16] 1998–200138162200.421111300.458
6 Patrick Haverty [17] [18] 2002–2006, 2011–2017121625900.512444100.518
7 Paul McGonagle [19] [20] 2007–201039122700.308101800.357
8 Jim McGuire [21] [22] 2018–20192041600.20031300.188
9 Scott Sperone [23] [24] 2021–20221511400.0670100.000
10 Mark Sullivan [25] 2022 (interim)5050.000050.000
11 Zach Shaw [26] [27] [28] 2023100100.000080.000
12 Izzy Abraham 2024–present0000–080–

Year-by-year results

National championsConference championsBowl game berthPlayoff berth
SeasonYearHead coachAssociationDivisionConferenceRecordPostseasonFinal ranking
OverallConference
WinLossTieFinishWinLossTie
Fitchburg State Falcons [29]
1984 1984 Dave Secino NCAA Division III Independent090——
1985 1985 170——
1986 1986 NEFC 09011th090——
1987 1987 0806th (South Div.)050——
1988 1988 0907th (South Div.)060——
1989 1989 370T–5th (South Div.)240——
1990 1990 Vin Keough 270T–4th (South Div.)240——
1991 1991 270T–6th (South Div.)150——
1992 1992 0909th080——
1993 1993 Mike Woessner 0819th080——
1994 1994 3607th260——
1995 1995 1809th170——
1996 1996 Chris Nugai 0909th080——
1997 1997 3708th170——
1998 1998 Dave Flynn 370T–5th (Red Div.)240——
1999 1999 6403rd (Red Div.)420——
2000 2000 5403rd (Bogan Div.)420——
2001 2001 2707th (Bogan Div.)150——
2002 2002 Patrick Haverty 5403rd (Bogan Div.)420——
2003 2003 5404th (Bogan Div.)330——
2004 2004 8401st (Bogan Div.)600L North Atlantic Bowl —
2005 2005 8301st (Bogan Div.)600L Northeast Bowl —
2006 2006 450T–4th (Bogan Div.)340——
2007 2007 Paul McGonagle 360T–5th (Bogan Div.)340——
2008 2008 460T–3rd (Bogan Div.)430——
2009 2009 460T–6th (Bogan Div.)250——
2010 2010 190T–7th (Bogan Div.)160——
2011 2011 Patrick Haverty 2808th (Bogan Div.)160——
2012 2012 2807th (Bogan Div.)160——
2013 2013 640T–3rd530——
2014 2014 MASCAC 640T–4th440——
2015 2015 830T–2nd620L Robert M. "Scotty" Whitelaw Bowl —
2016 2016 550T–6th350——
2017 2017 370T–7th260——
2018 2018 Jim McGuire 2807th260——
2019 2019 2808th170——
Season canceled due to Covid-19
2021 2021 Scott Sperone NCAA Division III MASCAC 01009th080——
2022 2022Scott Sperone (games 1–5)
Mark Sullivan (games 6–10)		1909th070——
2023 2023 Zach Shaw 01009th080——
2024 2024 Izzy Abraham 28010th180——

Notes

  1. ↑ Although the first Rose Bowl Game was played in 1902, it has been continuously played since the 1916 game, and is recognized as the oldest bowl game by the NCAA. "—" indicates any season prior to 1916 when postseason games were not played. [9]
  2. ↑ A running total of the number of head coaches, with coaches who served separate tenures being counted only once. Interim head coaches are represented with "Int" and are not counted in the running total. "—" indicates the team played but either without a coach or no coach is on record. "X" indicates an interim year without play.
  3. ↑ Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since. [10]
  4. ↑ When computing the win–loss percentage, a tie counts as half a win and half a loss. [11]

References

  1. ↑ "Fitchburg State University Logos" . Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Local Notebook: Falcons take to Elliot Field". Sentinel and Enterprise. August 23, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Fitchburg football celebration ends with five arrests". UPI. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  4. ↑ UPI (October 15, 1989). "Fitchburg football celebration ends with five arrests". UPI. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  5. ↑ Geoffrey C. Arnold (September 26, 2023). "Taylor Crout, not Hayley Van Voorhis, may have been the first female non-kicker to play in a NCAA game: Report". The Oregonian . Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Israel "Izzy" Abraham Named Head Football Coach". April 23, 2024.
  7. ↑ NEFC Timeline
  8. ↑ "FB: Panthers ground Fitchburg State". Plymouth State University. October 15, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  9. ↑ National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2011). Bowl/All-Star Game Records (PDF). Indianapolis, Indiana: NCAA. pp. 5–10. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  10. ↑ Whiteside, Kelly (August 25, 2006). "Overtime system still excites coaches". USA Today. McLean, Virginia. Archived from the original on September 6, 2010. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
  11. ↑ Finder, Chuck (September 6, 1987). "Big plays help Paterno to 200th". The New York Times. New York City. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
  12. ↑ "HIS OFFENSE MAY BE ANCIENT, BUT DENISON'S PIPER IS STILL YOUNG". Chicago Tribune. November 3, 1991. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  13. ↑ Schools, Jim Wilson High. "Coaching change coming at Quabbin". The Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  14. ↑ ALGERI, STEVE (February 6, 2017). "New Woburn football coach resigns abrubtly". Homenewshere.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  15. ↑ By (April 2, 1998). "TRANSACTIONS". Hartford Courant. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  16. ↑ Jarvey, Paul. "Fource of one". The Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  17. ↑ "New coach takes command". The Point. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  18. ↑ Chris Klingenberg. "College football: New faces set tone at Fitchburg State University". The Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Paul McGonagle Named Endicott Football Head Coach". December 4, 2017.
  20. ↑ "FSC finds new coach". Sentinel and Enterprise. April 10, 2007. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  21. ↑ "McGuire out at Fitchburg State". December 1, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Fitchburg State football coach steps down". Sentinel and Enterprise. February 13, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Sperone Named Head Football Coach at Fitchburg State - WPI Athletics - WPI Athletics". athletics.wpi.edu. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Fitchburg State coach resigns". October 14, 2022.
  25. ↑ Merino, Nicholas Valdez and Jorge. "Fitchburg State's Scott Sperone Stepping Down from Head Coach Position amidst Verbal Abuse Allegations". The Point. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Falcons pick Shaw to lead football program". Sentinel and Enterprise. January 9, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Math Madness a hit with area schools thanks to Worcester State; Defense gives WPI a boost". The Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Fitchburg State Announces Departure of Head Football Coach". April 1, 2024.
  29. ↑ "Fitchburg State Football All-Time Coaching Records". fitchburgfalcons.com. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
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