Albany State head coach Quinn Gray has restored the Golden Rams to the top of the SIAC in just his third season. On Saturday, ASU earned its conference crown with a 22–16 win over the Benedict College Tigers at the Albany State Coliseum. The victory capped a 9–1 regular season, with the only setback coming against FCS opponent Florida A&M.
Beating a strong team twice in one season is never easy at any level, but the Golden Rams did just that—once again outlasting Benedict and staying true to Gray’s program mantra of “Moving the Needle.” With the win, ASU officially punched its ticket to the NCAA Division II playoffs.
“Our kids have put in so much work this year, from January up to now,” Gray said. “We’ve trusted in each other, trusted in our Lord and Savior, and this is the result. Benedict had a good game plan. They did some of the same things they did in the first game, but they didn’t falter like they did before.”
Albany State’s last postseason run came under Gabe Giardina in 2021, a year marked by emotional resilience after the late-season passing of one of his players.
Gray’s squad has been the league’s frontrunner from start to finish this season. Behind quarterback Isaiah Knowles, a ferocious defense, and reliable special teams, the Golden Rams have reclaimed a standard their proud alumni expect—SIAC supremacy.
SIAC Offensive Player of the Year guides the Rams offense
Knowles, an All-SIAC quarterback, understands the significance of the moment.
“It’s been a hard-fought battle, especially these last three years,” he said. “We played Benedict in the championship game in 2023. Knowing what that feeling was like, we didn’t want to experience that again. We missed the championship game last season, so there were a lot of things we wanted to clean up to make sure we got back here.”
Now, the Rams wait as the NCAA selection committee determines their playoff destination. Gray isn’t simply satisfied with making the postseason—he believes his team has more to prove.
Alongside the CIAA champion, several other Division II HBCU programs are also in contention for at-large bids to the expanded 32-team playoff field. The 2025 NCAA Division II Football Championship bracket will be revealed during the selection show on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. ET on NCAA.com. This year’s format includes 16 automatic qualifiers and eight at-large bids per super region.