Florida A&M secured a decisive victory over divisional rival Jackson State University, making a statement at the conclusion of their participation in the Orange Blossom Classic. The battle between the two teams was well anticipated, as the games in 2021 & 2022 determined who would ultimately make it to the SWAC Championship and play for a bid to the Celebration Bowl. Jackson State is the only team that FAMU has lost to in conference since joining the SWAC. The Rattlers were determined to reverse their fortunes and finally reign as HBCU National Champions again.

The start of the game for FAMU signaled a different energy than the first two matchups. Marcus Riley returned the opening kick-off 96 yards for a touchdown to put Florida A&M on the board first 7-0. Jackson State seemed to be poised to respond to The Rattler's opening salvo but were forced to try a field goal after going three-and-out on their 5-play, 11-yard drive. However, the Tiger's opportunity to put some points on the board was thwarted when the Jackson State player Avery Salerno and recovered by Nireek Sharpe before FAMU could attempt a scoop and score.

Florida A&M had no problems moving the ball down the field. The Rattlers finished the first quarter with a 21-0 lead. getting their first offensive touchdown of the day off of a Jeremy Moussa 18-yard pass to Trevonte Daivs for a touchdown with 8:55 left in the first quarter. A few minutes later, FAMU recovered a Jason Brown fumble and sparked another successful offensive drive where Moussa passed the ball to Jah'Marae Sheread, who ran the for a 5-yard touchdown in the red zone.

Jackson State experienced problems on both sides of the ball. Offensively, they couldn't maintain a successful offensive drive that put them in position to score. Tigers quarterback Jason Brown, who was spectacular in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, was taken out of the game in the fourth quarter. Brown struggled, finishing the game throwing for 82 yards on 10/19 passing and no touchdowns. In the fourth quarter, Brown was replaced by former University of Lousiana at Lafayette quarterback Zy Mcdonald who gave the Tigers needed production, finishing the game throwing for 149 yards on 10/14 passing and 1 touchdown. Jackson State looked competitive in the closing moments of the game but it was too little too late.

Florida A&M Picked up their first win over Jackson State since 2003 and broke a four-game losing streak to the Tigers that started back in the 2014 season. Florida A&M plays FBS opponent University of South Florida on Saturday at 7 PM EST. Jackson State will play rival Southern University in the Pete Richardson Classic on Saturday at 7 PM EST. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+