While the Florida A&M (FAMU) Rattlers have managed to get to 3-2 on the season, it has been a season of stuttering for the reigning HBCU national champs so far. FAMU got off to a good start on Week Zero with a one-point win over the Norfolk State Spartans 24-23 in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge in Atlanta. It would follow that with a 22-18 victory the following week over the South Carolina State.
Both of those games were in August. The next week, Sept. 7, FAMU would lose to the FBS No.6 team in the Miami Hurricanes. Following that week, FAMU had their first scheduled bye week. It would then travel to Troy University to play another FBS opponent.
The following week, Hurricane Helene ripped through the Big Bend with a real threat to hit Tallahassee directly. FAMU then moved its game against Alabama A&M to Nov. 29, six days after the regular season would have normally ended at the Florida Blue Florida Classic. This would represent the second week off and a blow to the possibility of building momentum.
The Rattlers get a win after an unexpected week off
FAMU would bounce back on Oct. 5 with a SWAC-opening win over Alabama State in Montgomery. The Rattlers took on the job of homecoming spoilers and left town with a 28-13 win over the Hornets.
Then came what was expected to be their second bye week, Oct. 12.
The timing of this bye with the way this season has gone is a detriment to the team. They have yet to build momentum and going into the heart of the SWAC schedule, the team with so many new parts needs some continuity.
With a new head coach, two new coordinators, a new quarterback and several new parts, the Rattlers desperately need continuity heading into Jackson, MS.
The Jackson State offense has grown into one of the top offenses in all of the FCS and HBCU football. With head coach TC Taylor taking over play-calling duties, JSU is scoring at a prolific rate. It put up 58 points on Lane College, 33 points on Southern University, 43 points on Texas Southern and 45 points on Alabama A&M. JSU knows how to score the ball.
FAMU vs JSU has SWAC postseason implications
This week’s game has been elevated to what many consider the top FCS game this weekend, in addition to being a marquee HBCU football matchup. The Rattlers come in ranked at No.18 in the AFCA poll, while the Tigers enter the poll at No. 25. It will definitely be a test as the Rattlers visit “The Vet” for the first time in almost a decade.
Fortunately for the Rattlers, the Tigers also had a bye this week. This will lead to two well-prepared teams entering Saturday’s contest. It is shaping up on paper to be the HBCU game of the year. We’ll see if the reigning SWAC Champions can keep their roll going or is TC Taylor and the Tigers ready to take the baton.