Florida A&M Rattlers
Encyclopedia
The Florida A&M Rattlers represent Florida A&M University
(FAMU) in college athletics
. Florida A&M is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
and participates in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). FAMU offers men's sports in baseball, basketball, football, golf, swimming , tennis and track and field. It offers women's sports in basketball bowling, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field and volleyball.
From 1938 to 1961, the football team won the Black College National Championship eight times, including six times under head coach Jake Gaither
, in 1950, 1952, 1954, 1957, 1959 and 1961. When Gaither retired after 25 years of coaching in 1969, his FAMU teams had a 203-36-4 (wins-losses-ties) record, for a .844 winning percentage. Thirty-six players from Gaither's teams were All-America
ns, and 42 went on to play in the National Football League
. During his 25 years as head coach, FAMU won 22 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
championships. Gaither was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1975. FAMU went on to win the first NCAA D1-AA National Championship in 1978 after defeating the University of Massachusetts
. The Rattlers meet the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
every year in the Florida Classic
on the third weekend in November. The Rattlers lead the overall series with Bethune Cookman University, 45-15-1. One of the most notable wins in FAMU football history came when they defeated the University of Miami
in 1979.
On November 15 2008, Florida A&M football received national attention when ESPN's College GameDay was broadcast live from the campus. FAMU became the first historically black college or university campus to ever host the program.
The Florida A&M Rattlers Men's Tennis team won HBCU National Tennis Championships in 2003,2007,2008,2009 and 2010. The Women's team won the HBCU National Tennis Championship in 2008.
The Florida A&M Rattlers have won 29 Conference Championships and 13 different college football national titles. They have won the black college football national championship
11 times. An Associated Press College Division National Championship in 1962. The Rattlers also won the inaugural NCAA Division I-AA National Championship in 1978.
The Florida A&M women’s flag football team have won six national championships in the last four years. They won the ACIS Flag Football National Championship in 2007,2009 and 2010.
Florida A&M University
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, commonly known as Florida A&M or FAMU, is a historically black university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States, the state capital, and is one of eleven member institutions of the State University System of Florida...
(FAMU) in college athletics
College athletics
College athletics refers primarily to sports and athletic competition organized and funded by institutions of tertiary education . In the United States, college athletics is a two-tiered system. The first tier includes the sports that are sanctioned by one of the collegiate sport governing bodies...
. Florida A&M is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is a collegiate athletic conference of historically black colleges and universities in the Southeastern United States...
and participates in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). FAMU offers men's sports in baseball, basketball, football, golf, swimming , tennis and track and field. It offers women's sports in basketball bowling, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field and volleyball.
From 1938 to 1961, the football team won the Black College National Championship eight times, including six times under head coach Jake Gaither
Jake Gaither
Alonzo Smith "Jake" Gaither was the head football coach at Florida A&M University for 25 years, and amassed one of the best winning records of any college football coach....
, in 1950, 1952, 1954, 1957, 1959 and 1961. When Gaither retired after 25 years of coaching in 1969, his FAMU teams had a 203-36-4 (wins-losses-ties) record, for a .844 winning percentage. Thirty-six players from Gaither's teams were All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
ns, and 42 went on to play in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. During his 25 years as head coach, FAMU won 22 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...
championships. Gaither was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1975. FAMU went on to win the first NCAA D1-AA National Championship in 1978 after defeating the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
. The Rattlers meet the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats are the names of the college sports teams at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. Lynn W. Thompson is the current Athletic Director.Bethune-Cookman currently fields varsity teams in ten different sports...
every year in the Florida Classic
Florida Classic
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Classic is the annual college football game between the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University and the Rattlers of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. The series record is FAMU 18, B-CU 10...
on the third weekend in November. The Rattlers lead the overall series with Bethune Cookman University, 45-15-1. One of the most notable wins in FAMU football history came when they defeated the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
in 1979.
On November 15 2008, Florida A&M football received national attention when ESPN's College GameDay was broadcast live from the campus. FAMU became the first historically black college or university campus to ever host the program.
The Florida A&M Rattlers Men's Tennis team won HBCU National Tennis Championships in 2003,2007,2008,2009 and 2010. The Women's team won the HBCU National Tennis Championship in 2008.
The Florida A&M Rattlers have won 29 Conference Championships and 13 different college football national titles. They have won the black college football national championship
Black college football national championship
The black college football national championship is a mythical national championship won by the best black college football team in the United States of America. There has been some criticism of this title on the grounds that the schools in the various polls compete in different levels of...
11 times. An Associated Press College Division National Championship in 1962. The Rattlers also won the inaugural NCAA Division I-AA National Championship in 1978.
The Florida A&M women’s flag football team have won six national championships in the last four years. They won the ACIS Flag Football National Championship in 2007,2009 and 2010.