Big changes are approaching for Spider Football.
The University of Richmond’s athletic department announced in May 2024 that the football team will be moving to the Patriot League following the 2024 season.
The Spiders have seen great success in the Coastal Athletic Association since they arrived in the conference in 2007. They will be leaving the CAA as back-to-back conference champions, after an extensive 8-0 conference record for the 2024 season.
The decision to move conferences came in 2023 “in response to continued changes in the national FCS landscape,” according to a news release from Spider Athletics.
Stephen Butler, Deputy Director of Athletics, works years ahead to put together the Spiders’ schedule. There were some logistical chances including the number of conference games.
“As we changed conferences, we had to add another game because the CAA played more conference games than the Patriot League,” Butler said.
The football team’s schedule for their first year in the conference was recently announced. Let's take a brief look at the season lineup:
Lehigh University – Aug. 30 (Patriot League)
The Spiders will kick off their inaugural Patriot League season with a highly anticipated matchup against Lehigh, the defending Patriot League champions. This opening game is particularly significant as the two teams faced off in the 2024 playoffs, where Lehigh came out victorious at Robins Stadium.
“It’s definitely going to be strange. They’re going to know us well, and we’re going to know them well,” said Head Coach Russ Huesman. “It’s funny how that’s worked out.”
Lehigh had a 5-1 conference record in 2024, only suffering a loss to Bucknell University. Lehigh has not seen this level of conference success since 2017.
Wofford College – Sep. 6 (Non-Conference)
Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter
UR has only played Wofford twice, once in 2007 and again in 2024. The Spiders suffered a 26-19 loss on their home turf last season. Wofford will start UR’s string of non-conference games.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – Sep. 13 (Non-Conference)
The University of Richmond works years in advance to schedule an FBS game each year. This year's big matchup will be the UNC Tar Heels. UR has a long history of losing to UNC, with a 12-2 record. The two teams haven’t played each other since 1978, but before that they played each other relatively regularly beginning in 1892.
UNC just hired Bill Belichick as head coach, an extremely well-known figure who has worked with teams such as the New England Patriots and New York Giants. This away game will undoubtedly have UR fans traveling down to Chapel Hill, N.C.
Virginia Military Institute – Sep. 20 (Non-Conference)
VMI is no stranger to UR. The Spiders have faced the Keydets 28 times since their first matchup in 1972. The two teams haven’t met on the field for eight years, the longest period of time of their entire history. The Keydets had an unfortunate 1-11 record for the 2024 season.
Howard University – Sep. 27 (Non-Conference)
Richmond will welcome Howard University back to Robins Stadium for the first time since 2021, where they defeated the Bison 34-17. The two teams have only played each other twice, with UR winning both times.
Patriot League Matchups
Bucknell University on Oct. 4
The Bison had a 4-2 conference record and a 6-6 overall record last season. UR has never lost to Bucknell, maintaining a 3-0 record, although the last matchup was in 2007. Bucknell had an upset against conference-topper Lehigh in 2024, helping them take the third place slot in the conference.
Colgate University on Oct. 11
The Spiders haven’t lost to the Raiders since their first game in 1983. Colgate suffered many challenges this past season with a rocky 2-10 record. They ranked dead last in the PL with a 1-5 conference record.
College of the Holy Cross on Oct. 18
The Crusaders are the team to watch in the Patriot League. Holy Cross has finished in the top two of the conference since 2017, consistently putting together a strong program. Richmond has never played Holy Cross before, making this game particularly intriguing. Holy Cross will likely be one of Richmond’s toughest opponents in the league, and this matchup could have major implications in the conference standings.
Fordham University on Nov. 1
The last time UR played against Fordham was in 2019, when they suffered a 23-16 loss. Fordham, like Colgate, had a rough 2024 season, finishing 2-10, but will be looking to redeem themselves in the upcoming season.
Georgetown University on Nov. 15
Georgetown fell right in the middle of the conference pack this past year. The Bulldogs haven’t met the Spiders on the field since back-to-back wins in 2008-2009 in favor of the Spiders. The Bulldogs suffered some tough conference losses including falling in a 31-3 game against Fordham followed by a 34-0 shutout against Holy Cross.
College of William & Mary– Nov. 22 (Non-Conference)
Whether or not the Capital Cup Presented by C&F Bank would continue was one of the biggest questions regarding the shifts in conferences. The rivalry between the two teams goes as far back as 1898 when they first met on the field. Held annually since 1973, the Capital Cup is something fans look forward to each year. However, UR expressed that it would remain committed to the annual game.
The Spiders dominated the Tribe in 2024 with a dramatic 27-0 score to end the regular season.
W&M will certainly be looking to break UR’s two game win streak.
The Spiders’ transition to the Patriot League not only brings a new set of challenges, but also the promise of exciting new rivalries and matchups.
Contact sports editor Abigail Finney at abigail.finney@richmond.edu
Support independent student media
You can make a tax-deductible donation by clicking the button below, which takes you to our secure PayPal account. The page is set up to receive contributions in whatever amount you designate. We look forward to using the money we raise to further our mission of providing honest and accurate information to students, faculty, staff, alumni and others in the general public.
Donate Now
