Hope never escaped Florida A&M football when it faced a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to Norfolk State on Saturday.

That’s because Week 0’s MEAC/SWAC Challenge at Atlanta’s Center Parc Stadium placed the Rattlers in familiar territory.

Eight months ago, FAMU fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter to Howard in Atlanta’s Celebration Bowl before storming back to win 30-26.

As fate would have it, the Rattlers (1-0) trailed the Norfolk State Spartans (0-1) 14-0 in the first quarter in Atlanta and once again completed a comeback, winning 24-23.

“We take the pressure and ride with it,” said FAMU wide receiver Jamari Gassett, a key returner from last season’s team.

All week, first-year FAMU head coach James Colzie III said he hoped his Rattlers faced adversity in their season-opener against the Norfolk State Spartans.

And they did, causing Colzie to score his debut victory leading the Rattlers in a dramatic fashion.

FAMU had to outscore Norfolk State 24-9 to erase the two-touchdown deficit to reign victorious.

“We didn’t ask to get down 14-0. That wasn’t something we planned, nor was what we wanted,” Colzie said. “We spoke about adversity last night and throughout the week. Just understand that things might not happen the way you want it to.”

FAMU quarterback Daniel Richardson was making his Rattlers debut on Saturday, too.

And it was his heroics and response to Colzie’s message about adversity that fueled the newly-named starting quarterback’s heroics for FAMU to leave Atlanta in triumph over Norfolk State.

Richardson completed 22 of 30 of his passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns. He also added three rushing carries for 32 yards. After the game, he was rewarded the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Most Valuable Player trophy.

Richardson’s favorite target on Saturday was Gassett, who caught eight receptions in eight targets for 110 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, FAMU’s Dark Cloud Defense cracked down on Norfolk State in the second half, allowing just 145 yards and a 224-yard output in the first half. The Rattlers also held the Spartans to nine second-half points.

FAMU linebacker Aric Horne made a game-saving tackle on scrambling Norfolk State quarterback Jalen Daniels after the Spartans elected to go for a two-point conversion down 24-23 with six minutes left.

“Coach said there would be times when they’ll punch you in the month. It’s about how you respond and punch them right back,” Richardson said. “We were calm. A lot of guys have been there before. We started slow and were able to pick back up.”

The Rattlers are fresh off a Black College Football National Championship.

Saturday’s challenge against Norfolk State is only the beginning as teams vehemently attempt to knock off the defending HBCU champs.

Next, FAMU will host South Carolina State on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium on Aug. 31 for a Week 1 game.

“Coming in, we got a target on our back. Everybody’s going to play us hard like we’re Alabama,” Gassett said.

FAMU’s resiliency signifies optimism as they embark on the Colzie era.

The Rattlers’ mental fortitude is something Colzie said the nation learned about his first set of Rattlers during Saturday’s primetime game on ABC.

“We didn’t get down when we got down,” Colzie said. “I’m extremely excited. That’s something we can build on.”

Gerald Thomas, III covers Florida A&M University Athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at gdthomas@tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU football comeback on Norfolk State: How the Rattlers preserved.