# Florida A&M Rattlers football

The Florida A&M Rattlers football team represents Florida A&M University in the sport of American football. The Rattlers compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Starting with the fall 2021 season, the Rattlers will compete in the East Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), after a long tenure in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). They play their home games at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee.
The Rattlers have won 16 black college football national championship, 29 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) titles, eight MEAC titles, one SWAC title and one I-AA national title in the history of their football program. During the 2004 season, the Rattlers briefly attempted to move up to Division I-A (now known as the FBS) and become the only HBCU at college football's highest level, but the team was forced to abort its bid.

## History
### Classifications

* 1952–1972: NCAA College Division
* 1973–1977: NCAA Division II
* 1978–2003: NCAA Division I–AA
* 2004: NCAA Division I–A
* 2005–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS

### Conference memberships

* 1907–1925: Independent
* 1926–1978: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)†
* 1979–1983: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)
* 1984–1985: Division I–AA Independent
* 1986–2003: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
* 2004: Division I–A Independent
* 2005–2020: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
* 2021–present: Southwestern Athletic Conference
† In 1978, FAMU was a member of SIAC, a Division II conference. FAMU had successfully petitioned the NCAA for Division I classification (Division I-AA in football), which took effect on September 1, 1978.
The Rattlers have been part of a couple controversies in recent years. In 2022, FAMU almost had to forfeit a week 1 game against North Carolina because 20 players were academically ineligible to play. In July 2023, Florida A&M halted all football related activities after a rap video containing explicit lyrics was filmed in their locker room.

## Annual Classics

* Florida Classic
* Orange Blossom Classic

## Championships
### National, Black College

The Rattlers claim 16 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) championships 15 come from official HBCU championship selectors, while the 2021 claim is the result of an NCAA power ranking of FCS HBCU teams.

### National

| Year | Championship | Coach | Overall record | Conference |
| 1938 | Black College National Champions | William M. Bell | 8–0 | SIAC |
| 1942 | Black College National Champions | William M. Bell | 9–0 | SIAC |
| 1950 | Black College National co-champions | Jake Gaither | 8–1–1 | SIAC |
| 1952 | Black College National Champions | Jake Gaither | 8–2 | SIAC |
| 1953 | Black College National co-champions | Jake Gaither | 10–1 | SIAC |
| 1954 | Black College National co-champions | Jake Gaither | 8–1 | SIAC |
| 1957 | Black College National Champions | Jake Gaither | 9–0 | SIAC |
| 1959 | Black College National Champions | Jake Gaither | 10–0 | SIAC |
| 1961 | Black College National Champions | Jake Gaither | 10–0 | SIAC |
| 1962 | Black College National co-champions | Jake Gaither | 9–1 | SIAC |
| 1977 | Black College National Champions | Rudy Hubbard | 11–0 | SIAC |
| 1978 | Black College National Champions | Rudy Hubbard | 12–1 | SIAC |
| 1998 | Black College National co-champions | Billy Joe | 11–2 | MEAC |
| 2001 | Black College National co-champions | Billy Joe | 7–4 | MEAC |
| 2019 | Black College National co-champions | Willie Simmons | 9–2 | MEAC |
| 2023 | Black College National Champions | Willie Simmons | 12–1 | SWAC |

### National, Division I–AA/FCS

Florida A&M has one championship in the division formerly known as Division I-AA. They are the only HBCU to play in and win a I-AA/FCS championship game.
| Year | Association | Division | Coach | Selector | Record | Opponent | Score |
| 1978 | NCAA | Division I–AA | Rudy Hubbard | Playoffs | 12–1 | Massachusetts | 35–28 |

### National, Division II/College Division

One Florida A&M team has been awarded a national championship from NCAA-designated designated major selector, as they were declared Associated Press (AP) small college national champion for the 1962 season. While the school holds the distinction of being the first HBCU to win an NCAA football title, the championship is not claimed by the university.
| Year | Association | Division | Coach | Selector | Record |
| 1962 | NCAA | College Division | Jake Gaither | Poll | 9–1 |

### Conference championships

Florida A&M has won 38 conference championships, 31 outright and 7 shared.
| Year | Coach | Conference | Record |
| 1937 | William M. Bell | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 7–1–1 |
| 1938 | William M. Bell | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 8–0 |
| 1942 | William M. Bell | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 9–0 |
| 1943 | Herman Neilson | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 7–3 |
| 1945 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 9–1 |
| 1946 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 6–4–1 |
| 1947 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 9–1 |
| 1948 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 8–2 |
| 1949 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 7–2 |
| 1950† | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 8–1 |
| 1952† | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 8–2 |
| 1953 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 10–1 |
| 1954 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 8–1 |
| 1955 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 7–1–1 |
| 1956 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 8–1 |
| 1957 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 9–0 |
| 1958 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 7–2 |
| 1959 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 10–0 |
| 1960 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 9–1 |
| 1961 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 10–0 |
| 1962† | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 9–1 |
| 1963† | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 8–2 |
| 1964 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 9–1 |
| 1965 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 7–3 |
| 1967 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 8–2 |
| 1968 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 8–2 |
| 1969 | Jake Gaither | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 8–1 |
| 1977 | Rudy Hubbard | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 11–0 |
| 1978 | Rudy Hubbard | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 12–1 |
| 1988† | Ken Riley | Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference | 6–4–1 |
| 1990 | Ken Riley | Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference | 7–4 |
| 1995 | Billy Joe | Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference | 9–3 |
| 1996 | Billy Joe | Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference | 9–3 |
| 1998† | Billy Joe | Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference | 11–2 |
| 2000 | Billy Joe | Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference | 9–2 |
| 2001 | Billy Joe | Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference | 7–3 |
| 2010† | Joe Taylor | Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference | 8–3 |
| 2023 | Willie Simmons | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 11–1 |
† Co-champions

### Bowl games

This is a partial list. The Rattlers have an overall bowl record of 29–24–2.
| Year | Bowl | Location | Opponent | Result |
| 1938 | Prairie View Bowl | Houston, Texas | Prairie View | L 27–14 |
| 1946 | Angel Bowl | Los Angeles, California | Wiley | T 6–6 |
| 1993 | Heritage Bowl | Tallahassee, Florida | Grambling State | L 45–15 |
| 1995 | Heritage Bowl | Atlanta, Georgia | Southern | L 30–25 |
| 2023 | Celebration Bowl | Atlanta, Georgia | Howard | W 30–26 |

## NCAA Division I-AA/FCS playoff results

The Rattlers have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs eight times with a record of 5–7. They were I-AA National Champions in 1978, the first year of Division I-AA.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1978 | Semifinals National Championship Game | Jackson State Massachusetts | W 15–10 W 35–28 |
| 1996 | First Round | Troy State | L 25–29 |
| 1997 | First Round | Georgia Southern | L 37–52 |
| 1998 | First Round Quarterfinals | Troy State Western Illinois | W 27–17 L 21–24 |
| 1999 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Appalachian State Troy State Youngstown State | W 44–29 W 17–10 L 24–27 |
| 2000 | First Round | Western Kentucky | L 0–27 |
| 2001 | First Round | Georgia Southern | L 35–60 |
| 2021 | First Round | Southeastern Louisiana | L 14–38 |

## College Football Hall of Fame members

* Jake Gaither
* Willie Galimore
* Billy Joe
* Tyrone McGriff

## Alumni in the NFL

Over 60 Florida A&M alumni have played in the NFL, including:
* Ray Alexander
* Gene Atkins
* Greg Coleman
* Al Denson
* Hewritt Dixon
* Glen Edwards
* Chad Fann
* Roger Finnie
* Derrick Gainer
* Willie Galimore
* Hubert Ginn
* Charles Goodrum
* Quinn Gray
* Bob Hayes
* Earl Holmes
* Henry Lawrence
* Herm Lee
* Frank Marion
* Willie McClung
* Terry Mickens
* Riley Morris
* Jamie Nails
* Nate Newton
* Carleton Oats
* Ken Riley
* Vernice Smith
* Wally Williams
* Robert Wilson
* Xavier Smith

## Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of March 1, 2025
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
| vs Howard (Miami Gardens, FL) | at Miami (FL) | at UAB | at Georgia |
| at Florida Atlantic | | at USF | |
| Albany State | | at NC Central | |
| NC Central | | | |