It’s gameday in Tallahassee.
The Florida A&M Rattlers, ranked No. 24 in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Coaches Poll, are hosting Division II Coaches Poll No. 4 West Florida Argonauts here at Bragg Memorial Stadium.
This is the first-ever meeting between the teams.
The Rattlers (1-1, 1-0 SWAC) will defend their FCS second-longest home winning streak (15) against the Argonauts (2-0).
Kickoff is at 6 p.m. on HBCU Go.
FAMU is head coached by Willie Simmons, who’s in his sixth-year with the team. Summons is 55-24 all-time and 34-13 with the Rattlers. FAMU fell to Division I-FBS South Florida, 38-24 in Week 2.
UWF is led by first-year head coach Kaleb Nobles. Nobles is 2-0 after the Argonauts defeated McKendree 35-3.
How can the Florida A&M Rattlers win?
The UWF Argonauts can’t be taken lightly just because they’re a Division II team.
FAMU must eliminate mistakes and play a complete game.
Last week, the culprit of the Rattlers not securing the upset over USF was a 5-0 turnover discrepancy. Furthermore, FAMU was flagged 12 times for 115 yards.
If the Rattlers get off to a fast start, as they have in the first two games, the team must continue to keep their foot on the gas and play clean football.
Offensively, FAMU averages 21 first-half points, but cools down with five points per second half.
The Rattlers’ Dark Cloud Defense must beleaguer UWF’s balanced attack to add the 22 tackles for loss and FCS-leading ten sacks through two games.
How can the West Florida Argonauts win?
What do the Argos need to avoid? Penalties.
After 15 penalties totaling 160 lost yards in Week 2 at McKendree University, that won’t fly against a strong program like FAMU. The Rattlers have the strength to make UWF pay for the abundance of penalties, especially when some of the penalties were for unsportsmanlike conduct against the Bearcats.
But what’s been working? The strong passing game and a new defensive structure.
If quarterback Peewee Jarrett and Nobles can work together like they have been – and potentially make the necessary in-game adjustments – the strong receiver room could create some havoc for the Rattlers. Jarrett’s already thrown for 559 yards and seven touchdowns in just two weeks.
And the new four-man front for the Argos’ defense has been overwhelming, with John McMullen recording five sacks in two weeks. UWF sacked McKendree quarterback Caleb Fisher seven times last Saturday.
UWF enters Saturday with high expectations despite FAMU being a Division I FCS program. The Argos have beaten two Division I programs before (McNeese State in 2021, University of North Alabama in 2018). So Week 3 in Tallahassee could be interesting.
Gerald’s score prediction: FAMU 24, UWF 13
Ben’s score prediction: FAMU 28, UWF 24
Florida A&M (1-1, 1-0 SWAC) vs. West Florida (2-0) Game Information
When: Saturday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m.
Where: Bragg Memorial Stadium; Tallahassee, Florida
How to watch: HBCU Go, Rattlers+
Gerald Thomas, III covers Florida A&M University Athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at gdthomas@gannett.com or on Twitter @3peatgee.
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Ben Grieco is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached on X (@BenGriecoSports) and via email at BGrieco@gannett.com.