# 1978 Florida A&M Rattlers football team

The 1978 Florida A&M Rattlers football team represented Florida A&M University in the 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Rattlers had an overall record of 12–1 and were the NCAA Division I-AA champions.
The Rattlers were led by fifth year head coach Rudy Hubbard; they played some home games at Bragg Memorial Stadium on their own campus, and other home games at the larger Doak Campbell Stadium on the campus of Florida State University. They finished their regular season with a 9–1 record, including a win over Bethune–Cookman in the Florida Classic rivalry game. The Rattlers then beat Grambling State in the Orange Blossom Classic to secure a spot in the I-AA playoffs. In the playoffs, the Rattlers won on the road against Jackson State, then beat UMass in the championship game, the Pioneer Bowl played in Wichita Falls, Texas.
In 1978, Florida A&M was a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), an NCAA Division II conference. The university had successfully petitioned the NCAA for NCAA Division I classification (NCAA Division I-AA in football), which took effect on September 1, 1978. The Rattlers captured the SIAC title in 1978, going undefeated in five conference games. This was the Rattlers' last season as a member of SIAC, as they joined the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) the following year.
Statistical leaders for the season included Ike Williams (1,274 yards rushing), Albert Chester (1,088 yards passing), Chris Douglas (228 yards receiving), and Mike Solomon (12 touchdowns). A notable member of the team was placekicker Vince Coleman, went on to play 13 seasons in Major League Baseball, well known for his time with the St. Louis Cardinals.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 16 | 1:30 p.m. | at Albany State | | Mills Memorial StadiumAlbany, GA | | W 21–7 | 11,501 |
| September 23 | 7:00 p.m. | Delaware State* | No. 7 | Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, FL | | W 37–0 | 17,532 |
| September 30 | 7:00 p.m. | Howard* | No. 7 | Bragg Memorial StadiumTallahassee, FL | | W 28–7 | 11,882 |
| October 7 | 7:30 p.m. | Maryland Eastern Shore* | No. 7 | Gator Bowl StadiumJacksonville, FL | | W 45–0 | 30,100 |
| October 14 | 1:30 p.m. | at Morris Brown | No. 7 | Herndon StadiumAtlanta, GA | | W 56–0 | 12,776 |
| October 21 | 7:00 p.m. | Tennessee State* | No. 4 | Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, FL | | L 21–24 | 29,820 |
| October 28 | 7:00 p.m. | Tuskegee | No. 5 | Bragg Memorial StadiumTallahassee, FL | | W 41–13 | 11,793 |
| November 4 | 1:30 p.m. | Alabama A&M | No. 3 | Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, FL | | W 42–0 | 21,637 |
| November 18 | 4:10 p.m. | at Southern* | No. 3 | Tiger StadiumBaton Rouge, LA | ABC | W 16–12 | 18,000 |
| November 25 | 1:30 p.m. | vs. Bethune–Cookman | No. 3 | Tampa StadiumTampa, FL (rivalry) | | W 27–17 | 40,868 |
| December 2 | 7:30 p.m. | vs. Grambling State* | No. 3 | Orange BowlMiami, FL (Orange Blossom Classic) | | W 31–7 | 35,499 |
| December 9 | 1:30 p.m. | at No. 2 Jackson State* | No. 3 | Mississippi Veterans Memorial StadiumJackson, MS (NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal) | ABC | W 15–10 | 12,000 |
| December 16 | 1:30 p.m. | vs. No. T–4 UMass* | No. 3 | Memorial StadiumWichita Falls, TX (NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game—Pioneer Bowl) | ABC | W 35–28 | 13,604 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from Associated Press Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||||