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 17 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.
Contents
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: NCAA Division I-AA independent
1986–2003: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
2004: NCAA Division I-A independent
2005–2020: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
2021–present: Southwestern Athletic Conference
† In 1978, FAMU was a member of SIAC, an NCAA 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, 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.
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.
Conference championships
Florida A&M has won 38 conference championships, 31 outright and 7 shared.
† Co-champions
Bowl games
This is a partial list. The Rattlers have an overall bowl record of 29–24–2.
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.
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
Future non-conference opponents
Announced schedules as of August 11, 2026