THE HILL | The Alabama A&M University football team is seeking its third road win of the season as the Bulldogs visit Florida A&M on Friday in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) game. Kickoff against the Rattlers is scheduled for 3 p.m. (central) from Bragg Memorial Stadium.
Alabama A&M (6-5 overall, 4-3 SWAC) is entering the game riding a three-game winning streak, including a pair of road victories and has an opportunity to claim three road victories since the 2018 season. In addition, the Bulldogs are looking to end the season with a winning record for the first time since 2021.
Florida A&M (6-5, 4-3) had extremely high expectations coming into the season after winning the SWAC and HBCU Black College Football National Championships last year. However, under first-year coach James Colzie III, the Rattlers have seemed to struggle, going 1-4 away from Bragg Memorial Stadium. Speaking of Bragg Memorial Stadium, the last time FAMU played a game inside its home stadium, the Rattlers saw their 23-game home winning streak, which dated back to the 2019 season snapped by Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 16.
The game will be aired on ESPN+ as James Hadnot (play-by-play) and Ken Moore (analyst) will have the call. Fans can also tune into WJAB 90.9 FM as Ted Dixie (play-by-play) and Brian Howard (analyst) will call all the action.
Alabama A&M head coach
Connell Maynor said you win ballgames through preparation and the Bulldogs are looking to finish the year strong.
"Win today, win tomorrow. You don't win the games on Saturday, you win them during the week," Maynor said. "Our guys are focused on getting better every day. We're in a good place, having won three in a row. The guys are playing well, offense, defense and special teams, so we need to keep it going for one more week.
"It's going to be a tough football game. Were 6-5, 4-3 in league play and they are the same, so both of us are trying to get to 7-5. It's going to be a battle. They're at home and it is Senior Day. They just lost for the first time in four years at home, so they don't want to lose back-to-back home games. We've got to play one of our best games to get out of there with a W."
LAST MEETING
Florida A&M raced out to a quick 17-0 lead and held off a late charge by Alabama A&M to claim the 2023 matchup, 42-28, at Louis Crews Stadium.
The Rattlers led 17-0 with 7:48 left in the opening quarter, but AAMU refused to back down as
Levar Gumms and
Jacolby Hewitt caught touchdown passes as FAMU held a slim, 17-14 advantage after one quarter.
A
Ryan Morrow 8-yard touchdown run gave the Bulldogs a 21-17 lead with 8:20 remaining in the third, but the Rattlers scored 25 straight points to take a 42-21 lead just 12 seconds into the final quarter and didn't look back in the road win.
ABOUT THE GAME
- The game was originally scheduled for Sept. 28, but moved to Thanksgiving weekend due to Hurricane Helene
- Both teams are coming off victories as Alabama A&M defeated Mississippi Valley State and Florida A&M held off Bethune-Cookman last week in the Florida Classic
- Both programs had SWAC weekly accolades as Bulldog quarterback Cornelious Brown IV and Rattlers running back Thad Franklin Jr. were selected Co-Offensive Players of the Week
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
- Alabama A&M is seeking its third road victory of the season
- The Bulldogs are 2-2 this season away from Louis Crews Stadium
- AAMU is averaging 454. total yards and 31.3 points per game
- Quarterback Cornelious Brown IV was named the SWAC's Co-Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 252 yards and five touchdowns
- Xavier Lankford has 38 career touchdowns (17 rushing and 21 passing)
- Offensive lineman Carson Vinson is a projected NFL Draft pick as nearly every single NFL team has visited campus
- The Bulldogs rank fifth in the FCS in kickoff return defense, sixth in total offense, seventh in time of possession and ninth in fourth down conversion percentage
- Individually, Dimitris Biamby is seventh in the country in forced fumbles
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT – FLORIDA A&M
- The Rattlers got back into the win column last week in a 41-38 Florida Classic victory over rival Bethune-Cookman
- FAMU comes into the contest averaging nearly 24.1 points and 379.5 total yards per game
- Thad Franklin Jr. was named the HBCU+ National Player of the Week and SWAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for a career-high 195 yards and three touchdowns against BCU
- The Rattlers are tops in the nation in blocked punts allowed and seventh in completion percentage
- Individually, Jamari Gassett is third in the FCS In punt return touchdowns; Daniel Richardson is fourth in completion percentage and Robert Lockart is eighth in kickoff return touchdowns
SERIES HISTORY
- Alabama A&M and Florida A&M will be meeting for the 14th time
- Florida A&M holds the all-time series lead, 11-2
- The Bulldogs' last win in the series was in 1979, a 19-14 victory
- The Rattlers enter the game riding a three-game winning streak over AAMU
THREE KEYS TO THE GAME
- Alabama A&M needs to protect the line of scrimmage
- AAMU needs to win the turnover battle
- The Bulldogs must avoid committing a ton of penalties
For complete coverage of Alabama A&M Athletics – Huntsville's only Division I program - check out the official homepage at www.aamusports.com. Remember to follow us on social media: Instagram (@aamuathletics), Facebook (aamubulldogathletics), Twitter (@_aamuathletics) and TikTok (aamuathletics).
