Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy


The Lambert Trophy is an annual award given to the best team in the East in Division I FBS college football.
In affiliation with the Metropolitan New York Football Writers, the Lambert Trophy was established by brothers Victor A. and Henry L. Lambert in memory of their father, August V. Lambert. The Lamberts were the principals in a distinguished Madison Avenue jewelry house and were prominent college football boosters.
By the time the “Lambert Trophy” was established in 1936, major schools in other regions of the country had formed their own leagues and Division I FBS schools located in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions remained independent, with the exception of the 1954 formation of the Ivy League. Emblematic of the "Eastern championship", the Lambert Trophy, voted on by a panel of sports writers in New York, became the de facto conference championship for those schools.
Since 1936, there have been 19 different winners in Division I-A/FBS. To be eligible for the Lambert Award, a school must be located in the "East." Teams in the "East" were originally interpreted as being north of Washington D.C. and east of the western boundary of Pennsylvania, but has sometimes been expanded to include teams located in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware and the District of Columbia. Additionally, while the Big East Conference was a football conference, members of that conference outside of the "East" were also made eligible if at least half their schedule was against Lambert-eligible teams.
A set of parallel trophies collectively known as the Lambert Cup were formerly awarded to teams in Division I FCS, Division II, and Division III. The Metropolitan New York Football Writers, owned and operated by American Football Networks, Inc., took the administration of the Lambert Meadowlands Awards back from the New Jersey Sports & Exhibition Authority in 2011.
As of 2024, plans were announced to revive the Lambert Trophy and begin awarding it for the 2024 season. Following this, the newly announced Lambert Trophy Championship Association awarded retroactive championships to Pittsburgh for 2021 and Penn State for 2023. It was additionally re-announced that Penn State had been awarded the trophy in 2022. Boston College, Temple, Navy, Army, Buffalo, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Penn State, UMass, UConn, and Syracuse will have automatic eligibility for The Lambert Trophy in 2024, with Delaware becoming eligible in 2025.

Lambert Trophy winners

By year

YearSchoolRecordFinal AP rankBowl
1936Pittsburgh8–1–1No. 3Won Rose
1937Pittsburgh9–0–1No. 1No bowl
1938Carnegie Tech7–2No. 6Lost Sugar
1939Cornell8–0No. 4No bowl
1940Boston College11–0No. 5Won Sugar
1941Fordham8–1No. 6Won Sugar
1942Boston College8–2No. 8Lost Orange
1943Navy8–1No. 4No bowl
1944Army9–0No. 1No bowl
1945Army9–0No. 1No bowl
1946Army9–0–1No. 2No bowl
1947Penn State9–0–1No. 4Tied Cotton
1948Army8–0–1No. 6No bowl
1949Army9–0No. 4No bowl
1950Princeton9–0No. 6No bowl
1951Princeton9–0No. 6No bowl
1952Syracuse7–3No. 14Lost Orange
1953Army7–1–1No. 14No bowl
1954Navy8–2No. 5Won Sugar
1955Pittsburgh7–4No. 11Lost Sugar
1956Syracuse7–2No. 8Lost Cotton
1957Navy8–1–1No. 5Won Cotton
1958Army8–0–1No. 3No bowl
1959Syracuse11–0No. 1Won Cotton
1960Navy9–2No. 4Lost Orange
1960Yale9–0No. 14No bowl
1961Penn State8–3No. 17Won Gator
1962Penn State9–2No. 9Lost Gator
1963Navy9–2No. 2Lost Cotton
1964Penn State6–4NRNo bowl
1965Dartmouth9–0NRNo bowl
1966Syracuse8–3NRLost Gator
1967Penn State8–2–1No. 10Tied Gator
1968Penn State11–0No. 2Won Orange
1969Penn State11–0No. 2Won Orange
1970Dartmouth9–0No. 14No bowl
1971Penn State11–1No. 5Won Cotton
1972Penn State10–2No. 10Lost Sugar
1973Penn State12–0No. 5Won Orange
1974Penn State10–2No. 7Won Cotton
1975Penn State9–3No. 10Lost Sugar
1976Pittsburgh12–0No. 1Won Sugar
1977Penn State11–1No. 5Won Fiesta
1978Penn State11–1No. 4Lost Sugar
1979Pittsburgh11–1No. 7Won Fiesta
1980Pittsburgh11–1No. 2Won Gator
1981Penn State10–2No. 3Won Fiesta
1982Penn State11–1No. 1Won Sugar
1983Boston College9–3No. 19Lost Liberty
1984Boston College10–2No. 5Won Cotton
1985Penn State11–1No. 3Lost Orange
1986Penn State12–0No. 1Won Fiesta
1987Syracuse11–0–1No. 4Tied Sugar
1988[1988 2007 West Virginia Mountaineers football team|West Virginia Mountaineers football team|West Virginia]11–1No. 5Lost Fiesta
1989Penn State8–3–1No. 15Won Holiday
1990Penn State9–3No. 11Lost Blockbuster
1991Penn State11–2No. 3Won Fiesta
1992Syracuse10–2No. 6Won Fiesta
1993West Virginia11–1No. 7Lost Sugar
1994Penn State12–0No. 2Won Rose
1995Virginia Tech10–2No. 10Won Sugar
1996Penn State11–2No. 7Won Fiesta
1997Penn State9–3No. 16Lost Citrus
1998Penn State9–3No. 17Won Outback
1999Virginia Tech11–1No. 2Lost Sugar
2000Miami (FL)11–1No. 2Won Sugar
2001Miami (FL)12–0No. 1Won Rose
2002Miami (FL)12–1No. 2Lost Fiesta
2003Miami (FL)11–2No. 5Won Orange
2004Boston College9–3No. 21Won Continental Tire
2005Penn State11–1No. 3Won Orange
2006Louisville12–1No. 5Won Orange
2007West Virginia11–2No. 6Won Fiesta
2008Penn State11–2No. 8Lost Rose
2009Penn State11–2No. 9Won Capital One
2010Connecticut8–5NRLost Fiesta
2011West Virginia10–3No. 17Won Orange
2012Cincinnati10–3NRWon Belk
2013Penn State7–5NRNo Bowl
2014Rutgers8–5NRWon Quick Lane
2015Navy11–2No. 18Won Military
2016Penn State11–3No. 7Lost Rose
2017Penn State11–2No. 8Won Fiesta
2018Army11–2No. 19Won Armed Forces
2019Penn State11–2No. 9Won Cotton
2020Army9–3NRLost Liberty
2021Pittsburgh11–3No. 13Lost Peach
2022Penn State11–2No. 7Won Rose
2023Penn State10–3No. 13Lost Peach
2024Penn State13–3No. 5Won CFP First Round, Won Fiesta, Lost Orange
2025Navy11–2No. 23Won Liberty Bowl

By team

^ Now a member of the Football Championship Subdivision.
† Now a member of NCAA Division III.
  • No longer eligible to win Lambert Trophy

Lambert Cup

Football Championship Subdivision (Division I-AA)

YearTeamRecordPlayoff results
1982Delaware12–2Championship Game
1983Holy Cross9–2–1First Round
1984Rhode Island10–3Semifinals
1985Rhode Island10–3Quarterfinals
1986Holy Cross10–1Did not play
1987Holy Cross11–0Did not play
1988Holy Cross9–2Did not play
1989Holy Cross10–1Did not play
1990William & Mary10–3Quarterfinals
1991Delaware10–2First Round
1992Villanova9–3First Round
1993Boston University12–1Quarterfinals
1994James Madison10–3Quarterfinals
1995Delaware11–2Quarterfinals
1996William & Mary10–3Quarterfinals
1997Delaware12–2Semifinals
1998UMass12–3National Champions
1999Hofstra11–2Quarterfinals
2000Delaware12–2Semifinals

YearTeamRecordPlayoff results
2001Lehigh11–1Quarterfinals
2002Villanova11–4Semifinals
2003Delaware15–1National Champions
2004James Madison13–2National Champions
2005New Hampshire11–2Quarterfinals
2006UMass13–2Championship Game
2007Delaware11–4Championship Game
2008James Madison12–2Semifinals
2009Villanova14–1National Champions
2010Delaware12–3Championship Game
2011Lehigh11–2Quarterfinals
2012Old Dominion11–2Quarterfinals
2013Towson13–3Championship Game
2014New Hampshire12–2Semifinals
2015Dartmouth; Harvard; Penn9–1 ; 9–1 ; 7–3Did not play
2016James Madison14–1National Champions
2017James Madison14–1Championship Game
2018Colgate10–2Quarterfinals
2019James Madison14–2Championship Game

YearTeamRecordPlayoff results
2020James Madison7–1Semifinals
2021James Madison12–2Semifinals
2022Holy Cross; William & Mary12–1; 11–2Quarterfinals; Quarterfinals
2023Albany11–4Semifinals
2024Rhode Island11–3Second Round

''NOTE: Until 2025, the Ivy League, and until 1997, the Patriot League, did not participate in the NCAA Division I Football Tournament.''

Most FCS Lambert Cups

† Now a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision.

‡ Discontinued football

Division II

YearTeamRecordPlayoff results
1957Lehigh8–1No playoffs
1958[1958 1958 Buffalo Bulls football team|Buffalo Bulls football team|Buffalo]8–1Tangerine Bowl
1959Delaware8–1No playoffs
1960Bucknell7–2No playoffs
1961Lehigh7–2No playoffs
1962Delaware7–2No playoffs
1963Delaware8–0No playoffs
1964Bucknell7–2No playoffs
1965Maine8–2Tangerine Bowl
1966Gettysburg7–2No playoffs
196710–1Tangerine Bowl
1968Delaware8–3Boardwalk Bowl
1969Delaware9–2Boardwalk Bowl
1969Wesleyan8–0No playoffs
1970Delaware9–2Boardwalk Bowl
1971Delaware10–1National Champions
1972Delaware10–0National Champions
1973Delaware8–4Quarterfinals
1973Lehigh7–4–1Quarterfinals
1974Delaware12–2Championship Game
1975Lehigh9–3Quarterfinals
1976Delaware8–3–1Quarterfinals
1977Lehigh12–2National Champions
1978UMass9–4I-AA Championship Game
1979Delaware13–1National Champions
1980Lehigh9–1–2I-AA Semifinals
198112–1Div II Semifinals
19829–2No playoffs
198310–2Quarterfinals
19849–4Semifinals
198512–1Semifinals
19868–3–1Quarterfinals

YearTeamRecordPlayoff results
198710–2Quarterfinals
198810–2Quarterfinals
198911–2Semifinals
199012–2Championship Game
199112–1Semifinals
199212–1Semifinals
199313–1Championship Game
199410–3Semifinals
199510–1–1Quarterfinals
199611–3Semifinals
199712–2Championship Game
199812–2Semifinals
19999–4Semifinals
200012–3Championship Game
20018–2First Round
200211–2Quarterfinals
200310–1No playoffs
200411–4Semifinals
200511–3Semifinals
20069–4Second Round
200713–1Semifinals
20089–4Second Round
200911–4Semifinals
201010–3Quarterfinals
201111–2Quarterfinals
2012IUP12–2Quarterfinals
201313–2Semifinals
201411–2Quarterfinals
2015Shepherd13–1Championship Game
2016Shepherd13–1Semifinals
2017IUP13–1Semifinals
201810–1First Round

YearTeamRecordPlayoff results
20199–3First Round
2020N/AN/A–
2021N/AN/A–
202210–2Quarterfinals

Most D-II Lambert Cups

‡ Now a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision.

† Now a member of the Football Championship Subdivision.

^ Now a member of Division III.

Division III

YearTeam
1966
1967Wagner
1968
1969
1970
1971Alfred
1972Franklin & Marshall
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977Westminster (PA)
1978
1979
1980
1981Widener
1982Plymouth State

YearTeam
1983
1984
1984
1985
1986
1987Wagner
1988Ithaca
1989
1990Allegheny
1991Ithaca
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998

YearTeam
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015

YearTeam
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020N/A
2021N/A
2022

Most D-III Lambert Cups

† Now a member of the Football Championship Subdivision.

‡ Now a member of Division II.

^ Discontinued football