1960 Tangerine Bowl victory
The Citadel defeated Tennessee Tech 27-0, marking the program's sole bowl game victory
Program outlook
Program outlook
The Citadel is a military academy where football players are cadets bound for commissioned service.
Since Sep 14: L 16-34 vs East Tennessee State; L 0-41 at Texas A&M; L 13-28 vs Tennessee Tech; L 19-28 at Mercer. 2-7 this season.
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The Citadel is not a program chasing NFL pipeline prestige or regional brand dominance. It is a senior military college in Charleston, South Carolina, where every football player is a cadet enrolled in a disciplined military academy, bound for commissioned service in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marines. That mission shapes everything.
The Bulldogs' football identity is inseparable from the academy's Honor Code — a cadet does not lie, cheat, or steal — and from the visible presence of the Corps of Cadets in dress uniform, standing in regimented formation in the stands at every home game in Johnson Hagood Stadium. The stadium atmosphere is shaped by cadets, not casual fans. Games are a pageant of military order as much as they are a football contest.
The Citadel's most successful era came in 1992, when the Bulldogs ranked #1 in the nation for four weeks, ran a dominant defense built on assignment-perfect discipline, and advanced to the FCS quarterfinals. Stump Mitchell, a program legend and later NFL hall of famer, rushed for 4,062 career yards at The Citadel. His No. 35 is one of five retired jerseys.
Maurice Drayton arrived as head coach in December 2022 and has spent three seasons rebuilding a program constrained by its mission. The 2025 season ended 4-8 overall and 3-5 in Southern Conference play. In April 2025, Drayton added FBS veteran Phill Guard to oversee the offensive line and promoted Jason Simmons Jr. to lead safeties, signaling a modernization of the coaching infrastructure. The internal debate — between those who believe pure military discipline will drive wins and those who argue the program must adapt to the transfer portal to compete in the modern FCS — will shape the next two years.
On the field
Disciplined, assignment-oriented football built on cadet execution and understanding. The Citadel prioritizes fundamentals, gap integrity, and conditioning over recruiting rank and portal acquisitions. In a modern college football landscape of tempo spread and transfer-portal arms races, the program's emphasis on military discipline and preparation is a philosophical outlier — preparation over flash, assignment-perfect execution over individual talent — and that same discipline occasionally produces surprising competitiveness against larger, better-funded Southern Conference programs.
What this program never forgets
Most weeks vanish. These didn’t.
2025 rebuilding checkpoint
A 4-8 season (3-5 SoCon) and a 17-13 Military Classic loss to VMI test Maurice Drayton's multi-year building plan
Restoration
Moment of the year · 2026
Won 43-41 at Charlotte
Week 1 of 2026. An upset win.
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Conference
Southern standing · 2026
9th in the Southern
The Citadel is 9th of 10 in the Southern at 0-5. The path to the title is steep — the focus is on playoff positioning and rivalry wins.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tennessee Tech | 6-1 |
| 2 | Chattanooga | 5-2 |
| 3 | East Tennessee State | 4-1 |
| 4 | Mercer | 4-1 |
| 5 | Samford | 3-3 |
| 6 | Wofford | 3-3 |
| 7 | Western Carolina | 2-3 |
| 8 | Furman | 1-4 |
| 9 | The Citadel | 0-5 |
| 10 | VMI | 0-5 |
Coaching history
Coaching history
- Art Baker departs
- Hired Art Baker
- Bobby Ross departs
- Hired Bobby Ross
- Red Parker departs
- Hired Red Parker
- Johnnie McMillan departs
- Hired Johnnie McMillan
Gameday customs
Rituals
Three gameday rituals — the ones outsiders never quite catch.
The Honor Code
since 1842
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The Citadel's Honor Code — 'A cadet does not lie, cheat, steal, nor tolerate those who do' — is the foundational standard of every cadet's life, on and off the field. The code is not a slogan; it is a binding commitment that shapes how players approach the game and their future service.
Military Classic of the South
since 1920
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The Citadel's rivalry with VMI, another senior military college and Southern Conference foe, is the Military Classic of the South. Dating to 1920 and played nearly continuously since World War II, the game represents the bond between two service academies competing at the FCS level. The Citadel leads the series 45-33-2, and the Silver Shako Trophy is awarded to the victor.
Cadet Corps Involvement
since 1842
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The entire Corps of Cadets attends home games in uniform, sitting together in block formation. The pageantry and discipline of the cadet body in the stands—every member in dress uniform, standing in unison for anthems—is a visual marker of the program's military mission and sets Citadel football apart from civilian college programs.
Commissioned Officers Path
since 1842
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Unlike any other FCS program, Citadel football players graduate as commissioned officers in the U.S. Army or other armed services. The program measures success not only in wins and losses but in the development of principled leaders. Players understand that their four years are preparation for a life of service.
Cultural identity
Reddit blowups
r/CFB moments
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[Postgame Thread] Army Defeats The Citadel 14-9
All-time top community posts
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