Florida A&M football’s reign atop the Southwestern Athletic Conference isn’t expected to continue in 2024.

On Tuesday, the SWAC announced its football predicted order of finish. The Rattlers were selected to finish second in the SWAC East standings for the upcoming season.

Voters picked Alabama State to finish first in the SWAC East with 114 points and 11 first-place votes. FAMU followed with 104 points and six first-place votes.

In 2023, the Rattlers won the program’s first SWAC Championship and Celebration Bowl to culminate a 12-1 season.

However, FAMU will have a new-look team under first-year head football coach James Colzie III this season. Colzie replaces former Rattlers coach Willie Simmons, who’s now Duke’s running backs coach.

FAMU has also flipped its roster with an influx of transfers to replace graduated players and NCAA Transfer Portal entrants.

The remainder of the SWAC East preseason predicted order of finish are Jackson State (87), Alabama A&M (76 points), Bethune-Cookman (47 points), and Mississippi Valley State (31 points).

In the SWAC West, Alcorn State (112 points) is predicted to finish first with Prairie View A&M (104 points), Grambling State (72 points), Southern (70 points), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (61 points), and Texas Southern (40 points) trailing.

Seven FAMU football players garner Preseason All-SWAC honors

FAMU football has seven players on the preseason All-SWAC list.

Rattlers’ first-teamers include offensive lineman Ashton Grable, defensive backs Kendall Bohler and Deco Wilson, and placekicker Cameron Gillis.

Grable is considered the SWAC’s top returning interior offensive lineman by HERO Sports. Bohler, a 2023 Boxtorow HBCU All-American, ranks seventh in FCS returning cornerback and first in the SWAC.

Gillis and Wilson were key transfers for the Rattlers to capture the program’s 17th Black College Football National Championship last season.

FAMU’s Preseason All-SWAC second-teamers are running back Kelvin Dean Jr., wide receiver Jamari Gassett, and Allen Smith Jr. Gassett was also picked as on the All-SWAC Second Team as a returner.

Last season, Dean won the Celebration Bowl’s Offensive Most Valuable Player for notching three receptions for 87 yards and two clutch touchdowns in the Rattlers’ 30-26 win over the Howard Bison.

Gassett and Smith were productive transfers last season and are expected to take the next step for the Rattlers in 2024.

FAMU opens its 2024 season in Week 0’s MEAC/SWAC Challenge versus Norfolk State in Atlanta’s Center Parc Stadium. Fans can watch the game on ABC.

Florida A&M Rattlers 2024 Football Schedule

• Aug. 24 vs. Norfolk State in MEAC/SWAC Challenge, Atlanta* at 7:30 p.m., ABC

• Aug. 31 vs. South Carolina State, 6 p.m., ESPN+

• Sept. 7 at Miami, 6 p.m., ACC Network

• Sept. 21 at Troy, 7 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN+

• Sept. 28 vs. Alabama A&M, 6 p.m., ESPN+

• Oct. 5 at Alabama State, 3 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN+

• Oct. 19 at Jackson State, 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN Network

• Oct. 26 vs. Southern, 7 p.m., ESPN Network

• Nov. 2 vs. Texas Southern (HOMECOMING), 4 p.m., ESPN+

• Nov. 9 at Prairie View A&M, 3 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN+

• Nov. 16 vs. Mississippi Valley State, 1 p.m., HBCU GO

• Nov. 23 vs. Bethune-Cookman in Florida Classic, Orlando*, 3:30 p.m., ESPN Network

• Nov. 30: FCS Playoffs Begin

• Dec. 7: SWAC Championship, LOCATION/TEAMS TBA, ESPN2

• Dec. 14: Celebration Bowl, Atlanta*, TEAMS TBA, 12 p.m., ABC

BOLD = SWAC

* = Neutral Site

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: Where did FAMU land in the SWAC football predicted order of finish?