# 2021 Florida A&M Rattlers football team

The 2021 Florida A&M Rattlers football team represented Florida A&M University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Rattlers played their home games at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, and competed in the East Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). They were led by third-year head coach Willie Simmons.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 5 | 3:00 p.m. | vs. Jackson State | | Hard Rock StadiumMiami Gardens, FL (Orange Blossom Classic) | ESPN2 | L 6–7 | 31,000 |
| September 11 | 6:00 p.m. | Fort Valley State* | | Bragg Memorial StadiumTallahassee, FL | Facebook | W 34–7 | 0 |
| September 18 | 7:00 p.m. | at South Florida* | | Raymond James StadiumTampa, FL | ESPN+ | L 17–38 | 29,475 |
| October 2 | 6:00 p.m. | Alabama State | | Bragg Memorial StadiumTallahassee, FL | ESPN+ | W 28–0 | 21,087 |
| October 9 | 6:00 p.m. | South Carolina State* | | Bragg Memorial StadiumTallahassee, FL | Facebook | W 30–7 | 14,892 |
| October 16 | 2:00 p.m. | at Alabama A&M | | Louis Crews StadiumNormal, AL | ESPN3 | W 35–31 | 8,375 |
| October 23 | 4:00 p.m. | at Mississippi Valley State | | Rice–Totten StadiumItta Bena, MS | YouTube | W 31–28 | 2,700 |
| October 30 | 4:00 p.m. | Grambling State | | Bragg Memorial StadiumTallahassee, FL | ESPN3 | W 26–3 | 31,887 |
| November 6 | 5:00 p.m. | at Southern | | A. W. Mumford StadiumBaton Rouge, LA | ESPN3 | W 29–17 | 15,665 |
| November 13 | 3:00 p.m. | at Arkansas–Pine Bluff | | Simmons Bank FieldPine Bluff, AR | ESPN3 | W 37–7 | 3,451 |
| November 20 | 3:30 p.m. | vs. Bethune–Cookman | No. 23 | Camping World StadiumOrlando, FL (Florida Classic) | ESPN3 | W 46–21 | 54,198 |
| November 27 | 7:00 p.m. | at No. 18 Southeastern Louisiana* | No. 22 | Strawberry StadiumHammond, LA (NCAA Division I First Round) | ESPN+ | L 14–38 | 4,125 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### Vs. Jackson State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rattlers | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| • Tigers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| FAMU –7.5 | 61 |
| Statistics | Florida A&M | Jackson State |
| First downs | 17 | 15 |
| Total yards | 234 | 292 |
| Rushing yards | 109 | 71 |
| Passing yards | 125 | 221 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 32:18 | 27:42 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Florida A&M | Passing | Rasean McKay | 18/29, 78 yards, 0 TD |
| Florida A&M | Rushing | Bishop Bonnett | 15 carries, 76 yards |
| Florida A&M | Receiving | Chad Hunter | 7 receptions, 49 yards |
| Jackson State | Passing | Shedeur Sanders | 18/24, 221 yards, 0 TD |
| Jackson State | Rushing | Peytton Pickett | 15 carries, 62 yards |
| Jackson State | Receiving | Trevonte Rucker | 3 receptions, 83 yards |

### Fort Valley State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Wildcats | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| • Rattlers | 7 | 0 | 14 | 13 | 34 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Fort Valley State | Passing |
| Fort Valley State | Rushing |
| Fort Valley State | Receiving |
| Florida A&M | Passing |
| Florida A&M | Rushing |
| Florida A&M | Receiving |

### At South Florida

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rattlers | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| • Bulls | 10 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| USF –22.5 | 50 |
| Statistics | Florida A&M | South Florida |
| First downs | 20 | 22 |
| Total yards | 380 | 406 |
| Rushing yards | 132 | 243 |
| Passing yards | 248 | 163 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 29:38 | 30:14 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Florida A&M | Passing | Rasean McKay | 25/49, 248 yards, 1 TD |
| Florida A&M | Rushing | Terrell Jennings | 6 carries, 93 yards, 1 TD |
| Florida A&M | Receiving | Xavier Smith | 15 receptions, 139 yards |
| South Florida | Passing | Timmy McClain | 12/23, 163 yards, 1 TD |
| South Florida | Rushing | Brian Battie | 10 carries, 139 yards |
| South Florida | Receiving | Xavier Weaver | 5 receptions, 77 yards, 1 TD |

### Alabama State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hornets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • Rattlers | 7 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Alabama State | Passing |
| Alabama State | Rushing |
| Alabama State | Receiving |
| Florida A&M | Passing |
| Florida A&M | Rushing |
| Florida A&M | Receiving |

### South Carolina State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| • Rattlers | 0 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 30 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| South Carolina State | Passing |
| South Carolina State | Rushing |
| South Carolina State | Receiving |
| Florida A&M | Passing |
| Florida A&M | Rushing |
| Florida A&M | Receiving |

### At Alabama A&M

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Rattlers | | | 0 |
| Bulldogs | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Florida A&M | Passing |
| Florida A&M | Rushing |
| Florida A&M | Receiving |
| Alabama A&M | Passing |
| Alabama A&M | Rushing |
| Alabama A&M | Receiving |

### At Mississippi Valley State

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Delta Devils | | | 0 |
| Rattlers | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Florida A&M | Passing |
| Florida A&M | Rushing |
| Florida A&M | Receiving |
| Mississippi Valley State | Passing |
| Mississippi Valley State | Rushing |
| Mississippi Valley State | Receiving |

### Grambling State

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Tigers | | | 0 |
| Rattlers | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Grambling State | Passing |
| Grambling State | Rushing |
| Grambling State | Receiving |
| Florida A&M | Passing |
| Florida A&M | Rushing |
| Florida A&M | Receiving |

### At Southern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Rattlers | 7 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 29 |
| Jaguars | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Florida A&M | Passing |
| Florida A&M | Rushing |
| Florida A&M | Receiving |
| Southern | Passing |
| Southern | Rushing |
| Southern | Receiving |

### At Arkansas–Pine Bluff

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Rattlers | | | 0 |
| Golden Lions | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Florida A&M | Passing |
| Florida A&M | Rushing |
| Florida A&M | Receiving |
| Arkansas–Pine Bluff | Passing |
| Arkansas–Pine Bluff | Rushing |
| Arkansas–Pine Bluff | Receiving |

### Vs. Bethune–Cookman

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Wildcats | | | 0 |
| No. 23 Rattlers | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Bethune–Cookman | Passing |
| Bethune–Cookman | Rushing |
| Bethune–Cookman | Receiving |
| Florida A&M | Passing |
| Florida A&M | Rushing |
| Florida A&M | Receiving |

## FCS Playoffs
### Vs. No. 18 Southeastern Louisiana – first round

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 22 Florida A&M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
| No. 18 Lions | 7 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 38 |