# Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy

The Lambert Trophy (formerly the "Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy") is an annual award given to the best team in the East in Division I FBS (formerly I-A) college football. In affiliation with the Metropolitan New York Football Writers (founded 1935), the Lambert Trophy was established by brothers Victor A. and Henry L. Lambert in memory of their father, August V. Lambert. The Lamberts were the principals in a distinguished Madison Avenue jewelry house and were prominent college football boosters.
By the time the “Lambert Trophy” was established in 1936, major schools in other regions of the country had formed their own leagues (i.e., SEC, Big Ten, Big Eight, Pacific Coast Conference, etc.) and Division I FBS (formerly I–A) schools located in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions remained independent, with the exception of the 1954 formation of the Ivy League. Emblematic of the "Eastern championship", the Lambert Trophy, voted on by a panel of sports writers in New York, became the de facto conference championship for those schools.
Since 1936, there have been 19 different winners in Division I-A/FBS. To be eligible for the Lambert Award, a school must be located in the "East." Teams in the "East" were originally interpreted as being north of Washington D.C. and east of the western boundary of Pennsylvania, but has sometimes been expanded to include teams located in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware and the District of Columbia (although there are no FBS teams in Delaware nor Washington D.C., there are teams that compete at lower levels that can win the various Lambert Cup awards for their levels). Additionally, while the Big East Conference was a football conference, members of that conference outside of the "East" were also made eligible if at least half their schedule was against Lambert-eligible teams.
A set of parallel trophies collectively known as the Lambert Cup were formerly awarded to teams in Division I FCS (formerly I-AA), Division II, and Division III. The Metropolitan New York Football Writers, owned and operated by American Football Networks, Inc., took the administration of the Lambert Meadowlands Awards back from the New Jersey Sports & Exhibition Authority in 2011.
As of 2024, plans were announced to revive the Lambert Trophy and begin awarding it for the 2024 season. Following this, the newly announced Lambert Trophy Championship Association awarded retroactive championships to Pittsburgh for 2021 and Penn State for 2023. It was additionally re-announced that Penn State had been awarded the trophy in 2022. Boston College, Temple, Navy, Army, Buffalo, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Penn State, UMass, UConn, and Syracuse will have automatic eligibility for The Lambert Trophy in 2024, with Delaware becoming eligible in 2025.

## Lambert Trophy winners
### By year

| Year | School | Record | Final AP Rank | Bowl |
| 1936 | Pittsburgh | 8–1–1 | #3 | Won Rose |
| 1937 | Pittsburgh | 9–0–1 | #1 | No bowl |
| 1938 | Carnegie Tech | 7–2 | #6 | Lost Sugar |
| 1939 | Cornell | 8–0 | #4 | No bowl |
| 1940 | Boston College | 11–0 | #5 | Won Sugar |
| 1941 | Fordham | 8–1 | #6 | Won Sugar |
| 1942 | Boston College | 8–2 | #8 | Lost Orange |
| 1943 | Navy | 8–1 | #4 | No bowl |
| 1944 | Army | 9–0 | #1 | No bowl |
| 1945 | Army | 9–0 | #1 | No bowl |
| 1946 | Army | 9–0–1 | #2 | No bowl |
| 1947 | Penn State | 9–0–1 | #4 | Tied Cotton |
| 1948 | Army | 8–0–1 | #6 | No bowl |
| 1949 | Army | 9–0 | #4 | No bowl |
| 1950 | Princeton | 9–0 | #6 | No bowl |
| 1951 | Princeton | 9–0 | #6 | No bowl |
| 1952 | Syracuse | 7–3 | #14 | Lost Orange |
| 1953 | Army | 7–1–1 | #14 | No bowl |
| 1954 | Navy | 8–2 | #5 | Won Sugar |
| 1955 | Pittsburgh | 7–4 | #11 | Lost Sugar |
| 1956 | Syracuse | 7–2 | #8 | Lost Cotton |
| 1957 | Navy | 8–1–1 | #5 | Won Cotton |
| 1958 | Army | 8–0–1 | #3 | No bowl |
| 1959 | Syracuse | 11–0 | #1 | Won Cotton |
| 1960 | Navy | 9–2 | #4 | Lost Orange |
| 1960 | Yale | 9–0 | #14 | No bowl |
| 1961 | Penn State | 8–3 | #17 | Won Gator |
| 1962 | Penn State | 9–2 | #9 | Lost Gator |
| 1963 | Navy | 9–2 | #2 | Lost Cotton |
| 1964 | Penn State | 6–4 | NR | No bowl |
| 1965 | Dartmouth | 9–0 | NR | No bowl |
| 1966 | Syracuse | 8–3 | NR | Lost Gator |
| 1967 | Penn State | 8–2–1 | #10 | Tied Gator |
| 1968 | Penn State | 11–0 | #2 | Won Orange |
| 1969 | Penn State | 11–0 | #2 | Won Orange |
| 1970 | Dartmouth | 9–0 | #14 | No bowl |
| 1971 | Penn State | 11–1 | #5 | Won Cotton |
| 1972 | Penn State | 10–2 | #10 | Lost Sugar |
| 1973 | Penn State | 12–0 | #5 | Won Orange |
| 1974 | Penn State | 10–2 | #7 | Won Cotton |
| 1975 | Penn State | 9–3 | #10 | Lost Sugar |
| 1976 | Pittsburgh | 12–0 | #1 | Won Sugar |
| 1977 | Penn State | 11–1 | #5 | Won Fiesta |
| 1978 | Penn State | 11–1 | #4 | Lost Sugar |
| 1979 | Pittsburgh | 11–1 | #7 | Won Fiesta |
| 1980 | Pittsburgh | 11–1 | #2 | Won Gator |
| 1981 | Penn State | 10–2 | #3 | Won Fiesta |
| 1982 | Penn State | 11–1 | #1 | Won Sugar |
| 1983 | Boston College | 9–3 | #19 | Lost Liberty |
| 1984 | Boston College | 10–2 | #5 | Won Cotton |
| 1985 | Penn State | 11–1 | #3 | Lost Orange |
| 1986 | Penn State | 12–0 | #1 | Won Fiesta |
| 1987 | Syracuse | 11–0–1 | #4 | Tied Sugar |
| 1988 | West Virginia | 11–1 | #5 | Lost Fiesta |
| 1989 | Penn State | 8–3–1 | #15 | Won Holiday |
| 1990 | Penn State | 9–3 | #11 | Lost Blockbuster |
| 1991 | Penn State | 11–2 | #3 | Won Fiesta |
| 1992 | Syracuse | 10–2 | #6 | Won Fiesta |
| 1993 | West Virginia | 11–1 | #7 | Lost Sugar |
| 1994 | Penn State | 12–0 | #2 | Won Rose |
| 1995 | Virginia Tech | 10–2 | #10 | Won Sugar |
| 1996 | Penn State | 11–2 | #7 | Won Fiesta |
| 1997 | Penn State | 9–3 | #16 | Lost Citrus |
| 1998 | Penn State | 9–3 | #17 | Won Outback |
| 1999 | Virginia Tech | 11–1 | #2 | Lost Sugar |
| 2000 | Miami (FL) | 11–1 | #2 | Won Sugar |
| 2001 | Miami (FL) | 12–0 | #1 | Won Rose |
| 2002 | Miami (FL) | 12–1 | #2 | Lost Fiesta |
| 2003 | Miami (FL) | 11–2 | #5 | Won Orange |
| 2004 | Boston College | 9–3 | #21 | Won Continental Tire |
| 2005 | Penn State | 11–1 | #3 | Won Orange |
| 2006 | Louisville | 12–1 | #5 | Won Orange |
| 2007 | West Virginia | 11–2 | #6 | Won Fiesta |
| 2008 | Penn State | 11–2 | #8 | Lost Rose |
| 2009 | Penn State | 11–2 | #9 | Won Capital One |
| 2010 | Connecticut | 8–5 | NR | Lost Fiesta |
| 2011 | West Virginia | 10–3 | #17 | Won Orange |
| 2012 | Cincinnati | 10–3 | NR | Won Belk |
| 2013 | Penn State | 7–5 | NR | No Bowl |
| 2014 | Rutgers | 8–5 | NR | Won Quick Lane |
| 2015 | Navy | 11–2 | #18 | Won Military |
| 2016 | Penn State | 11–3 | #7 | Lost Rose |
| 2017 | Penn State | 11–2 | #8 | Won Fiesta |
| 2018 | Army | 11–2 | #19 | Won Armed Forces |
| 2019 | Penn State | 11–2 | #9 | Won Cotton |
| 2020 | Army | 9–3 | NR | Lost Liberty |
| 2021 | Pittsburgh | 11–3 | #13 | Lost Peach |
| 2022 | Penn State | 11–2 | #7 | Won Rose |
| 2023 | Penn State | 10–3 | #13 | Lost Peach |
| 2024 | Penn State | 13-3 | #5 | Won CFP First Round, Won Fiesta, Lost Orange |

### By team

| School | Total | Years won |
| Penn State | 35 | 1947, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| Army | 9 | 1944, 1945, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1953, 1958, 2018, 2020 |
| Pittsburgh | 7 | 1936, 1937, 1955, 1976, 1979, 1980, 2021 |
| Syracuse | 6 | 1952, 1956, 1959, 1966, 1987, 1992 |
| Navy | 6 | 1943, 1954, 1957, 1960 (co-champions), 1963, 2015 |
| Boston College | 5 | 1940, 1942, 1983, 1984, 2004 |
| Miami (FL)* | 4 | 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 |
| West Virginia | 4 | 1988, 1993, 2007, 2011 |
| Dartmouth^ | 2 | 1965, 1970 |
| Princeton^ | 2 | 1950, 1951 |
| Virginia Tech | 2 | 1995, 1999 |
| Carnegie Tech† | 1 | 1938 |
| Cincinnati* | 1 | 2012 |
| Connecticut | 1 | 2010 |
| Cornell^ | 1 | 1939 |
| Fordham^ | 1 | 1941 |
| Louisville* | 1 | 2006 |
| Rutgers | 1 | 2014 |
| Yale^ | 1 | 1960 (co-champions) |
^ Now a member of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). † Now a member of NCAA Division III.
* No longer eligible to win Lambert Trophy

## Lambert Cup
### Football Championship Subdivision (Division I-AA)

| Year | Team | Record | Playoff results |
| 1982 | Delaware | 12–2 | Championship Game |
| 1983 | Holy Cross | 9–2–1 | First Round |
| 1984 | Rhode Island | 10–3 | Semifinals |
| 1985 | Rhode Island | 10–3 | Quarterfinals |
| 1986 | Holy Cross | 10–1 | Did not play (Patriot) |
| 1987 | Holy Cross | 11–0 | Did not play (Patriot) |
| 1988 | Holy Cross | 9–2 | Did not play (Patriot) |
| 1989 | Holy Cross | 10–1 | Did not play (Patriot) |
| 1990 | William & Mary | 10–3 | Quarterfinals |
| 1991 | Delaware | 10–2 | First Round |
| 1992 | Villanova | 9–3 | First Round |
| 1993 | Boston University | 12–1 | Quarterfinals |
| 1994 | James Madison | 10–3 | Quarterfinals |
| 1995 | Delaware | 11–2 | Quarterfinals |
| 1996 | William & Mary | 10–3 | Quarterfinals |
| 1997 | Delaware | 12–2 | Semifinals |
| 1998 | UMass | 12–3 | National Champions |
| 1999 | Hofstra | 11–2 | Quarterfinals |
| 2000 | Delaware | 12–2 | Semifinals |
| Year | Team | Record | Playoff results |
| 2001 | Lehigh | 11–1 | Quarterfinals |
| 2002 | Villanova | 11–4 | Semifinals |
| 2003 | Delaware | 15–1 | National Champions |
| 2004 | James Madison | 13–2 | National Champions |
| 2005 | New Hampshire | 11–2 | Quarterfinals |
| 2006 | UMass | 13–2 | Championship Game |
| 2007 | Delaware | 11–4 | Championship Game |
| 2008 | James Madison | 12–2 | Semifinals |
| 2009 | Villanova | 14–1 | National Champions |
| 2010 | Delaware | 12–3 | Championship Game |
| 2011 | Lehigh | 11–2 | Quarterfinals |
| 2012 | Old Dominion | 11–2 | Quarterfinals |
| 2013 | Towson | 13–3 | Championship Game |
| 2014 | New Hampshire | 12–2 | Semifinals |
| 2015 | Dartmouth/Harvard/Penn | 9–1/9–1/7–3 | Did not play (Ivy) |
| 2016 | James Madison | 14–1 | National Champions |
| 2017 | James Madison | 14–1 | Championship Game |
| 2018 | Colgate | 10–2 | Quarterfinals |
| 2019 | James Madison | 14–2 | Championship Game |
| Year | Team | Record | Playoff results |
| 2020 | James Madison | 7–1 | Semifinals |
NOTE: The Ivy League, and until 1997, the Patriot League, do/did not participate in the NCAA Division I Football Tournament.

#### Most FCS Lambert Cups

| Team | Total | Years won |
| Delaware | 8 | 1982, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2010 |
| James Madison | 7 | 1994, 2004, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 |
| Holy Cross | 5 | 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 |
| Villanova | 3 | 1992, 2002, 2009 |
| Lehigh | 2 | 2001, 2011 |
| UMass † | 2 | 1998, 2006 |
| New Hampshire | 2 | 2005, 2014 |
| Rhode Island | 2 | 1984, 1985 |
| William & Mary | 2 | 1990, 1996 |
| Boston University ‡ | 1 | 1993 |
| Colgate | 1 | 2018 |
| Fordham | 1 | 2015 |
| Hofstra ‡ | 1 | 1999 |
| Old Dominion † | 1 | 2012 |
| Towson | 1 | 2013 |
† Now a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). ‡ Discontinued football

### Division II

| Year | Team | Record | Playoff results |
| 1957 | Lehigh | 8–1 | No playoffs |
| 1958 | Buffalo | 8–1 | Tangerine Bowl (refused) |
| 1959 | Delaware | 8–1 | No playoffs |
| 1960 | Bucknell | 7–2 | No playoffs |
| 1961 | Lehigh | 7–2 | No playoffs |
| 1962 | Delaware | 7–2 | No playoffs |
| 1963 | Delaware | 8–0 | No playoffs |
| 1964 | Bucknell | 7–2 | No playoffs |
| 1965 | Maine | 8–2 | Tangerine Bowl (L) |
| 1966 | Gettysburg | 7–2 | No playoffs |
| 1967 | West Chester | 10–1 | Tangerine Bowl (L) |
| 1968 | Delaware | 8–3 | Boardwalk Bowl |
| 1969 | Delaware | 9–2 | Boardwalk Bowl |
| 1969 | Wesleyan | 8–0 | No playoffs |
| 1970 | Delaware | 9–2 | Boardwalk Bowl |
| 1971 | Delaware | 10–1 | National Champions |
| 1972 | Delaware | 10–0 | National Champions |
| 1973 | Delaware | 8–4 | Quarterfinals |
| 1973 | Lehigh | 7–4–1 | Quarterfinals |
| 1974 | Delaware | 12–2 | Championship Game |
| 1975 | Lehigh | 9–3 | Quarterfinals |
| 1976 | Delaware | 8–3–1 | Quarterfinals |
| 1977 | Lehigh | 12–2 | National Champions |
| 1978 | UMass | 9–4 | I-AA Championship Game |
| 1979 | Delaware | 13–1 | National Champions |
| 1980 | Lehigh | 9–1–2 | I-AA Semifinals |
| 1981 | Shippensburg | 12–1 | Div II Semifinals |
| 1982 | East Stroudsburg | 9–2 | No playoffs |
| 1983 | Towson State | 10–2 | Quarterfinals |
| 1984 | Towson State | 9–4 | Semifinals |
| 1985 | Bloomsburg | 12–1 | Semifinals |
| 1986 | Towson State | 8–3–1 | Quarterfinals |
| Year | Team | Record | Playoff results |
| 1987 | IUP | 10–2 | Quarterfinals |
| 1988 | Millersville | 10–2 | Quarterfinals |
| 1989 | IUP | 11–2 | Semifinals |
| 1990 | IUP | 12–2 | Championship Game |
| 1991 | IUP | 12–1 | Semifinals |
| 1992 | New Haven | 12–1 | Semifinals |
| 1993 | IUP | 13–1 | Championship Game |
| 1994 | IUP | 10–3 | Semifinals |
| 1995 | New Haven | 10–1–1 | Quarterfinals |
| 1996 | Clarion | 11–3 | Semifinals |
| 1997 | New Haven | 12–2 | Championship Game |
| 1998 | Slippery Rock | 12–2 | Semifinals |
| 1999 | IUP | 9–4 | Semifinals |
| 2000 | Bloomsburg | 12–3 | Championship Game |
| 2001 | IUP | 8–2 | First Round |
| 2002 | IUP | 11–2 | Quarterfinals |
| 2003 | IUP | 10–1 | No playoffs |
| 2004 | West Chester | 11–4 | Semifinals |
| 2005 | East Stroudsburg | 11–3 | Semifinals |
| 2006 | West Chester | 9–4 | Second Round |
| 2007 | California (PA) | 13–1 | Semifinals |
| 2008 | West Chester | 9–4 | Second Round |
| 2009 | California (PA) | 11–4 | Semifinals |
| 2010 | Mercyhurst | 10–3 | Quarterfinals |
| 2011 | New Haven | 11–2 | Quarterfinals |
| 2012 | IUP | 12–2 | Quarterfinals |
| 2013 | West Chester | 13–2 | Semifinals |
| 2014 | Bloomsburg | 11–2 | Quarterfinals |
| 2015 | Shepherd | 13–1 | Championship Game |
| 2016 | Shepherd | 13–1 | Semifinals |
| 2017 | IUP | 13–1 | Semifinals |
| 2018 | LIU Post | 10–1 | First Round |
| Year | Team | Record | Playoff results |
| 2019 | West Chester | 9–3 | First Round |

#### Most D-II Lambert Cups

| School | Total | Years won |
| IUP | 12 | 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2012, 2017 |
| Delaware † | 11 | 1959, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1969(½), 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973(½), 1974, 1976, 1979 |
| West Chester | 6 | 1967, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2019 |
| Lehigh † | 5½ | 1957, 1961, 1973 (½), 1975, 1977, 1980 |
| New Haven | 4 | 1992, 1995, 1997, 2011 |
| Bloomsburg | 3 | 1985, 2000, 2014 |
| Towson State † | 3 | 1983, 1984, 1986 |
| Bucknell † | 2 | 1960, 1964 |
| California (PA) | 2 | 2007, 2009 |
| East Stroudsburg | 2 | 1982, 2005 |
| Shepherd | 2 | 2015, 2016 |
| Buffalo ‡ | 1 | 1958 |
| Clarion | 1 | 1996 |
| Gettysburg ^ | 1 | 1966 |
| LIU Post | 1 | 2018 |
| Maine † | 1 | 1965 |
| UMass ‡ | 1 | 1978 |
| Mercyhurst | 1 | 2010 |
| Millersville | 1 | 1988 |
| Shippensburg | 1 | 1981 |
| Slippery Rock | 1 | 1998 |
| Wesleyan ^ | ½ | 1969 (½) |
‡ Now a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). † Now a member of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). ^ Now a member of Division III.

### Division III

| Year | Team |
| 1966 | Wilkes |
| 1967 | Wagner |
| 1968 | Wilkes |
| 1969 | Merchant Marine |
| 1970 | Edinboro |
| 1971 | Alfred |
| 1972 | Franklin & Marshall |
| 1973 | C. W. Post |
| 1974 | Ithaca |
| 1975 | Ithaca |
| 1976 | C. W. Post |
| 1977 | Westminster (PA) |
| 1978 | Ithaca |
| 1979 | Carnegie Mellon |
| 1980 | Ithaca |
| 1981 | Widener |
| 1982 | Plymouth State |
| Year | Team |
| 1983 | Hofstra |
| 1984 | Union (NY) |
| 1984 | Ithaca |
| 1985 | Ithaca |
| 1986 | Salisbury State |
| 1987 | Wagner |
| 1988 | Ithaca |
| 1989 | Union (NY) |
| 1990 | Allegheny |
| 1991 | Ithaca |
| 1992 | Washington & Jefferson |
| 1993 | Rowan |
| 1994 | Washington & Jefferson |
| 1995 | Rowan |
| 1996 | Rowan |
| 1997 | Lycoming |
| 1998 | Rowan |
| Year | Team |
| 1999 | Rowan |
| 2000 | Widener |
| 2001 | Rowan |
| 2002 | Brockport |
| 2003 | RPI |
| 2004 | Rowan |
| 2005 | Rowan |
| 2006 | St. John Fisher |
| 2007 | Wesley |
| 2008 | Cortland |
| 2009 | Wesley |
| 2010 | Wesley |
| 2011 | Wesley |
| 2012 | Hobart |
| 2013 | St. John Fisher |
| 2014 | Wesley |
| 2015 | Wesley |
| Year | Team |
| 2016 | Alfred |
| 2017 | Brockport |
| 2018 | Johns Hopkins |
| 2019 | Muhlenberg |

#### Most D-III Lambert Cups

| Team | Total | Years won |
| Rowan | 8 | 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005 |
| Ithaca | 7½ | 1974, 1975, 1978, 1980, 1984 (½), 1985, 1988, 1991 |
| Wesley | 6 | 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015 |
| Alfred | 2 | 1971, 2016 |
| Brockport | 2 | 2002, 2017 |
| C. W. Post ‡ | 2 | 1973, 1976 |
| St. John Fisher | 2 | 2006, 2013 |
| Wagner † | 2 | 1967, 1987 |
| Washington & Jefferson | 2 | 1992, 1994 |
| Widener | 2 | 1981, 2000 |
| Wilkes | 2 | 1966, 1968 |
| Union (NY) | 1½ | 1984 (½), 1989 |
| Allegheny | 1 | 1990 |
| Carnegie Mellon | 1 | 1979 |
| Cortland | 1 | 2008 |
| Edinboro ‡ | 1 | 1970 |
| Franklin & Marshall | 1 | 1972 |
| Hobart | 1 | 2012 |
| Hofstra ^ | 1 | 1983 |
| Johns Hopkins | 1 | 2018 |
| Lycoming | 1 | 1997 |
| Merchant Marine | 1 | 1969 |
| Muhlenberg | 1 | 2019 |
| Plymouth State | 1 | 1982 |
| RPI | 1 | 2003 |
| Salisbury | 1 | 1986 |
| Westminster (PA) | 1 | 1977 |
† Now a member of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). ‡ Now a member of Division II. ^ Discontinued football