The Albany State Golden Rams football team represents Albany State University (ASU) in the sport of American football. The Golden Rams compete in the Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). They play their home games at Albany State University Coliseum on the university's Albany, Georgia, campus, and are currently led by coach Quinn Gray Sr.

In 2003, the Golden Rams played Fayetteville State in the Pioneer Bowl. Albany State won, 52–30.

The Albany State Golden Rams were named the 2010 SBN Black college Football National Champions.

Former Golden Rams players that have played in the NFL include current Indianapolis Colt Grover Stewart, former Golden Rams head coaches Mike White and Dan Land, Steve Carter, Kenneth Gant, Arthur Green, Jeff Hunter, Keyon Nash, Clarence Benford III and Chris Sheffield.

Rapper Rick Ross played briefly for the Golden Rams during the mid-1990s.

Rivalries Fort Valley State University The rivalry began in the first meeting of the two schools in 1945, when FVSU beat ASU, 27–21. The two schools did not play each other in 1946 and 1947. While the rivalry between the two teams spans more than half a century, Fountain City Classic officials moved the game to Columbus in 1990 to attract more corporate support. FVSU leads the series 45–42–4.

Albany State won their last meeting in 2025, 48–3.

Head coaches Chris Roulhac Jr. 4 1947–1950 32 12 15 5 Obie O'Neal 17 1951–1967 146 79 57 10 .575 Bobby Lee 2 1968–1969 17 5 12 0 .294 Willie Parker 1 1970 10 4 6 0 .400 Hampton Smith 24 1971–1976, 1982–1999 251 157 90 4 .633 Whitney L. Van Cleve 3 1977–1979 31 12 17 2 .419 Willie Williamson 2 1980–1981 (first 3 games in 1981) 14 4 10 0 .286 John Wright 1 1981 (last 7 games) 7 0 7 0 .000 Mike White 15 2000–2014 163 112 51 0 .687 Dan Land 2 2015–2016 19 11 8 0 .579 Gabe Giardina 4 2017–2022 54 37 17 0 Quinn Gray 3 2023–2025 35 24 11 0

Championships SEAC 6: 1955, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1966

SIAC 17: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2021, 2025

SIAC East Division 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021

Black college national 2003, 2004, 2010, 2025

Postseason Bowl games

1946 Coconut Bowl Bethune–Cookman L 0–32 1952 Tropical Bowl Bethune–Cookman L 0–54 2003 Pioneer Bowl Fayetteville State W 52–30

NCAA Division II playoffs The Golden Rams have made fifteen appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs, with a combined record of 5–15.

1993 Hampton Smith First Round Hampton L 7–33 1994 Hampton Smith First Round Valdosta State L 7–14 1995 Hampton Smith First Round North Alabama L 28–38 1996 Hampton Smith First Round Valdosta State L 28–38 1997 Hampton Smith First RoundQuarterfinal Southern ArkansasCarson–Newman W 10–6L 22–23 2004 Mike White Second RoundQuarterfinal Arkansas TechValdosta State W 42–24L 24–38 2005 Mike White First Round Central Arkansas L 20–28 2006 Mike White First Round Newberry L 28–34 2007 Mike White First Round Catawba L 35–66 2008 Mike White First Round Tusculum L 22–34 2009 Mike White First Round West Alabama L 22–24 2010 Mike White Second RoundQuarterfinal WingateDelta State W 30–28L 7–28 2011 Mike White First Round North Greenville L 14–63 2021 Gabe Giardina First Round West Georgia L 7–23 2025 Quinn Gray First RoundRegional SemifinalsRegional Finals Valdosta StateBenedictNewberry W 35–30 W 14–12L 24–31

All-Americans

1978 Mike White DT 3rd Team AP Little All-America 1984 Steve Carter WR Honorable Mention AP Little All-America 1995 Antonio Leroy RB 3rd Team AP Little All-America 2004 Rodney Magwood OL 2nd Team AP Little All-America 2004 Walter Curry DL 2nd Team AP Little All-America 2004 Walter Curry DL 1st Team Daktronics 2005 Alton Pettway DL 2nd Team AP Little All-America 2006 Alton Pettway DL 1st Team AFCA 2006 Alton Pettway DL 1st Team AP Little All-America 2006 Alton Pettway DL 1st Team Daktronics 2011 Jamarkus Gaskins LB 1st Team Daktronics DPOY 2011 Jamarkus Gaskins LB 1st Team AP Little All-America 2013 Dexter Moody DB Honorable Mention Beyond Sports Network 2014 Jarvis Small RB 3rd Team Beyond Sports Network 2025 Derrick Drayton DL 2nd Team AP All-America

NFL draft picks

1968 Frank Brown DE Dallas Cowboys 8th 211 1969 Joe Walker DE Boston Patriots 9th 214 1970 Willie Dixon DB Buffalo Bills 10th 238 1974 Art Cameron TE Buffalo Bills 10th 241 1974 Eddie Wilson WR Atlanta Falcons 11th 277 1975 Greg Wells OL New York Jets 16th 405 1975 Lester Sherman RB Denver Broncos 17th 433 1976 Jeremiah Cummings DE Baltimore Colts 14th 394 1979 Mike White DL Cincinnati Bengals 4th 84 1979 Curtis Bunche DL Philadelphia Eagles 7th 185 1982 George Thompson WR Dallas Cowboys 11th 295 1989 Jeff Hunter DE Phoenix Cardinals 11th 291 1990 Kenneth Gant DB Dallas Cowboys 9th 221 2002 Keyon Nash DB Oakland Raiders 6th 189 2017 Grover Stewart DL Indianapolis Colts 4th 144

Undrafted Players that went undrafted but spent at least one season on a team's active roster.

Steve Carter: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987) Arthur Green: New Orleans Saints (1972) Dan Land: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987), Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders (1989–1997) Chris Sheffield: Pittsburgh Steelers (1986–1987), Detroit Lions (1987)

References

External links