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FAMU football vs. South Carolina State: Will the Rattlers' home streak move to 21 wins?

gerald thomas iii, tallahassee democrat
·3 min read

Florida A&M football opens its home slate on Saturday.

The Rattlers will host the South Carolina State Bulldogs for a non-conference game on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

The Rattlers will defend the nation’s second-longest home winning streak of 20 games. The last team to beat FAMU at Bragg was South Carolina State in 2018.

Saturday’s Week 1 game between FAMU and South Carolina State kicks off at 6 p.m. Fans who can’t attend can watch on ESPN Plus or listen on the Rattlers mobile app.

The Football Championship Subdivision Coaches Poll 25th-ranked Rattlers (1-0) are fresh off a 24-23 victory over Norfolk State at Week 0’s MEAC/SWAC Challenge. South Carolina State is opening its 2024 season on Saturday.

Let’s get familiar with FAMU and South Carolina State and predict the winner of Saturday’s HBCU football showdown.

Florida A&M vs. South Carolina State: Tale of the Tape

Records

  • FAMU (1-0) ― Last Game: W, 24-23 vs Norfolk State

  • South Carolina State (0-0) ― Finished 5-6 in 2023

Coaches

  • FAMU: James Colzie III (1-0 at FAMU/NCAA level)

  • South Carolina State: Chennis Berry (27-7 all-time, 0-0 at South Carolina State)

Players to Watch

  • FAMU: Jamari Gassett, Wide Receiver; James Ash, Defensive Tackle

  • South Carolina State: Justin Smith-Brown, Wide Receiver; Jamare Benjamin, Defensive Back

Team Historical Accolades

  • FAMU: 17 claimed national championships (16 Black College, one NCAA Division I-AA)

  • South Carolina State: Six claimed Black College National Championships

All-Time Series

  • FAMU leads 32-26-2

Last Matchup

  • FAMU 20, South Carolina State 14 (2022)

Meet the Teams: Florida A&M vs. South Carolina State

FAMU and South Carolina State are both under first-year head coaches.

James Colzie III was promoted from assistant to head coach of the Rattlers, who won in his coaching debut over Norfolk State last week. Colzie replaced Willie Simmons, who left FAMU after six years for the running backs coach job at Duke following leading the Rattlers to Southwestern Athletic Conference and Celebration Bowl title wins in 2023.

Chennis Berry now leads South Carolina State football, replacing retired coaching legend Buddy Pough after 22 seasons. Berry previously head-coached Benedict College, collecting two Division II Black College Football National Championships in 2022 and 2023.

FAMU and South Carolina State account for two of the last three Black College Football National Championships for the Division I level.

The Rattlers won the 2023 Celebration Bowl to claim the trophy. South Carolina State won it in 2021.

Who will win? Florida A&M vs. South Carolina State

Florida A&M coach James Colzie III leads his team onto the field during the Cricket MEAC-SWAC Challenge NCAA college football game against Norfolk State in Atlanta on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024.
Florida A&M coach James Colzie III leads his team onto the field during the Cricket MEAC-SWAC Challenge NCAA college football game against Norfolk State in Atlanta on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024.

Last week, FAMU quarterback Daniel Richardson and wide receiver Jamari Gassett were a formidable tandem for the Rattlers’ offense.

Richardson, the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Most Valuable Player, completed 22 of 30 passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns. Two touchdowns went to Gassett, who added eight catches and 118 yards.

However, South Carolina State had the 24th-ranked defense in the Football Championship Subdivision and returned key linebacker Aaron Smith and defensive back Jamare Benjamin.

Defensively, the Rattlers struggled against the run. South Carolina State is typically a run-heavy team, with running backs Josh Shaw and Tyler Smith returning 747 yards and five touchdowns to its offense. South Carolina State quarterback Eric Phoenix can run, too.

After addressing their run defense struggles, expect FAMU’s Dark Cloud Defense to check back into its usual disruptive ways.

FAMU has not lost at Bragg Stadium in six years.

That will continue on Saturday.

FAMU 21, South Carolina State 10

BOLD PREDICTION: FAMU will hold South Carolina State under 100 rushing yards.

Florida A&M (1-0) vs. South Carolina State (0-0) ― Week 1

Florida A&M celebrates after winning the Cricket MEAC-SWAC Challenge NCAA college football game against Norfolk State in Atlanta on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024. Florida A&M won 24-23.
Florida A&M celebrates after winning the Cricket MEAC-SWAC Challenge NCAA college football game against Norfolk State in Atlanta on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024. Florida A&M won 24-23.

When: Saturday, Aug. 31 at 6 p.m. Eastern Time

Where: Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida

Broadcast: ESPN Plus (Television), Rattlers Mobile App (Audio)

Tickets: Purchase Here

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 vs South Carolina State: Predicting SWAC-MEAC showdown