# Cortland Red Dragons football

The Cortland Red Dragons football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the State University of New York at Cortland. The team competes in the NCAA Division III, and is a member of the Empire 8. The team plays its home games at James J. Grady '50, M '61 Field at the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex or Grady Field for short in Cortland, New York. The Red Dragons are led by Curt Fitzpatrick, who has served as head coach since 2020. The Red Dragons won their first NCAA Division III national championship in 2023.

## Year-by-year results

    Statistics correct as of the end of the 2012–13 college football season
| NCAA Division III playoff berth | Conference champion | Division champion | Undefeated season |
| Year | NCAA Division | Conference | Conference division | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Coach | Final ranking |
| Year | NCAA Division | Conference | Conference division | Games | Win | Loss | Tie | Pct. | Games | Win | Loss | Tie | Pct. | Standing | Coach | Final ranking |
| 2007 | III | NJAC | N/A | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | .727 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | .857 | N/A | Dan MacNeill | - |
| 2008 | III | NJAC | N/A | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | .846 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1st | Dan MacNeill | - |
| 2009 | III | NJAC | N/A | 11 | 0 (7)* | 4 | 0 | .000 | 9 | 0 (7)* | 2 | 0 | .000 | 3rd | Dan MacNeill | - |
| 2010 | III | NJAC | N/A | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | .889 | T-1st | Dan MacNeill | - |
| 2011 | III | NJAC | N/A | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | .818 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | .778 | T-2nd | Dan MacNeill | - |
| 2012 | III | NJAC | N/A | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | .818 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1st | Dan MacNeill | - |
| | Totals | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | | | |
* All seven wins from the 2009 season were later vacated by the NCAA.

## Postseason appearances
### NCAA Division III playoffs

The Red Dragons have made thirteen appearances in the NCAA Division III playoffs, with a combined record of 13–12 and one national championship.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1988 | First Round Second Round | Hofstra Ithaca | W, 32–17 L, 17–24 |
| 1989 | First Round | Union (NY) | L, 14–42 |
| 1990 | First Round | Hofstra | L, 9–35 |
| 1997 | First Round | TCNJ | L, 30–34 |
| 2005 | First Round | Hobart | L, 22–23 |
| 2008 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals | Plymouth State Curry Mount Union | W, 31–14 W, 42–0 L, 14–41 |
| 2010 | First Round Second Round | Endicott Alfred | W, 49–35 L, 20–34 |
| 2012 | First Round Second Round | Framingham State Wesley | W, 20–19 L, 6–56 |
| 2015 | First Round Second Round | Salisbury Linfield | W, 45–21 L, 22–38 |
| 2021 | First Round Second Round | Springfield RPI | W, 26–21 L, 14–21 |
| 2022 | First Round | Randolph–Macon | L, 28–35 |
| 2023 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Stagg Bowl | Endicott Grove City Alma Randolph–Macon North Central (IL) | W, 23–17 W, 25–24 W, 58–41 W, 49–14 W, 38–37 |
| 2024 | Second Round Third Round | Endicott Springfield | W, 17–9 L, 28–40 |

## Notable former players

* Bob Bateson (1983), retired CFL & Italian Football League linebacker, current associate head coach of the Buffalo eXtreme
* Jake Ceresna (2016), NFL & CFL defensive end
* Scott Israel (BA, 1977), quarterback, former sheriff of Broward County, Florida, current police chief of Opa-locka, Florida.
* Kevin James, actor and comedian
* Ryan McCarthy (2002), head football coach at Central Connecticut University
* John Moiseichik (1946), professional basketball player in the National Basketball League
* Craig Peterson (2010), American football placekicker in the Indoor Football League
* Dan Pitcher (2011), NFL coach
* R-Kal Truluck (1997), NFL defensive end for the Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, and Arizona Cardinals