In preparation for the highly anticipated 2023 SWAC and Celebration Bowl championship season, Willie Simmons, a seasoned coach with extensive experience in the SWAC, recently opened up about the ongoing rivalry between the football teams of Florida A&M University (FAMU) and Jackson State University. Speaking on The Victory Formation Sports Show, Simmons shed light on the intense competition that extends beyond the football field and into the realm of social media.

“I embrace the pageantry that is the SWAC,” Simmons, who was a coordinator at Alcorn State and head coach at Prairie View A&M before taking the FAMU job, told Victory Formation host Jeff Lighsty Jr. “FAMU’s always been the school people love to hate. We have a saying, ‘We Bragg different” and that gets fans riled up.”

Simmons addressed the escalating tensions leading up to the Orange Blossom Classic, a highly anticipated matchup between the two historic Black College Football programs. Set to be broadcast nationally on ESPN at 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, September 3, this clash has already sparked intense exchanges between passionate fanbases on social media platforms, with coaches sometimes getting drawn into the fray.

“Jackson State is one of the most rabid fanbases out there, and in the last couple of years, we’ve become an archnemesis,” Simmons explains. “They’re always going to troll (Florida A&M football) and a couple of people are always clapping back no matter what’s being said.”

Jackson State has emerged victorious in its last two encounters with Florida A&M football, including a lopsided 59-3 triumph in 2022. Willie Simmons recognized that his defense of defensive lineman Kamari Stephens, who returned to FAMU after a brief stint in the transfer portal, may have been misconstrued as hurtful towards Jackson State. To clarify his intentions, Simmons emphasized that it was all in good fun and that he holds the utmost respect for JSU as a program.

While Willie Simmons aims to promote and highlight the accomplishments of Florida A&M football, he maintains that it is never his intention to engage in direct confrontations with other schools. Instead, he wishes to showcase the strengths of FAMU and the team's accomplishments. Despite occasional banter, Simmons made it clear that his recent remarks were the furthest he would go in stoking the flames of the rivalry.

As the highly anticipated showdown between Florida A&M football and Jackson State approaches, fans eagerly await an intense battle on the newly named field. The Orange Blossom Classic promises to deliver a spectacle of historic significance, showcasing the rich heritage and tradition of Black College Football.