Heading into Week 11 of the college football season, few would have predicted that Florida A&M and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff would share the exact same 3-5 record. Yet, here we are. This meeting in Tallahassee on Saturday, however, finds the Rattlers and the Golden Lions on two totally different paths equally driven by expectation.
For UAPB, there is a sense of hope and momentum. They are coming off a huge 40-21 victory over a struggling Southern University team, a win that snapped a five-game losing streak against the Jaguars. That performance was utter domination; UAPB amassed 389 total yards, including 158 rushing yards, while holding Southern—a program known for its run game featuring players such as former LSU star Trey Holly—to 74 yards on 29 attempts.
Golden Lions quarterback Christian Peters was highly effective, finishing the game with 231 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception on 21-of-31 passing. Even as Southern University struggled in a historic fashion, the win was huge for the Golden Lions' trajectory and for Alonzo Hampton's early tenure as coach of the program. While they're not among the best in the SWAC West, these types of wins give you a foundation to build upon in the future.
Florida A&M, meanwhile, finds itself in unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory. Unlike the years of sustained success under Willie Simmons, the Rattlers currently rank last in the SWAC in scoring offense, total offense, and rushing offense. This offensive output is uncharacteristic for the program, both in the modern context of the Simmons era and historically, harkening back to the days when the Billy Joe-led teams featured a high-powered Air Raid offense known for its receiving corps, affectionately dubbed the “RAC Boys.”
While FAMU is a respectable fourth in the SWAC in passing offense, averaging 226 yards per game, there are major concerns about the effectiveness and consistency of quarterback R.J. Johnson in leading the attack. In the Simmons era, Florida A&M found steady quarterback play that led to sustained winning. We can look no further than Jeremy Moussa, Simmons's last starting quarterback at Florida A&M before he departed to join Duke's coaching staff, then lead his own FBS squad at Florida International.
In the 2023 Celebration Bowl season, Jeremy Moussa was the perfect signal-caller, finishing the year with 2,893 yards and 22 touchdowns, earning him Co-Player of the Year honors from the Black College Football Hall of Fame. Johnson's production is far below that standard; he has accumulated just 1,552 passing yards and nine touchdowns heading into this matchup. For the entire season, the offense has looked out of sync, placing coach James Colzie III firmly on the hot seat amid a growing contingent of Florida A&M fans calling for a coaching change.
Although I still believe that, overall, the Rattlers are the more talented team, the current state of both programs cannot be ignored. UAPB is riding a palpable high after taking down one traditional HBCU football power. Who is to say they cannot beat another?
The Rattlers are not unbeatable; they are a team soul-searching for a winning formula, and their struggles make them vulnerable. Teams like UAPB aren't a guaranteed win anymore. There's a realistic path for the Golden Lions to follow to pull off a huge victory that could arguably be more impressive than the win over Southern.
While it wouldn't shock me if FAMU emerged victorious at home, UAPB is simply showing me something right now with its consistent level of competition and momentum.
Prediction: I'm picking UAPB to pull off the upset. Should the Golden Lions emerge victorious, it will undoubtedly further ignite very uncomfortable conversations about the immediate future of the Rattler program.
