Albany Great Danes football The Albany Great Danes football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University at Albany located in the U . S . state of New York . The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision ( FCS ) and completed a 14 - season tenure in the Northeast Conference in 2012 . In 2013 , Albany football will move to the Colonial Athletic Association ( CAA ) . Albany played football as a club sport in the 1920s , but dropped that program in 1924 . The modern era of Albany football began in 1970 , when the school restored football as a club sport . The team was upgraded to full varsity status in 1973 . From the revival of football in 1970 through 2012 , the team played its home games at the 10 , 000 seat University Field in Albany , New York . Albany will open a new 8 , 500 - seat stadium , Bob Ford Field , for the 2013 season . The stadium is named after Bob Ford , who has been the Great Danes ' head coach since the program ' s revival . History . One of the most well known coaches at the university is football coach Bob Ford . The architect of the University at Albany ' s football program , Ford has been Albany ' s only head coach since the program was reinstated after a 46 - year absence . Ford joined the program in 1970 when it was a club . After only three seasons at the club level , the program was upgraded to varsity status in 1973 , and finished with a 7 – 2 record . In 1974 , the team finished 9 – 0 , the school ' s only undefeated season . Ford has put together a record of 246 - 156 with the Great Danes , while his 256 career victories rank first among active NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision ( FCS ) head coaches . His UAlbany teams own a 80 - 52 mark for a . 606 winning percentage as a Division I FCS program . ( records as of end of 2011 season ) . Ford recorded his 250th career win with a 38 - 10 victory against Duquesne on October 8 , 2011 . At his time with Albany , Ford has led the Great Danes to one ECAC North Championships ( D - III ) , one Division - III Playoff appearance , two East Football Conference Championships and three Northeast Conference Championships ( two Co - Championship ) . Ford ' s knowledge has also created a " coaching factory scenario " at the university . More than 100 coaches , who have started their careers under Ford , are currently employed with 60 different high schools , colleges , and professional teams from around the world . [ edit ] 1999 – 2010 : Start of Division I Football The Great Danes have been successful in football since its first season on the Division I - AA level . In the 1999 season the Great Danes compiled a 7 – 2 overall record , finishing 6 – 1 in - conference , which was good for second in the NEC . In 2002 , Ford ' s team had its first big successful season at the Division I level . The Great Danes , led by running - back Gary Jones , would win the program ' s first - ever Northeast Conference title . They would go on to defeat unbeaten Duquesne in the 2002 ECAC Bowl . Jones would set the single - season rushing record mark with 1 , 509 yards ( 1 , 380 m ) and scoring a program record 22 rushing touchdowns . Jones would break his own single - season mark the following season , rushing for 1 , 524 yards ( 1 , 394 m ) . He would also become the programs all - time leading rusher with 3 , 033 yards ( 2 , 773 m ) in only two seasons with the Great Danes . Success for Ford ' s program continued during the 2006 season . The Great Danes would defeat # 11 FCS ranked University of Delaware ( a full - scholarship program ) 17 – 10 in front of just over 22 , 000 people on September 16 . Two weeks later , for the first time in the program ’ s history , the team would be ranked in both The Sports Network and College Sporting News Division I - AA national polls , ranked at No . 23 in both national rankings . The Great Danes would finish the season 7 – 4 . The 2006 season also marked a major change in recruitment of athletes for the football program . The program , which had played non - scholarship football since being established , had begun offering scholarships to part of its roster players , joining other Northeast Conference programs in the expansion of the conferences football teams . Despite starting the season 1 – 3 , including loses to # 19 Hofstra and # 2 University of Montana , the Great Danes in 2007 would run through the NEC Conference , going 6 – 0 , to win their second conference championship . In what was deemed the ' NEC Championship Game ' , UAlbany defeated Central Connecticut State University 49 – 14 in the final regular season game . The Great Danes became the fifth team in NEC history to go undefeated in conference play . The victory also gave them a postseason appearance against the University of Dayton of the Pioneer League in the Gridiron Classic in Dayton , Ohio . UAlbany continued its run during the 2008 season despite playing an un - orthodox schedule to start the season . The Great Danes would play their first five games of the season on the road , three against Top 25 ranked FCS opponents , and eight consecutive road games from the 2007 to the 2008 season . UAlbany would be the lone Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision team to not play at home in August or September of the 2008 season . Led by running - back David McCarty , who would break Gary Jones single season and career rushing record during the season , the Great Danes would go 7 – 0 to win their second consecutive NEC Championship . The undefeated season marked a 13 conference game winning streak , second longest in NEC History , and the second time in conference history a team won back - to - back championships . The Great Danes defeated the Jacksonville University Dolphins in their second consecutive appearance in the Gridiron Classic on December 6 , 2008 by a score of 28 – 0 . Prior to the 2008 season , the NCAA Board of Directors ' approved the expansion of the Division I Football Championship Subdivision post - season bracket , allowing the Northeast Conference to gain automatic access into the Division I Football Championship beginning in 2010 . The NEC ’ s automatic access could come sooner than 2010 if its champion meets specified criteria of the Football Championship Committee for an at - large spot . In 2011 , after 39 years of running the program , Ford ' s program would reach a major accomplishment . The Great Danes would finish the season 8 - 3 ( 7 - 1 in conference ) , despite starting the season 0 - 2 . The team would finish the season as co - champions with Duquesne . However , because of a 38 - 10 victory against the Dukes earlier in the season , the Great Danes would win their first ever trip to the NCAA Division I Football Championship . They would play former NEC opponent and Big South Champions , the Stony Brook Seawolves in the first round of the tournament . They would lose 31 - 28 , as the Seawolves came up with an interception at the goal - line with under a minute to play . Stony Brook coach Chuck Priore graduated from Albany , played for Bob Ford and was running back coach for Albany from 1983 - 85 . The Great Danes would have strong leaders on the 2011 team . Senior quarterback , Dan Di Lella would lead an offense that averaged 34 . 2 point per game . Di Lella would set a school record for most touchdowns passes in a single season . On defense , senior captain defensive - end Eddie Delaney would set a single season school record for sacks . Delaney would also get national recognition for his success on the field despite being a diabetic and having been born without a left hand . [ 2 ] [ edit ] Bob Ford Field and move to CAA On April 17 , 2012 , the university broke ground on a new multi - sport complex that would be available for use beginning in Fall 2013 . Along with a complex that will be the new home for football and soccer , a new track will be created on the current football field , University Field . The plans to build the stadium were revealed in the summer of 2011 . The new stadium , which the field will be named Bob Ford Field , will hold initially 6 , 000 . However , the stadium will be built so future expansion can take place upwards to 10 , 000 to 15 , 000 . It was announced on August 7 , 2012 that beginning in 2013 , the football program would accept an increase in scholarships and move out of the Northeast Conference and into the Colonial Athletic Association . Stony Brook , a former Northeast Conference rival , would also be making the move with them . On November 17 , 2012 , the Great Danes played their final NEC Conference game and final game at University Field against Central Connecticut State . UAlbany defeated the Blue Devils 63 - 34 , finishing 78 - 24 all - time against NEC opponents and 127 - 65 at University Field . The Great Danes also clinched a share of the NEC Championship . However , they did not win the NEC automatic bid do to a loss against Wagner ( one of only two loses on the 2012 season ) and finishing in a tie with the Seahawks . Notable former players . Notable alumni include :