The William & Mary Tribe football teams represented the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. The program was established in 1893 and serves as William & Mary's oldest athletic team. Their long-time football rival is the University of Richmond and their annual meeting is dubbed the I-64 Bowl (later renamed the Capital Cup starting in the 2009 season), so named for the highway connecting the two nearby schools.
Jimmye Laycock, a former William & Mary Tribe starting quarterback from 1967 to 1969, became the new head coach in 1980. He had previously worked as position and assistant coaches at various school for the 10 years prior to his first head coaching job, coincidentally at his alma mater. Laycock went 2–9 in 1980, his first season of what would eventually become the longest tenured and all-time winningest coach in school history. As of 2012, Laycock is still the head coach and is in his 35th consecutive year at William & Mary.
Of the era's 10 seasons, three stand out as particularly noteworthy. In 1986, the Tribe finished with a then-school record nine wins (9–3) and an appearance in the Division I-AA playoffs. Though they would lose their first round game at home to Delaware, the season was a successful one.
Then, in 1988, William & Mary was selected as the inaugural American college football team to participate in the Epson Ivy Bowl, a special football game to be played against a team of all-stars from Japan. The Tribe traveled to Yokohama and easily won, 73–3. The game itself was started to try to spread the sport's popularity to other parts of the world.
In 1989, for the second time in four years, the Tribe qualified for the playoffs. The result was the same—a first round loss, this time to the Furman Paladins—but William & Mary still finished the season with an 8–3–1 record. Jimmye Laycock ended his first decade with a winning record (57–53–2).
1980
Date |
Opponent |
Site |
Result
|
September 6 |
at NC State |
Carter-Finley Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina |
L 0–42
|
September 13 |
VMI |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
L 10–13
|
September 20 |
at Virginia Tech |
Lane Stadium • Blacksburg, Virginia |
L 3–7
|
September 27 |
at Navy |
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium • Annapolis, Maryland |
L 6–45
|
October 4 |
Wake Forest |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
L 7–27
|
October 11 |
Dartmouth |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 17–14
|
October 18 |
at Rutgers |
Rutgers Stadium • Piscataway, New Jersey |
W 21–18
|
October 25 |
Delaware |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
L 3–7
|
November 1 |
at East Carolina |
Ficklen Stadium • Greenville, North Carolina |
L 23–31
|
November 8 |
at Harvard |
Harvard Stadium • Allston, Massachusetts |
L 13–24
|
November 22 |
at Richmond |
City Stadium • Richmond, Virginia (I-64 Bowl) |
L 14–26
|
|
1981
Date |
Opponent |
Site |
Result
|
September 5 |
at Temple |
Temple Stadium • Philadelphia |
L 0–42
|
September 12 |
Miami (OH) |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
L 14–33
|
September 19 |
at Virginia Tech |
Lane Stadium • Blacksburg, Virginia |
L 3–47
|
October 3 |
at VMI |
Alumni Memorial Field • Lexington, Virginia (Rivalry) |
L 14–31
|
October 10 |
at Dartmouth |
Memorial Field • Hanover, New Hampshire |
W 12–7
|
October 17 |
Marshall |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 38–7
|
October 24 |
at Navy |
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium • Annapolis, Maryland |
L 0–27
|
October 31 |
James Madison |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
W 31–19
|
November 7 |
Harvard |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
L 14–23
|
November 14 |
at East Carolina |
Ficklen Stadium • Greenville, North Carolina |
W 31–21
|
November 21 |
Richmond |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (I-64 Bowl) |
W 35–21
|
|
1982
Date |
Opponent |
Site |
Result
|
September 11 |
at Miami (OH) |
Miami Field • Oxford, Ohio |
L 17–35
|
September 18 |
VMI |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
W 24–12
|
September 25 |
at Virginia Tech |
Lane Stadium • Blacksburg, Virginia |
L 3–47
|
October 2 |
at Rutgers |
Rutgers Stadium • Piscataway, New Jersey |
L 17–27
|
October 9 |
Dartmouth |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 24–16
|
October 16 |
at Navy |
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium • Annapolis, Maryland |
L 3–39
|
October 23 |
at James Madison |
JMU Stadium • Harrisonburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
L 18–24
|
October 30 |
at Delaware |
Delaware Stadium • Newark, Delaware (Rivalry) |
L 21–62
|
November 6 |
Brown |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
L 22–23
|
November 13 |
East Carolina |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
L 27–31
|
November 20 |
at Richmond |
City Stadium • Richmond, Virginia (I-64 Bowl) |
W 28–17
|
|
1983
Date |
Opponent |
Site |
Result
|
September 10 |
at VMI |
Alumni Memorial Field • Lexington, Virginia (Rivalry) |
W 28–14
|
September 17 |
Delaware |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
L 13–30
|
September 24 |
at North Carolina |
Kenan Memorial Stadium • Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
L 20–51
|
October 1 |
vs. Yale |
Foreman Field • Norfolk, Virginia (Oyster Bowl) |
W 26–14
|
October 8 |
at Dartmouth |
Memorial Field • Hanover, New Hampshire |
W 21–17
|
October 15 |
James Madison |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
W 24–21
|
October 22 |
Rutgers |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
L 28–35
|
October 29 |
at Virginia Tech |
Lane Stadium • Blacksburg, Virginia |
L 21–59
|
November 5 |
at Marshall |
Fairfield Stadium • Huntington, West Virginia |
W 48–24
|
November 12 |
at East Carolina |
Ficklen Stadium • Greenville, North Carolina |
L 6–40
|
November 19 |
Richmond |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (I-64 Bowl) |
W 24–15
|
|
1984
Date |
Opponent |
Site |
Result
|
September 8 |
VMI |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
W 24–13
|
September 15 |
at Delaware |
Delaware Stadium • Newark, Delaware (Rivalry) |
W 23–21
|
September 22 |
at No. 7 Penn State |
Beaver Stadium • University Park, Pennsylvania |
L 18–56
|
September 29 |
at James Madison |
JMU Stadium • Harrisonburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
W 20–10
|
October 6 |
Temple |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
L 14–28
|
October 13 |
Boston University |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 24–3
|
October 20 |
at Virginia Tech |
Lane Stadium • Blacksburg, Virginia |
L 14–38
|
October 27 |
at Wake Forest |
Alumni Memorial Field • Lexington, Virginia |
L 21–34
|
November 3 |
Lehigh |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 24–10
|
November 10 |
at Colgate |
Andy Kerr Stadium • Hamilton, New York |
W 48–39
|
November 17 |
at Richmond |
University of Richmond Stadium • Richmond, Virginia (I-64 Bowl) |
L 31–33
|
#Rankings from Associated Press. |
1985
Date |
Opponent |
Site |
Result
|
September 7 |
at Wake Forest |
Groves Stadium • Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
L 23–30
|
September 14 |
Norfolk State |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 28–15
|
September 21 |
Delaware |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
W 17–16
|
September 28 |
James Madison |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
W 31–14
|
October 5 |
at Harvard |
Harvard Stadium • Allston, Massachusetts |
W 21–14
|
October 12 |
at Virginia Tech |
Lane Stadium • Blacksburg, Virginia |
L 10–40
|
October 19 |
at Temple |
Temple Stadium • Philadelphia |
L 16–45
|
October 26 |
at VMI |
Alumni Memorial Field • Lexington, Virginia (Rivalry) |
L 38–39
|
November 2 |
at Lehigh |
Taylor Stadium • Bethlehem, Pennsylvania |
W 31–29
|
November 9 |
at Princeton |
Palmer Stadium • Princeton, New Jersey |
W 33–28
|
November 16 |
Richmond |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (I-64 Bowl) |
W 28–17
|
|
1986
Date |
Opponent |
Site |
Result
|
September 13 |
Colgate |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 42–21
|
September 20 |
VMI |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
W 37–22
|
September 27 |
at Bucknell |
Memorial Stadium • Lewisburg, Pennsylvania |
W 30–13
|
October 4 |
Harvard |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 24–0
|
October 11 |
at Lehigh |
Taylor Stadium • Bethlehem, Pennsylvania |
W 44–34
|
October 18 |
at Delaware |
Delaware Stadium • Newark, Delaware (Rivalry) |
W 24–18
|
October 25 |
at James Madison |
JMU Stadium • Harrisonburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
L 33–42
|
November 1 |
at Virginia |
Scott Stadium • Charlottesville, Virginia |
W 41–37
|
November 8 |
Princeton |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 32–14
|
November 15 |
Holy Cross |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
L 7–31
|
November 22 |
at Richmond |
University of Richmond Stadium • Richmond, Virginia (I-64 Bowl) |
W 21–14
|
November 29 |
Delaware |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry; Division I-AA playoffs) |
L 17–51
|
|
|
---|
|
|
|
Champion – Georgia Southern Eagles |
1987
Date |
Opponent |
Site |
Result
|
September 5 |
at East Tennessee State |
Memorial Center • Johnson City, Tennessee |
L 25–49
|
September 12 |
at Navy |
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium • Annapolis, Maryland |
W 27–17
|
September 19 |
at Colgate |
Andy Kerr Stadium • Hamilton, New York |
L 7–19
|
October 3 |
Lehigh |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 28–27
|
October 10 |
at Yale |
Yale Bowl • New Haven, Connecticut |
L 34–40
|
October 17 |
Delaware |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
L 14–38
|
October 24 |
James Madison |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
L 22–28
|
October 31 |
vs. VMI |
Foreman Field • Norfolk, Virginia (Rivalry / Oyster Bowl) |
W 17–6
|
November 7 |
Bucknell |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 31–6
|
November 14 |
at Holy Cross |
Fitton Field • Worcester, Massachusetts |
L 7–40
|
November 21 |
Richmond |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (I-64 Bowl) |
W 20–7
|
|
1988
William & Mary became the first university to compete in the Epson Ivy Bowl in Yokohama, defeating a football team composed of Japanese all-stars, 73–3. The game occurred on January 8, 1989, but does not count toward official win-loss records. In order to participate in the game, however, the Tribe were forced to abstain from the Division I-AA playoffs that they had qualified for.
Date |
Opponent |
Site |
Result
|
September 3 |
at Virginia |
Scott Stadium • Charlottesville, Virginia |
L 23–31
|
September 10 |
VMI |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
W 30–7
|
September 17 |
Lehigh |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 14–6
|
September 24 |
at James Madison |
JMU Stadium • Harrisonburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
W 10–3
|
October 8 |
at Delaware |
Delaware Stadium • Newark, Delaware (Rivalry) |
L 35–38
|
October 15 |
New Hampshire |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 33–31
|
October 22 |
Villanova |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
T 14–14
|
October 29 |
at No. 18 Georgia |
Sanford Stadium • Athens, Georgia |
L 24–59
|
November 5 |
Wofford |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 30–14
|
November 12 |
Colgate |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 28–3
|
November 19 |
at Richmond |
University of Richmond Stadium • Richmond, Virginia (I-64 Bowl) |
L 19–24
|
January 8, 1989 |
at Japan All-Stars |
Yokohama Stadium • Yokohama, Japan (Epson Ivy Bowl) |
W 73–3
|
#Rankings from Associated Press. |
1989
Date |
Opponent |
Site |
Result
|
September 9 |
Colgate |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 17–13
|
September 16 |
at VMI |
Alumni Memorial Field • Lexington, Virginia (Rivalry) |
W 24–17
|
September 23 |
at Princeton |
Palmer Stadium • Princeton, New Jersey |
T 31–31
|
September 30 |
at Virginia |
Scott Stadium • Charlottesville, Virginia |
L 12–24
|
October 7 |
Delaware |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
W 27–24
|
October 14 |
vs. Boston University |
Foreman Field • Norfolk, Virginia (Oyster Bowl) |
W 13–10
|
October 21 |
at Villanova |
Villanova Stadium • Villanova, Pennsylvania |
L 17–20
|
October 28 |
at Lehigh |
Goodman Stadium • Bethlehem, Pennsylvania |
W 55–39
|
November 4 |
East Tennessee State |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia |
W 34–28
|
November 11 |
James Madison |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (Rivalry) |
W 24–21
|
November 18 |
Richmond |
Cary Field • Williamsburg, Virginia (I-64 Bowl) |
W 22–10
|
November 25 |
at Furman |
Paladin Stadium • Greenville, South Carolina (Division I-AA playoffs) |
L 10–24
|
|
|
---|
|
|
|
Champion – Georgia Southern Eagles |
Decade totals
- Final record: 57–53–2
- Points scored: 2,439
- Points against: 2,817
- +/- point differential: –378
NFL Draft selections
References
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