Despite a new coaching regime, Florida A&M football is still the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s team to beat by defeating preseason SWAC East champions Alabama State in Week 6.
By Gerald Thomas III
(Source: Tallahassee Democrat)
Florida A&M football left Montgomery, Alabama with everything it wanted.
The Rattlers won in their Southwestern Athletic Conference opener on Saturday, outpacing the Alabama State Hornets 28-13.
But that’s not all.
The traveling Rattlers (3-2, 1-0 in SWAC) earned an added incentive of exterminating the Hornets’ (2-3, 1-1 in SWAC) on their Week 6 homecoming football game at ASU Stadium.
“We wanted this game because it was SWAC standings and all that. But also, we felt disrespected that they would even put us as a homecoming game,” said FAMU linebacker Nay’Ron Jenkins, who put the Saturday’s game out of reach with a 20-yard fumble recovery touchdown.
“The homecoming thing got to us ― most homecoming opponents are somebody you think you’re going to easily wipe the floor with.”
FAMU’s SWAC-opening victory over Alabama State was a step in proving the preseason prognostications wrong.
In July, SWAC voters picked Alabama State to win the East Division, with FAMU trailing at second.
The Rattlers took the preseason standings personally ― especially after claiming last season’s SWAC title and Black College Football National Championship.
Many HBCU football fans felt the Rattlers would have a down year after former FAMU head coach Willie Simmons, who went 45-13 in five seasons, departed to become Duke’s running backs coach this season.
Under first-year head coach James Colzie III, FAMU is the 22nd best team in the Football Championship Subdivision Coaches Poll. The Rattlers are the only ranked HBCU.
“We beat the team that everyone thought was going to this thing,” Colzie said after his squad defeated Alabama State on Saturday.
“I don’t need to motivate those guys. They trust that [coaches] will put them where they need to be. To finish first, we got to continue winning,” Colzie added.
The SWAC still runs through FAMU.
Its win over the Preseason SWAC East champs Alabama State was the Rattlers’ 17th consecutive SWAC victory.
FAMU has beaten Alabama State in all four of their meetings since the Rattlers joined the SWAC in 2021.
“They’re the team to beat until somebody beats them. So, to be the best, you got to beat the best,” said Alabama State head coach Eddie Robinson Jr. “We’ll get another chance to play them next year when we go down there. I’m looking forward to it.
