| Currentseason: | 2024 Northern Colorado Bears football team |
| Teamname: | Northern Colorado Bears |
| Headcoach: | Ed Lamb[1] |
| Headcoachyear: | 1st |
| Hcwins: | 0 |
| Hclosses: | 11 |
| Stadium: | Nottingham Field |
| Stadcapacity: | 8,533[2] |
| Ncaadivision: | I FCS |
| Conference: | Big Sky Conference |
| Firstyear: | [3] |
| Websitename: | uncbears.com |
| Websiteurl: | http://www.uncbears.com/sports/fball/index |
| Natltitles: | 2 (D-II) (1996, 1997) |
| Conftitles: | 12 (D-II) RMAC - 4 GPAC - 3 NCC - 5 |
| Rivalries: | Colorado State Wyoming Western Colorado Colorado School of Mines North Dakota Montana State Portland State |
| Atwins: | 428 |
| Atlosses: | 452 |
| Atties: | 27 |
The Northern Colorado Bears football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Northern Colorado located in Greeley, Colorado. The team competes in the Big Sky Conference[4] at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. The university's first football team was fielded in 1893.[5] The team plays its home games at the 8,533 seat Nottingham Field on campus. The Bears announced the hiring of Ed Lamb on December 6, 2022,[6] replacing Ed McCaffrey, who went 6–16 in two seasons.[7]
Below is the list of conferences in which Northern Colorado has been a member.
Northern Colorado made two appearances in the NCAA Division II National Championship Game. The Bears defeated Carson–Newman, 23–14 in 1996, and later defeated New Haven, 51–0 in 1997.
| 12–3 | W 23–14 | Florence, AL | |||||
| 13–2 | 1997 Division II National Championship | W 51–0 | Florence, AL | ||||
| 1934† | 6–1 | 6–1 | ||
| 1948 | 4–4 | 3–0 | ||
| 1969 | 10–0 | 5–0 | ||
| 1971 | 8–1–1 | 5–0 | ||
| 1973† | 7–2 | 4–1 | ||
| 1974 | 8–1 | 5–0 | ||
| 1975 | 8–1 | 5–0 | ||
| 1980 | 7–4 | 6–1 | ||
| 1997† | 13–2 | 8–1 | ||
| 1998† | 11–2 | 8–1 | ||
| 1999† | 11–2 | 8–1 | ||
| 2002 | 12–2 | 8–0 | ||
| Conference Championships | 12 |
| 1969 | RMAC Plains | W 33–14 | ||
| 1970† | N/A lost tiebreaker to Pittsburg State | |||
| 1971 | W 25–15 | |||
| Division Championships | 3 | |||
The Bears appeared in the Division II playoffs nine times with an overall record of 12–7.
| First Round | Eastern Illinois | L 14–21 | ||
| First Round | North Dakota State | L 7–17 | ||
| First Round | Portland State | L 24–28 | ||
| First Round | Pittsburg State | L 17–36 | ||
| First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals | Pittsburg State NW Missouri State Clarion Carson-Newman | W 24–21 W 27–26 W 19–18 W 23–14 | ||
| First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals | Pittsburg State NW Missouri State Carson-Newman New Haven | W 24–16 W 35–19 W 30–29 W 51–0 | ||
| First Round Quarterfinals | North Dakota NW Missouri State | W 52–28 L 17–42 | ||
| First Round Quarterfinals | Pittsburg State NW Missouri State | W 34–31 L 35–41 | ||
| First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Central Missouri State NW Missouri State Grand Valley | W 49–28 W 23–12 L 7–44 |
Below is a list of the Bears best-attended home games at Nottingham Field.
| Rk. | Date | Opponent | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest attendance | ||||
| 1 | October 1, 2005 | Cal Poly | 9,145 | |
| 2 | October 29, 2005 | Fort Lewis | 8,561 | |
| 3 | October 2, 2010 | Montana | 8,105 | |
| 4 | September 3, 2005 | Colorado School of Mines | 7,554 | |
| 5 | October 23, 1998 | South Dakota | 7,520 | |
| 6 | October 9, 1999 | Nebraska-Omaha | 7,499 | |
| 7 | November 21, 1998 | North Dakota | 7,312 | |
| 8 | September 20, 1998 | Texas State | 7,246 | |
| 9 | October 19, 2002 | South Dakota | 7,198 | |
| 10 | October 10, 1998 | South Dakota | 7,135 | |
As of the 2014 season.
Source:
Below is the Bears home attendance by season at Nottingham Field.
| Season | Total | Average | High | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Colorado Bears | ||||
| 2018 | 25,293 | 4,215 | 5,672 | |
| 2017 | 21,917 | 4,383 | 5,378 | |
| 2016 | 24,477 | 4,895 | 5,476 | |
| 2015 | 25,612 | 4,269 | 5,205 | |
| 2014 | 21,037 | 4,207 | 6,348 | |
| 2013 | 23,990 | 3,998 | 4,619 | |
| 2012 | 21,240 | 4,248 | 5,136 | |
| 2011 | 23,428 | 3,905 | 5,692 | |
| 2010 | 27,919 | 5,584 | 8,105 | |
| 2009 | 21,111 | 3,518 | 5,247 | |
| 2008 | 21,676 | 4,355 | 7,246 | |
| 2007 | 20,441 | 4,088 | 6,684 | |
| 2006 | 28,857 | 6,219 | 4,810 | |
| 2005 | 37,549 | 7,510 | 9,142 | |
| 2004 | 27,370 | 4,562 | 6,481 | |
| 2003 | 28,730 | 5,746 | 6,660 | |
| 2002 | 34,898 | 5,816 | 7,198 | |
| 2001 | 26,153 | 4,359 | 5,488 | |
| 2000 | 29,162 | 6,352 | 4,860 | |
| 1999 | 46,552 | 6,650 | 7,520 | |
| 1998 | 40,690 | 5,813 | 7,312 | |
| 1997 | 25,302 | 4,217 | 6,345 | |
| 1996 | 27,282 | 4,547 | 6,318 | |
| 1995 | 25,067 | 4,364 | 7,024 | |
As of the 2015 season.
Notable alumni include:
Since moving to the Big Sky Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in 2006, the Bears have struggled. Through the 2023 season, their conference record is,[8] and they have yet to make the FCS playoffs.
Announced schedules as of August 11, 2024.[9]