- FAMU football's Celebration Bowl win over Howard means the school can tout two national championships — 45 years apart.
- Several generations of Rattlers have now seen the team climb to the top after some down years.
- Watch now to hear from fans in Atlanta on how much this win means to them.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A historic season capped off with a national title...
I'm Alberto Camargo, your Collegetown neighborhood reporter — on the road — here at the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.
Where FAMU beat Howard 30-26 for the HBCU national championship.
It's been over 40 years since FAMU fans could say that.
I asked them just how much this win means to them.
"We've suffered through some hard times, suffered through some lean times, but now we're back on top."
45 years ago to the day that they won their last national title in 1978,
The Rattlers are champions again.
Mara Burnside says it gives students like her something in common with previous generations of Rattlers.
"It's a full circle moment. You get to relive the stories that your grandparents and your parents told you about."
The journey back to the top was a long one.
Consecutive losing seasons last decade...
Eligibility issues in 2022...
To Celebration Bowl champs a year later.
FAMU's Kelvin Dean, a Tallahassee native, says it means the world to bring the title home.
"All the folks in Tallahassee that supported me all the way, I want to give a big shoutout to them. It feels amazing."
For a fanbase that was already proud to be orange and green...
The Celebration Bowl win gives them all the more reason to say...
"The number one HBCU in the country is Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University."
"And we're here to let everybody know, we ain't going nowhere."
Tallahassee will get the chance to celebrate the Rattlers in the MLK Day Parade on Jan. 15.
From Atlanta, I'm Alberto Camargo, ABC27.
