FAMU football playing villain in SWAC opener, aims to crush Alabama State’s homecoming spirit

Scheduling a team for your homecoming football game provides leeway for bulletin board material.

So, Florida A&M football plans to rain on Alabama State’s homecoming festivities.

The Rattlers (2-2) open their Southwestern Athletic Conference schedule by visiting the Hornets (2-2, 1-0 in SWAC) this Saturday at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. ESPN Plus will broadcast the Week 6 SWAC game.

“We take it personally. For [Alabama State] to schedule us on homecoming ― that’s crazy,” said FAMU quarterback Daniel Richardson. “We look to go there and come back with the upset.”

Typically, teams who visit homecomings are viewed as a beatable team.

FAMU head coach James Colzie III hopes his team embraces entering enemy territory in a high-stakes game with SWAC standings ramifications.

The SWAC predicted the Rattlers and the Hornets to be the top two teams in the East division, with Alabama State earning the preseason No. 1 spot.

“Normally, you put a team on your homecoming that you think you can beat. I guess that’s the way they feel,” Colzie said.

“Important for us to understand the moment,” Colzie added.

Alabama State Hornets head coach Eddie Robinson Jr. works with his players during the Miles College game on the ASU campus in Montgomery, Ala., on Saturday September 7, 2024.

Alabama State head coach Eddie Robinson Jr. says he respects his team’s homecoming opponent, FAMU.

Robinson explained the rationale for Alabama State picking FAMU as the homecoming opponent was the space between Alabama State’s Orange Blossom Classic (Sept. 1 in Miami), homecoming weekend, and Magic City Classic (Oct. 26 at Alabama A&M) games. Alabama State hosts Mississippi Valley State next Saturday, Oct. 12.

“It’s just the way the calendar falls,” Robinson said on Monday’s SWAC coaches media availability Zoom call.

“It’ll be very…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/famu-football-playing-villain-swac-090825551.html

Author : Tallahassee Democrat

Publish date : 2024-10-02 09:08:25

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