For the first time in program history, Florida A&M University’s football team (10-1) will be playing for the Southwestern Athletic Conference title this Saturday. FAMU will host Historically Black University Prairie View A&M (6-5).
We asked FAMU head football coach Willie Simmons on Monday what this moment means for the university.
Read the full transcript from Coach Simmons' interview on November 27, 2023 below,
WFSU: Coming into it we knew that this season will be different. What made this season different? What was the team’s overall focus?
Willie Simons, FAMU Football Head Coach: Well, I think this season for us really started about a year ago, when I had that final team meeting, at the end of the 2022 season, to tell the guys that we had not been selected to the FCS playoffs. It was a very disappointing day. And the one takeaway from that meeting was that I just saw a look on the face of the returning guys that just says this time will be different. No longer will we allow someone else to control our destiny. And I just saw a different group of guys that were locked in. The leadership was more intense. The attention to detail the focus was heightened. And we just felt that we had all the pieces finally put together, that championship teams are made of. Fortunate for us, we've been able to put all put all the pieces together this season and have one for the ages.
This season, FAMU football has earned the highest national ranking since 1998 and the first 10-win season since 1999. What does all that mean for you?
Simmons: Well, it just means all our work is paying off. Again, the student athletes, the young men that we are blessed to coach every day, the coaching staff, the support staff, the fan base, student body, everybody who's poured into this program; boosters, affinity groups. This is a group effort. You know, this isn't just about the players, or just me. But it's about everyone who loves the orange and green, and everyone who follows this program. When we took over, we had some dark days. But we've turned those dark days into sunny skies now. And again, this is a great feeling to be here. But the work is not done. But again, it is a testament to all the hard work and dedication that these guys are putting in since we got here six years ago.
It's been a long time since FAMU had a title game, let alone being able to host one. So, having fans here, why is that so important?
Simmons: Well, it's obviously important because it gives you a great home field advantage. We have one of the most rabid fan bases at this level. We finished sixth nationally in average home attendance. We have a 19-game home winning streak that we're riding. And I think all those things together makes for one of the most intimidating atmospheres in all of college football. So we're just blessed to be able to host the SWAC championship here on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium. To just have a sea of orange and green rooting this team on, everyone who makes our gameday experience second to none, it will definitely give us a great home field advantage to be able to play in front of our own people.
Have you talked to your guys or even mentioned about the possibility of the Black College National Championship (Celebration Bowl)?
Simmons: Well, you know, we have a saying here, that we want to be where our feet are. Obviously, the Celebration Bowl is that ultimate goal for us. We've just gone throughout this season, just trying to check off all the boxes that we can. And this weekend, is the next box that we that we can check. We can't check the Celebration Bowl box yet because there's not much use in talking about it. We can only achieve that goal once we accomplish this goal of winning the SWAC. And so, that's the box we're trying to check this week. All of our preparation is geared towards that. When the time comes, we'll focus our attention on the Celebration Bowl. But in the meantime, we are 100% prepared for the SWAC championship game against Prairie View A&M now.
But how do you focus on this game and cancel out the outside noise?
Simmons: Well, for us, it's the same approach. Our goal is to go 1-0 this week, much like we've done throughout this entire season. So never looking ahead, always being where our feet are, focusing on the little things. And so, the competition doesn't really matter, the venue, the magnitude of the game—when you’re process driven the rest of it takes care of itself.
Tickets for Saturday's SWAC Championship game can be purchased on Ticketmaster or through the on-campus box office at the Al Lawson Center. The game kicks off at 4p.m. ET on ESPN2.