The Florida A&M University Rattlers will battle the Howard University Bison in the 2025 Orange Blossom Classic at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on August 30th. The news was officially announced by Florida A&M this afternoon but was first broken by Florida A&M-based news outlet Rattler Nation Blog

The Rattlers and Bison's clash represents more than just a matchup between two storied programs — it recreates the inaugural Orange Blossom Classic of 1933, where the Rattlers triumphed over the Bison 9-0. Also, Howard Univeristy and Florida A&M will renew their rivalry from the 2023 Cricket Celebration Bowl, where FAMU emerged victorious with a 30-26 win.

Both teams will bring new dynamics to this matchup compared to their 2023 Celebration Bowl encounter. The Rattlers aim to rebound from what their fans consider a ‘down season' in 2024. In their first season without Willie Simmons (now head coach at FIU), James Colzie III guided the team to a 7-5 record. While many programs would celebrate such a record, it fell short of the standard Simmons set with his impressive 45-13 tenure. The Rattlers now seek to recapture that excellence.

Howard University also pursues a program turnaround. The Bison haven't achieved a winning record since 2017, and a victory over the Rattlers would launch their 2025 season perfectly. The Orange Blossom Classic held the title of the longest-running HBCU classic before 1978, doubling as the Black/HBCU National Championship game. The Classic roared back to life in Miami in 2021 after a 43-year absence. The revived Classic featured the Rattlers against the Jackson State University Tigers for its first three years.

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Under Deion Sanders' leadership, the Tigers claimed two victories against the Rattlers, winning 7-6 and 59-3. The Rattlers struck back in 2023 after coach Prime's departure, defeating the Tigers 28-10.

The Classic has proven to be an indicator of the participating teams' seasons. Jackson State's 2021 and 2022 victories preceded combined 23-3 regular season records. FAMU's 2023 Classic win launched their remarkable 12-1 campaign. After three years of FAMU-JSU matchups, the 2024 Classic featured Alabama State against North Carolina Central. NCCU's 31-24 victory kickstarted their strong 8-3 2024 season.

The 2025 FAMU-Howard matchup promises to draw massive crowds of HBCU fans, with an ESPN network broadcasting the game. As August approaches, both teams prepare intensely while organizers craft another memorable chapter in the Orange Blossom Classic's rich history.