Central State Marauders football

Central State Marauders football
First season1947 (1947)
Head coachTony Carter
1st season, 3–7 (.300)
LocationWilberforce, Ohio
StadiumMcPherson Stadium[1]
(capacity: 7,000)
NCAA divisionDivision II
ConferenceSIAC
ColorsMaroon and gold[2]
   
NAIA national championships
NAIA Division I: 1990, 1992, 1995
Black college national championships
1948, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992
Websitemaraudersports.com

The Central State Marauders football team represents Central State University, located in Wilberforce, Ohio, in NCAA Division II college football. Under prior university names and nicknames, the team was previously known as the Wilberforce State Green Wave and the Central State Green Wave.

The Marauders, who began playing football in 1947, compete as members of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.

History

Central State experienced much success in Division II and NAIA during the 1980s through 1995 under then head football coaches, William "Billy" Joe (1981 to 1993) and Rick Comegy (1993 to 1996).[3]

Under Billy Joe, the Marauders were NCAA Division II runners-up in 1983 and won the NAIA Football National Championship (Division I) in 1990 and 1992.[3] Under Comegy, a former assistant coach under Joe, the Marauders won the NAIA Football National Championship (Division I) in 1995.[3] The heyday of Central State football ended in the late 1990s when the university administration was forced to drop the football program in 1997 due to financial difficulties and a significant drop of enrollment.[4] In 2005, under new administration leadership of president Dr. John W. Garland, Esq, (Class of 1971), the university reinstated the Central State Marauder football program.[3]

Conferences

Championships

National championships

Year Association Division Head coach Record Opponent Result
1948 Black college Gaston F. Lewis 9–1–1 (3–0 MAA) —
1983 Billy Joe 12–1
1987 10–1–1
1988 11–2
1989 10–3
1990 NAIA Division I 10–1 Mesa State W, 38–16
Black college —
1992 NAIA Division I 12–1 Gardner–Webb W, 19–16
Black college —
1995 NAIA Division I Rick Comegy 10–1 Northeastern State W, 37–7

Postseason appearances

NCAA Division II

The Marauders have made four appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs, with a combined record of 3–4.

Year Round Opponent Result
1983 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship 		Southwest Texas State
North Alabama
North Dakota State 		W, 24–16
W, 27–24
L, 21–41
1984 Quarterfinals Troy State L, 21–31
1985 Quarterfinals South Dakota L, 10–13 2OT
1986 Quarterfinals
Semifinals 		Towson State
North Dakota State 		W, 31–0
L, 12–35

NAIA

The Marauders made nine appearances in the NAIA playoffs, with a combined record of 14–6 and three national championships.

Year Round Opponent Result
1987 First Round Carson–Newman L, 13–26
1988 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals 		Catawba
Hillsdale
Carson–Newman 		W, 24–10
W, 14–7
L, 0–13
1989 Quarterfinals
Semifinals 		Moorhead State
Carson–Newman 		W, 56–7
L, 17–20
1990 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship 		Fort Hays State
Carson–Newman
Mesa State 		W, 48–10
W, 41–14
W, 10–9
1991 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship 		Shepherd
Western State (CO)
Central Arkansas 		W, 34–22
W, 20–13
L, 16–19
1992 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship 		Harding
Central Arkansas
Gardner–Webb 		W, 34–0
W, 30–23
W, 19–16
1993 Quarterfinals
Semifinals 		Winona State
Glenville State 		W, 58–7
L, 12–13
1994 Quarterfinals Arkansas–Pine Bluff L, 14–21
1995 Semifinals
National Championship 		Montana Western
Northeastern State 		W, 49–21
W, 37–7

Notable players

Notable Marauder alumni who went on to play in the National Football League include:

References

  1. ^ "William Patrick McPherson Memorial Stadium". ohiostadiums.com. Ohio Stadiums. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  2. ^ Central State University Standards Guide (PDF). Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e Wright, Branson (September 10, 2011). "Cleveland Classic: Central State hopes it can return to its former glory". Cleveland.com. The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  4. ^ Price, Gilbert (2010). "Central State University growing, but still challenged". Call & Post; All-Ohio edition.
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