What Is 1993 Rhode Island Rams football team

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Last updated: April 15, 2026

Quick Answer: The 1993 Rhode Island Rams football team represented the University of Rhode Island in the 1993 NCAA Division I-AA football season, finishing with a 5-6 overall record under head coach Bob Griffin. They competed in the Yankee Conference and played home games at Meade Stadium in Kingston, Rhode Island.

Key Facts

The 1993 Rhode Island Rams finished the season with a 5-6 overall record.
Head coach Bob Griffin was in his 14th season leading the program.
The team played its home games at Meade Stadium in Kingston, RI.
They competed in the Yankee Conference, finishing with a 4-3 conference record.
The Rams scored 207 points while allowing 253 points over 11 games.

Overview

The 1993 Rhode Island Rams football team represented the University of Rhode Island during the 1993 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by head coach Bob Griffin in his 14th year, the team competed in the Yankee Conference and played its home games at Meade Stadium in Kingston, Rhode Island.

The Rams posted a 5-6 overall record, including a 4-3 mark in conference play. While they did not qualify for the Division I-AA playoffs, the season reflected a competitive effort within a transitional era for the program. The team's performance highlighted both offensive struggles and defensive challenges across the 11-game schedule.

Record: The Rams finished the season with a 5-6 overall record, marking a slight decline from the previous year’s 6-5 finish.
Conference: Competing in the Yankee Conference, they posted a 4-3 record, placing them in the middle of the league standings.
Head Coach:Bob Griffin, in his 14th season, continued to build consistency despite limited postseason success.
Home Field: Games were played at Meade Stadium, a 8,417-seat facility that has served as the Rams’ home since 1928.
Scoring: The team scored 207 total points (18.8 per game) while allowing 253 points (23.0 per game) on defense.

How It Works

The 1993 season operated under the structure of NCAA Division I-AA (now known as the Football Championship Subdivision), with conference standings determining playoff eligibility. The Yankee Conference used a round-robin format among members to determine the champion.

Division I-AA:NCAA Division I-AA was established in 1978 as a subdivision for schools with smaller athletic budgets; the 1993 season was part of this competitive tier before the FCS rebranding in 2006.
Yankee Conference: The Yankee Conference included nine teams in 1993, such as UMass, Maine, and Northeastern, with the winner earning an automatic playoff bid.
Playoff Qualification: Only the conference champion earned an automatic bid; at 4-3, URI did not win the title, which went to UMass at 6-1.
Schedule Format: The Rams played an 11-game schedule, featuring six conference matchups and five non-conference opponents, including games against Division I-A teams.
Player Eligibility: Student-athletes had five years to complete four seasons of play, with redshirt options allowed under NCAA rules.
Game Rules: Standard 12-minute quarters and college football rules applied, including overtime not yet being used in regular-season games until 1996.

Comparison at a Glance

The 1993 Rams’ performance can be better understood by comparing key statistics with conference rivals and national averages in Division I-AA.

Team	Overall Record	Conference Record	Points For	Points Against
Rhode Island	5-6	4-3	207	253
UMass (Champion)	8-3	6-1	274	167
Maine	6-5	4-3	238	210
Northeastern	4-7	3-4	189	245
Division I-AA Avg	N/A	N/A	22.1 ppg	21.8 ppg

The Rams scored slightly below the national average per game and allowed more points than they produced. Their 4-3 conference record tied with Maine, but a head-to-head loss prevented a higher finish. UMass dominated the league and advanced to the playoffs, highlighting the gap between top and mid-tier teams.

Why It Matters

The 1993 season is a snapshot of the Rhode Island football program during a period of moderate competitiveness in the Yankee Conference. While not a championship year, it contributed to the long-term development of the team ahead of future reorganizations in college football.

Program Legacy: The season was part of Bob Griffin’s 17-year tenure, the longest in school history, establishing continuity in coaching leadership.
Conference Realignment: The Yankee Conference dissolved in 1997, with URI joining the Atlantic 10 football conference, marking a shift in regional alignment.
Player Development: Several players from the 1993 roster went on to become key contributors through 1995, especially on defense.
Historical Context: This season occurred just before college football expanded TV exposure and scholarship limits were standardized in the FCS.
Local Impact: Games at Meade Stadium continued to draw strong local support, reinforcing football’s role in campus culture.
Statistical Benchmark: The 5-6 record serves as a reference point for evaluating future improvements, such as the 1999 playoff appearance.

The 1993 Rhode Island Rams may not have made national headlines, but their season reflects the challenges and consistency of mid-major college football during the early 1990s.