TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The Florida A&M University football team is a win away from potentially hosting an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoff game.
According to a news release from FAMU Tuesday, it has submitted a bid to the NCAA to host an FCS first round playoff game Saturday, Nov. 26.
FAMU notes the bid is contingent on the Rattlers defeating the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats at the Florida Blue Florida Classic in Orlando this Saturday, Nov. 19.
The Rattlers have an 8-2 overall record and a 6-1 record in Southwestern Athletic Conference games this fall.
The NCAA playoff announcement is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 20.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to potentially host a first-round playoff game here at Bragg Memorial Stadium,” FAMU head football coach Willie Simmons said in a statement. “I would like to thank our University leadership team for their commitment to seeing this bidding process all the way through. I would also like to thank the city of Tallahassee for getting behind this initiative.”
FAMU adds if the Rattlers receive the bid to host the playoff game at Bragg Memorial Stadium, it will be the first playoff game at FAMU since the Rattlers defeated Troy State, which is now known as Troy University, during the 1998 season.
“Hosting a college football playoff game would be a fitting complement to an already impressive season and a just reward for our student-athletes and coaches who have exhibited the true Rattler spirit. Our fans would really embrace this opportunity at Bragg Memorial Stadium for the first time in more than two decades,” said FAMU President Larry Robinson in a statement.
The Rattlers ended its home 2022 regular season schedule at Bragg Memorial Stadium with a 5-0 record and has won 15 consecutive games at Bragg, which is a streak that began during the 2019 season.
The current streak is the second longest active streak in NCAA FCS football. FAMU did not field a team during the scheduled 2020 season because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
