The 2023 Orange Blossom Classic between Florida A&M and Jackson State kicks off this Sunday and Rattlers head coach Willie Simmons spoke about the growing rivalry between the two programs.

“When you play rivalry games, that's what you get ― rabid fanbases, two of the best fanbases in all of football,” Simmons said about the rivalry per a quote obtained by the Tallahassee Democrat. “We're both passionate about our school and our football programs. We've been the two best teams in the conference over the last couple of years and this game has decided [the winner of the SWAC East/ultimately, the entire conference].”

Since starting as a member of the Southwestern Atheltic Conference in 2021, Florida A&M has faced the Jackson State Tigers two times prior to this Sunday. Both were losing efforts. 2021 saw the coaching debut of Deion Sanders end in a defensive struggle that saw the Tigers ultimately get the upper hand and win 7-6.

2022's edition of the game featured the debut of highly-touted recruit Travis Hunter and a Rattler's team rebounding from a compliance issue that sidelined 26 players in advance of the Week 0 season opener against the University of North Carolina. Florida A&M couldn't get their offense going, stifled by a defense that ended the season ranked #1 in the FCS. The Rattlers lost in a blowout, 59-3.

The stakes are even higher for Florida A&M this season. FAMU has been a power in HBCU Football in recent years but hasn't seemed to figure out how to beat Jackson State. FAMU hasn't won a game against Jackson State since their 28-14 Circle City Classic on October 4, 2003. They also were unable to beat FAMU in the years prior to Deion Sander's coaching tenure, losing to Jackson State 22-17 in 2014 and 18-16 in 2018. Can Florida A&M secure a win against divisional rival Jackson State and start the season in the driver's seat for a SWAC Championship appearance?

We find out on Sunday at 3:30 PM. The game will take place in the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, and will air on ESPN.