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| Location = Beaumont, TexasSouthland Conference>Southland| FirstYear = 1923| ATWins = 221| ATLosses = 307| ATTies = 9| BowlWins = 2| BowlLosses = 1| Playoffs = 0–1| NatlTitles = | ConfTitles = 5 (1957, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1971)Lamar}}| uniform =| FightSong = Cardinals Fight!| MascotDisplay = CardinalPUBLISHER=LAMAR UNIVERSITY, December 11, 2018, McNeese State Cowboys football>McNeese State (Battle of the Border (Lamar–McNeese State))Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns football>Louisiana (rivalry)| WebsiteName = lamarcardinals.com| WebsiteURL =lamarcardinals.com/sports/football}}The Lamar Cardinals football program represents Lamar University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) level. The Cardinals are members of the Southland Conference and play their home games in the 16,000 seat Provost Umphrey Stadium.WEB, Provost Umphrey Stadium,lamarcardinals.com/facilities/provost-umphrey-stadium/2, Lamar University Athletics, December 13, 2019, The Cardinals left the Southland Conference in July 2021 to join the Western Athletic Conference, which relaunched its football league at the FCS level during the 2021 season.PRESS RELEASE,wacsports.com/general/2020-21/releases/20210121f62s76, WAC Announces Expedited Entrance for Four Texas Institutions, Western Athletic Conference, January 21, 2021, January 25, 2021, After one season in the WAC, Lamar and the Southland Conference announced on July 11, 2022 Lamar’s accelerated return to the Southland Conference effective immediately.WEB, Thomas Scott, Lamar moving to Southland Conference -- immediately,www.chron.com/sports/lamar/article/Lamar-accelerates-move-to-Southland-Conference-17297267.php, Hearst, July 11, 2022, July 11, 2022,

History

{{see also|List of Lamar Cardinals football seasons}}

The early years

From its inception as South Park Junior College in 1923, football was a part of Lamar’s history. It was discontinued in 1928 because of a lack of common opponents but was revived again in 1932 by the renamed Lamar College. Coach John Gray led his charges to records of 8–1 that season and 8–1–1 in 1934 before the program was discontinued again in 1942 and did not resume again until the end of World War II. Football was restored in 1946 and the first football scholarships were offered. In the 1946 season Lamar posted an 8–2 ledger. The 1948 club (8–4–0) won two bowl games, and the 1949 outfit won an all time school record 10 games and another bowl trophy as the school bade farewell to the junior college era.After the school moved up to the NAIA level in the Lone Star Conference, the Cardinals didn’t have a winning season until a superb 8–0–2 season in 1957 ignited a string of 11 consecutive winning campaigns. The 1961 team advanced to the Tangerine Bowl (now the Capital One Bowl) against Middle Tennessee State on December 29, 1961, and won 21–14.Just as the Cardinals were becoming a perennial contender in the Lone Star loop, school officials moved the athletic program forward into the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) college division ranks in 1963 via the Southland Conference. The football team enjoyed immediate success with three straight SLC grid titles (1964–66). In 1964 the Cardinals were invited to the Pecan Bowl after a 6–3–1 campaign. The Cardinals lost 19–17 to Northern Iowa. The Cardinals had a second-place finish in 1967. A year later, the school’s athletic program embarked on another challenge by upgrading to the NCAA Division I level.WEB,advancement.lamar.edu/Websites/lamar/Images/Cardinal%20Cadence%20PDFs/LR_cadence_vol361.pdf, Archived copy, 2011-08-11, dead,advancement.lamar.edu/Websites/lamar/Images/Cardinal%20Cadence%20PDFs/LR_cadence_vol361.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20120322074618advancement.lamar.edu/Websites/lamar/Images/Cardinal%20Cadence%20PDFs/LR_cadence_vol361.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20120322074618advancement.lamar.edu/Websites/lamar/Images/Cardinal%20Cadence%20PDFs/LR_cadence_vol361.pdf, 2012-03-22, Lamar averaged 12,000 patrons through 1974, drawing a then record 16,226 against arch-rival McNeese State to Cardinal Stadium in 1972. The transition to Division I proved to be a spark for many LU sports but football experienced a downturn after 1974. Fans responded when new coach Larry Kennan delivered a 6–3–2 club in 1979; Games against Louisiana Tech (17,600) and West Texas State (17,250) rank second and third, respectively, behind the standing-room-only 18,500 Baylor drew for the 1980 opener. Lamar set an all-time attendance record by averaging 16,380 that season. The Cardinals’ signature win came on September 5, 1981, in an 18–17 win over the UPI No. 20 ranked Baylor Bears under Head Coach Larry Kennan.Football competed as an independent from 1987 to 1989 after Lamar left the Southland Conference in 1987 to join the newly formed non-football American South Conference.

Disbandment and reintroduction

Dismal support finally led to larger-than-expected deficits and provided the bottom line fodder for five new appointees to the then-Lamar University System board of regents to discontinue football at their first official session on December 15, 1989 (5 to 4 vote).WEB, Lamar University Drops Football,www.nytimes.com/1989/12/15/sports/lamar-university-drops-football.html, New York Times, December 11, 2018, December 15, 1989, WEB, Lamar University drops football program,www.upi.com/Archives/1989/12/14/Lamar-Univeristy-drops-football-program/4433629614800/, United Press International, December 11, 2018, December 14, 1989, Their vision was to divert money that was being spent on football to the basketball program and build Lamar into a basketball powerhouse.In 2010, as a member of the Texas State University System, the university brought the football team back.WEB,www.lamarcardinals.com/genrel/032009aaa.html, Houston couple gives Lamar University engineering, football program million gift – LAMARCARDINALS.COM – Lamar Cardinals Official Athletic Site, lamarcardinals.com, dead,www.lamarcardinals.com/genrel/032009aaa.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20141129020954www.lamarcardinals.com/genrel/032009aaa.html,">web.archive.org/web/20141129020954www.lamarcardinals.com/genrel/032009aaa.html, 2014-11-29, In preparation for the return of play the University did extensive work on the facilities including, Provost Umphrey Stadium, a new 54,000 sq ft Athletic complex,WEB,www.lamarcardinals.com/facilities/facilities-ath-complex.html, LAMARCARDINALS.COM – Lamar Cardinals Official Athletic Site – Facilities, lamarcardinals.com, dead,www.lamarcardinals.com/facilities/facilities-ath-complex.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20140712190915www.lamarcardinals.com/facilities/facilities-ath-complex.html,">web.archive.org/web/20140712190915www.lamarcardinals.com/facilities/facilities-ath-complex.html, 2014-07-12, and seven high class suites built into the existing Montagne Center,WEB,www.lamarcardinals.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/050610aaa.html,www.lamarcardinals.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/050610aaa.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20140715020124www.lamarcardinals.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/050610aaa.html,">web.archive.org/web/20140715020124www.lamarcardinals.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/050610aaa.html, dead, 2014-07-15, Morgan Suites to enhance Lamar University athletics facilities – LAMARCARDINALS.COM – Lamar Cardinals Official Athletic Site, lamarcardinals.com, new field turf,WEB,www.lamarcardinals.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/060909aaa.html, Football Artificial Turf Project Underway – LAMARCARDINALS.COM – Lamar Cardinals Official Athletic Site, lamarcardinals.com, dead,www.lamarcardinals.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/060909aaa.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20140715015758www.lamarcardinals.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/060909aaa.html,">web.archive.org/web/20140715015758www.lamarcardinals.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/060909aaa.html, 2014-07-15, and a new 26’ X 51’ video board.WEB,www.daktronics.com/Company/NewsReleases/Pages/LamarUniversity.aspx, Lamar University, daktronics.com, The university hired former NFL player Ray Woodard as the head coach to lead the charge in bringing the Cardinals back to the gridiron. Former Basketball Coach Billy Tubbs was hired as the Athletic Director in 2006 and had a significant role in bringing back the Cardinals football team.The football program, discontinued at the end of the 1989 season, was restarted with its first season back in 2010. The team competed as an independent that year. The first conference competition following the restart was in 2011.

Conference affiliations{| class“wikitable” style@text-align:center”

{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Lamar Cardinals|Seasons|Conference}}| Independent align=“center”1927–1931 >| Football not a sponsored sport align=“center” align=“center”| Independent align=“center”1943–1945 >| Football not a sponsored sport – World War II align=“center”| Southwestern Junior College Conference align=“center”| Lone Star Conference align=“center”| Southland Conference align=“center”NCAA Division I FCS independent schools>Division I-AA Independent align=“center”1990–2009 >| Football not a sponsored sport align=“center”| Southland Conference align=center| Western Athletic Conference align=“center”| Southland Conference“>

Division history{| class“wikitable” style@text-align:center”

{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Lamar Cardinals|Seasons|Division}}| National Junior College Athletic Association align=“center”1927–1931 >| Football not a sponsored sport align=“center”| National Junior College Athletic Association align=“center”1943–1945 >| Football not a sponsored sport – World War II align=“center”| National Junior College Athletic Association align=“center”National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics>National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) align=“center”NCAA Division II>NCAA College Division (Small College) align=“center”NCAA Division I>NCAA Division I (University) align=“center”NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision>NCAA Division I-A align=“center”NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision>NCAA Division I-AA align=“center”1990–2009 >| Football not a sponsored sport align=“center”NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision>NCAA Division I FCSEarly Years Reference:grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/lama/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/6-3-1.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}“>

Conference championships{| class“wikitable”

{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Lamar Cardinals|Season|Conference|Coach|Overall Record|Conference Record}}1957 Lamar Tech Cardinals football team>1957†LSC CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY - UPDATED 8/9/22 >URL=HTTPS://LONESTARCONFERENCE.ORG/DOCUMENTS/2022/8/9/CHAMPIONSHIP_HISTORY2122.PDF ACCESS-DATE=NOVEMBER 20, 2023 Lone Star Conference >James B. Higgins >| 5–0–21964 Lamar Tech Cardinals football team>1964 rowspan=“4”Southland Conference >Vernon Glass 6–3–1 3–0–11965 Lamar Tech Cardinals football team>1965 6–4 3–11966 Lamar Tech Cardinals football team>1966† 6–4 3–11971 Lamar Cardinals football team>1971† 5–6 4–1 † Denotes co-champions

Bowl games

Lamar participated in two NCAA College Division level bowl games, going 1–1.{| class=“wikitable” style="text-align:center”{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Lamar Cardinals|Season|Coach|Bowl|Opponent|Result}}Stan Lambert (American football)>Stan Lambert 1950 Silver Bowl >Mexico City College >| W 19–13 1961 Lamar Tech Cardinals football team>1961 James B. Higgins 1961 Tangerine Bowl >1961 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team>Middle Tennessee W 21–14 1964 Lamar Tech Cardinals football team>1964 Vernon Glass Pecan Bowl 1964 State College of Iowa Panthers football team >| L 17–19

FCS playoffs

Lamar participated in the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs for the first time in 2018.{| class=“wikitable” style="text-align:center”{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Lamar Cardinals|Season|Coach|Round|Opponent|Result}}2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season#Postseason>2018 Mike Schultz (American football) >2018 Northern Iowa Panthers football team>Northern Iowa L 13–16

Attendance

Highest attendance

Source:Below is a list of the Cardinals top 10 best-attended home games (all at Provost Umphrey Stadium).{| class=“wikitable”! Rk. !! Date !! Opponent !! AttendanceLamar CardinalsPUBLISHER=NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATIONPUBLISHER=NCAA, November 20, 2023, PUBLISHER=NCAA, November 20, 2023, | 6,812| 3,833 *| 9,218| 8,028| 8,417| 8,697| 13,136| 10,212| 10,738| 15,367| 15,367| 17,306

• Attendance restricted due to COVID19 restrictions.NEWS, Cardinals Release 2021 Spring Football Schedule,lamarcardinals.com/news/2020/9/22/cardinals-release-2021-spring-football-schedule.aspx, Lamar University Athletics, May 5, 2022, All home games will take place at Provost Umphrey Stadium ... Dates and stadium capacity will be contingent upon the current health conditions. Lamar University will continue to follow specific guidelines set forth by the NCAA, university and local medical authorities ...,

As of the 2023 season.

Rivalries

McNeese State

The two teams have met 40 times on the football field, with McNeese State holding a 28–11–1 edge in the all-time series. The rivalry has been expanded from football to head-to-head competition in all sports under a joint agreement with the two universities and Verizon Wireless.WEB,www.lamarcardinals.com/genrel/011409aaa.html, Verizon Wireless Announces Lamar-McNeese State Rivalry Series – LAMARCARDINALS.COM – Lamar Cardinals Official Athletic Site, lamarcardinals.com, dead,www.lamarcardinals.com/genrel/011409aaa.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20141024175104www.lamarcardinals.com/genrel/011409aaa.html,">web.archive.org/web/20141024175104www.lamarcardinals.com/genrel/011409aaa.html, 2014-10-24, {| class=“wikitable” style="margin:1em auto;”|+ McNeese State–Lamar: All-Time Record!Games played!First meeting!Last meeting!Lamar wins!Lamar losses!Ties!Win % style="text-align:center;“|40|November 10, 1951 (lost 7–13)|November 19, 2022 (lost 20-24)|11|28|1111}}

Louisiana

The first Sabine Shoe trophy was first awarded in 1937 to the winner of the SLI–Lamar football game.NEWS,findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_n46_v221/ai_19996617/pg_4/,findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_n46_v221/ai_19996617/pg_4/," title="archive.today/20120709183357findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_n46_v221/ai_19996617/pg_4/,">archive.today/20120709183357findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_n46_v221/ai_19996617/pg_4/, dead, 2012-07-09, The Sporting News, Tribal lore, 1997, The name of the bronze rivalry trophy was derived from the Sabine River that forms the Texas–Louisiana border. USL defeated Lamar in the 1978 edition of the rivalry game, but the Ragin’ Cajuns were not awarded the trophy as it had vanished.NEWS,sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1094162/2/index.htm, CNN, The Week, October 9, 1978, The Sabine Shoe trophy now sits in at trophy case in the Ragin’ Cajun Athletic Complex.{| class=“wikitable” style="margin:1em auto;”|+ UL Lafayette–Lamar: All-Time Record!Games played!First meeting!Last meeting!Lamar wins!Lamar losses!Ties!Win % style="text-align:center;“|34|October 27, 1923 (lost 16–19)|September 1, 2012 (lost 0–40)|11|23|0|32.4%

Future scheduled non-conference games

source:WEB, James Dixon, Roadrunners, Mean Green Added to Future Dockets,lamarcardinals.com/news/2019/9/29/football-roadrunners-mean-green-added-to-future-dockets.aspx?path=football, Lamar University Athletics, September 30, 2019, September 29, 2019, WEB, Lamar Cardinals,fbschedules.com/ncaa/lamar/, FBSchedules.com, January 30, 2024, WEB, Kevin Kelley, Idaho, Lamar schedule home-and-home football series for 2023, 2026,fbschedules.com/idaho-lamar-schedule-home-and-home-football-series-for-2023-2026/, FBSchedules.com, December 17, 2022, December 13, 2022, {| class=“wikitable”Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football>Mississippi Valley State(09/14) South Dakota Coyotes football(09/21) Texas Southern Tigers football>Texas Southern (08/31) Texas State Bobcats football(09/28) Central Arkansas Bears football>Central ArkansasSouth Dakota Coyotes football>South Dakota(9/20) Sacramento State Hornets football(09/27) Central Arkansas Bears football>Central Arkansas (08/30) North Texas Mean Green football(09/13) Texas Southern Tigers football>Texas SouthernIdaho Vandals football>Idaho(9/19) Sacramento StateRice Owls football>RiceWeber State Wildcats football>Weber State

See also

• List of NCAA Division I FCS football programs

References

{{reflist}}

External links

• {{Official website}}

{{Lamar Cardinals football navbox}}{{Lamar University}}{{Southland Conference football navbox}}

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- time: 6:05am EDT - Wed, May 22 2024