The University of Dayton first fielded a football team in 1905. They remained independent of athletic conferences for most of their history, including the period from 1977 to 1992 when they joined Division III of the NCAA. Beginning in 1993 they joined the Pioneer Football League in Division I-AA/FCS play as a founding member.
The Flyers have amassed a 687–377–25 (.642) record since 1905 and have won 2 National Championships as a member of Division III. UD has won 12 Conference Championships.
Seasons
| National Champions † | Conference Champions * | Postseason Appearance ‡ | Bowl Game Berth ^ |
| Season | Head coach | Conference Affiliation | Season results | Playoff or Bowl result | Final ranking | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conference finish | Division finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | STATS Poll | Coaches Poll | ||||
| Dayton Flyers | ||||||||||
| 1905 | William Schoen | Independent | — | — | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||
| NCAA (1906 – 1955) | ||||||||||
| 1906 | Dr. J.G. Freshour | Independent | — | — | 5 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 1907 | — | — | 0 | 4 | 0 | |||||
| 1908 | Matthew Hill | — | — | 7 | 0 | 1 | ||||
| 1909 | George Binlein | — | — | 4 | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 1910 | Orville Smith | — | — | 5 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 1911 | Roland Bevan | — | — | 3 | 3 | 1 | ||||
| 1912 | — | — | 4 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 1913 | Louis Clark | — | — | 4 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 1914 | Alfred McCray | — | — | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| 1915 | — | — | 3 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 1916 | — | — | 4 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 1917 | Louis Clark | — | — | 7 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| 1918 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 1919 | Harry Solimano | — | — | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| 1920 | Bud Talbott | — | — | 2 | 4 | 0 | ||||
| 1921 | Charley Way/Bud Talbott | — | — | 1 | 7 | 1 | ||||
| 1922 | Van F. Hill | — | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 1923 | Harry Baujan | — | — | 4 | 5 | 0 | ||||
| 1924 | — | — | 7 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 1925 | — | — | 7 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 1926 | Ohio Athletic | — | — | 8 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| 1927 | — | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 1928 | — | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 1929 | — | — | 4 | 5 | 0 | |||||
| 1930 | — | — | 4 | 3 | 2 | |||||
| 1931 | — | — | 5 | 3 | 2 | |||||
| 1932 | — | — | 9 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 1933 | — | — | 7 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| 1934 | — | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | |||||
| 1935 | Buckeye Athletic | — | — | 4 | 4 | 1 | ||||
| 1936 | — | — | 4 | 5 | 0 | |||||
| 1937 | — | — | 7 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 1938 | — | — | 7 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 1939 | Independent | — | — | 4 | 4 | 1 | ||||
| 1940 | — | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 1941 | — | — | 7 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 1942 | — | — | 8 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 1946 | — | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 1947 | Joseph Gavin | — | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 1948 | — | — | 7 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| 1949 | — | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 1950 | — | — | 4 | 6 | 0 | |||||
| 1951 ^ | — | — | 7 | 2 | 0 | L Salad | ||||
| 1952 | — | — | 6 | 5 | 0 | |||||
| 1953 | — | — | 3 | 5 | 1 | |||||
| 1954 | Hugh Devore | — | — | 5 | 5 | 0 | ||||
| 1955 | — | — | 3 | 6 | 1 | |||||
| NCAA University Division (1956-1972) | ||||||||||
| 1956 | Bud Kerr | Independent | — | — | 4 | 6 | 0 | |||
| 1957 | — | — | 6 | 3 | 1 | |||||
| 1958 | — | — | 2 | 8 | 0 | |||||
| 1959 | — | — | 3 | 7 | 0 | |||||
| 1960 | Stan Zajdel | — | — | 1 | 9 | 0 | ||||
| 1961 | — | — | 2 | 8 | 0 | |||||
| 1962 | — | — | 2 | 8 | 0 | |||||
| 1963 | Pete Ankney | — | — | 1 | 7 | 2 | ||||
| 1964 | — | — | 3 | 7 | 0 | |||||
| 1965 | John McVay | — | — | 1 | 8 | 1 | ||||
| 1966 | — | — | 8 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 1967 | — | — | 6 | 3 | 1 | |||||
| 1968 | — | — | 5 | 5 | 0 | |||||
| 1969 | — | — | 3 | 7 | 0 | |||||
| 1970 | — | — | 5 | 4 | 1 | |||||
| 1971 | — | — | 5 | 6 | 0 | |||||
| 1972 | — | — | 4 | 6 | 1 | |||||
| NCAA Division I (1973-1976) | ||||||||||
| 1973 | Ron Marciniak | Independent | — | — | 5 | 5 | 1 | |||
| 1974 | — | — | 3 | 8 | 0 | |||||
| 1975 | — | — | 5 | 6 | 0 | |||||
| 1976 | — | — | 4 | 7 | 0 | |||||
| NCAA Division III (1977-1992) | ||||||||||
| 1977 | Rick E. Carter | Independent | — | — | 8 | 3 | 0 | |||
| 1978‡ | — | — | 9 | 2 | 1 | L Division III Quarterfinals | ||||
| 1979 | — | — | 8 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| 1980† | — | — | 14 | 0 | 0 | W Division III Championship | ||||
| 1981‡ | Mike Kelly | — | — | 12 | 2 | 0 | L Division III Championship | |||
| 1982 | — | — | 6 | 4 | 0 | |||||
| 1983 | — | — | 7 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 1984‡ | — | — | 10 | 1 | 0 | L Division III Quarterfinals | ||||
| 1985 | — | — | 7 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 1986‡ | — | — | 10 | 1 | 0 | L Division III First Round | ||||
| 1987‡ | — | — | 11 | 3 | 0 | L Division III Championship | ||||
| 1988‡ | — | — | 9 | 2 | 0 | L Division III First Round | ||||
| 1989† | — | — | 13 | 0 | 0 | W Division III Championship | ||||
| 1990‡ | — | — | 11 | 1 | 0 | L Division III Quarterfinals | ||||
| 1991‡ | — | — | 13 | 1 | 0 | L Division III Championship | ||||
| 1992‡ | — | — | 10 | 1 | 0 | L Division III Regionals | ||||
| NCAA Division I-AA/FCS (1993–present) | ||||||||||
| 1993* | Mike Kelly | Pioneer | 1st* | — | 9 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 1994* | T-1st* | — | 8 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 1995 | 2nd | — | 9 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 1996* | 1st* | — | 11 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 1997* | 1st* | — | 9 | 1 | — | |||||
| 1998 | 2nd | — | 6 | 4 | — | |||||
| 1999* | 1st* | — | 6 | 4 | — | |||||
| 2000* | T-1st* | — | 8 | 3 | — | |||||
| 2001* | 1st* | 1st (North) | 10 | 1 | — | W PFL Championship | ||||
| 2002* | 1st* | 1st (North) | 11 | 1 | — | W PFL Championship | Cup | |||
| 2003 | — | 3rd (North) | 9 | 2 | — | |||||
| 2004 | — | 3rd (North) | 7 | 3 | — | |||||
| 2005 | — | 2nd (North) | 9 | 1 | — | |||||
| 2006 | T-7th | — | 4 | 6 | — | |||||
| 2007 ^* | T-1st* | — | 11 | 1 | — | W Gridiron Classic | Cup | |||
| 2008 | Rick Chamberlin | T-2nd | — | 9 | 3 | — | ||||
| 2009* | T-1st* | — | 9 | 2 | — | |||||
| 2010* | T-1st* | — | 10 | 1 | — | 25 | 25 | |||
| 2011 | 5th | — | 6 | 5 | — | |||||
| 2012 | T-4th | — | 6 | 5 | — | |||||
| 2013 | T-4th | — | 7 | 4 | — | |||||
| 2014 | T-3rd | — | 8 | 3 | — | |||||
| 2015‡* | T-1st* | — | 10 | 2 | — | L FCS First Round | ||||
| 2016 | 2nd | — | 9 | 2 | — | |||||
| 2017 | T-6th | — | 5 | 6 | — | |||||
| 2018 | T-4th | — | 6 | 5 | — | |||||
| 2019 | T-2nd | — | 8 | 3 | — | |||||
| 2020 | No team | |||||||||
| 2021 | Rick Chamberlin | Pioneer | T-5th | — | 6 | 4 | — | |||
| 2022 | 3rd | — | 8 | 3 | — | |||||
| Total | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | (.500) | (Bowl Games) | |||||||
| 16 | 9 | (.640) | (D-III Playoffs) 1977-1992 | |||||||
| 0 | 1 | (.000) | (D-I FCS Playoffs) 1993-Present | |||||||
| 701 | 384 | 25 (.643) | (all games) | |||||||
Pre-2006 data taken from
- Due to COVID-19, the Pioneer Football League suspended the fall 2020 football season. Dayton opted out of the spring season.
Postseason facts
- Years in Postseason: 12
- DIII Post-Season Record: 16-9 (.640)
- DI Post-Season Record: 0-1 (.000)
- OVERALL PLAYOFF RECORD: 16-10 (.615)
Championships
- National Championships: 2 (1980, 1989)
- National Runner-Up: 3 (1981, 1987, 1991)
References
- Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since.Whiteside, Kelly (August 25, 2006). "Overtime system still excites coaches". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
- Since the 1978 split in divisions, the NCAA, or more recently, The Sports Network Archived 2011-05-03 at the Wayback Machine Poll, now known as the STATS Poll has been the major poll at the FCS level. Polls are released prior to the playoffs.
- The FCS Coaches Poll Archived 2008-08-28 at the Wayback Machine was introduced in 2007. Therefore, polls for prior seasons do not exist. Polls are released prior to the playoffs
- Purves, Michael (January 14, 2021). "Dayton Flyers opt out of spring Pioneer Football League season". WHIO.com. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- "Dayton Flyers History" (PDF). Retrieved November 1, 2018.
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| National championship seasons in bold | |
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