TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — This time of year is exciting for any collegiate football team, as teams across the country have been working hard for three weeks to get to game one. It's safe to say there's a little extra excitement for Florida A&M, as it's the first game for the Rattlers since 2019.
"The way you do anything is the way you do everything," said FAMU head football coach Willie Simmons.
For the first time in two years, it's game week, and everything the Rattler football team is doing now is to get them prepared for Jackson State this weekend.
"It's been dubbed the Black College Football game of the year and it's the first game of the season," said Simmons. "These guys hear those things. We try to make sure they don't read the press clippings, but they're human so some probably have."
For now, the Rattlers, are trying to take things one day at a time.
"We talk about being where our feet are."
Feet that have been waiting two years to play a football game, but the Rattlers are focused on the little things heading into their big weekend.
"Those are the things that you worry about in a first game, whether it's the first game of the season and you played the previous year, or in our case, the first game of the season and we have not played in over a year," said Simmons.
A moment they've been waiting for, to represent the orange and green.
"Every time we take the field, we're representing the greatest institution in America," said Simmons. "For us, we don't take that lightly. We want to make sure we prepare ourselves physically and mentally to go out and give our best showing to go out and give our best showing Sunday at 3:00 pm."
A showing nearly two years, in the making. The Orange Blossom Classic is set for Sunday at 3:00 against Jackson State.
