FAMU secures first ever Celebration Bowl appearance with 35-14 win over Prairie View

The Rattlers of Florida A&M are champions once again, in what was a bizarre 60 plus minutes of play. On Saturday, 14,628 fans braved a day of downpours to make their way to Bragg Memorial Stadium to help cheer on the Rattlers.

'Our goal is to go 1-0 this week'
The team of Orange and Green was riding a 19-home game winning streak and had only lost one game the entire regular season. In addition, FAMU had beaten Prairie View a few months prior 45-7. But ahead of the game, FAMU head football coach Willie Simmons said none of that mattered.

Will Brown/Will Brown

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Will Brown

Simmons and the Rattlers started the game off strong, scoring 21 consecutive points in the opening half—until mother nature had her say.

Two weather delays due to lighting and heavy rain caused many of the fans to flee, some never returning to the stadium. The rain continued, completely drowning out FAMU’s early momentum. As the game resumed in the third quarter Prairie View came back to life. The Panthers running back Ahmad Antoine, closed the gap to bring the once one-sided game, back within one score.

Will Brown

Despite the jawing from the Panthers sideline, several clashes between players, and the relentless downpour, FAMU found a way to hold Prairie View scoreless for the closing quarter. FAMU secured a 35-14 victory over the Panthers. Proud students and alum stormed Ken Riley field, as FAMU’s football team held up their first outright conference title in two decades.

“It feels great," FAMU Senior defensive lineman Gentle Hunt said after the game. "I have to be honest with you man, we haven’t done this, in a very long time. I don’t think since I've been born, so it’s been a minute. It feels really good. Not only that, this is my very first championship I ever won in my life.”

The win on Saturday became FAMU’s first post-season victory since 1999 and it extended the football team’s home game win streak to 20, surpassing Montana State as having the longest-active streak in the nation.

The Rattlers will meet Howard University at the Celebration Bowl on Dec. 16th. The 6-5 Bison’s will be representing the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Both teams will be playing for the highest postseason award in all of HBCU football, the Black College National Championship. That game will be held in two weeks at the Mercedes-Benz stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.