The 2025 season for Florida A&M was, honestly, a wild ride that nobody really saw coming. After the high of a 2023 Celebration Bowl win and a transitional 2024, the FAMU 2025 football schedule promised a return to dominance but delivered a series of heart-pounding nail-biters and some genuinely shocking upsets. If you followed the Rattlers this year, you know that Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium saw as much drama as a primetime soap opera.
Coach James Colzie III had his hands full from the jump. The schedule wasn't just a list of dates; it was a gauntlet of HBCU royalty and a tricky FBS road trip that tested the depth of this roster.
The Brutal Opening Stretch
It all started in Miami Gardens for the Orange Blossom Classic on August 30. Facing Howard at Hard Rock Stadium is always a vibe, but the result was a defensive slog. A 10-9 loss to the Bison? That hurt. It set a weird tone for the month of September.
Then came the FBS check. On September 6, the Rattlers headed down to Boca Raton to face Florida Atlantic. Look, we all knew it was going to be tough, but a 56-14 blowout is never easy to swallow. It raised a lot of questions about the secondary and whether the Rattlers could actually compete with the "big boys" this year.
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They finally got some air on September 13 against Albany State. A 33-25 win in the home opener at Bragg provided some much-needed relief. Thad Franklin Jr. started showing why he was the focal point of the offense, grinding out tough yards when the passing game stalled.
SWAC Play: The Peaks and Valleys
After an early bye week, conference play kicked off on September 27 against Alabama State. This is where things got really messy. A 42-14 loss at home? That’s not supposed to happen in Tallahassee. The "Dark Cloud" defense looked more like a light mist that day.
October was a month of extreme highs and lows.
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- Oct 11: A crushing 45-7 loss to North Carolina Central.
- Oct 18: The Homecoming miracle against Alcorn State (33-28 win).
- Oct 25: A gutsy 43-35 road win at Southern University in Baton Rouge.
That Southern game was basically the RJ Johnson III coming-out party. He threw the ball with a level of confidence we hadn't seen since the season started. Winning in "The Bluff" is never easy, but the Rattlers played like they had something to prove.
Why the Jackson State Game Changed Everything
If you ask any Rattler fan about the 2025 season, they’ll eventually start venting about November 1. Jackson State came into Bragg and basically took over. A 41-16 loss effectively ended any realistic hopes of a SWAC East title. It was a tough pill to swallow, especially with the hype surrounding that specific matchup.
However, the team didn't just fold. They went on the road and swept the Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Alabama A&M games. The 31-28 win over UAPB on November 8 was a classic "ugly win," sealed by an onside kick recovery. Then, a 26-23 victory in Huntsville on November 15 proved this team had some serious grit, even if they weren't the dominant force of years past.
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The Florida Classic and the Post-Season Confusion
The regular season ended, as it always does, in Orlando for the Florida Blue Florida Classic. On November 22, the Rattlers faced Bethune-Cookman in front of a massive crowd at Camping World Stadium. It was an offensive explosion, but FAMU fell just short in a 38-34 heartbreaker. Losing to your rival is bad. Losing when you put up 34 points is worse.
Interestingly, despite a 5-7 overall record, the Rattlers found themselves in a bizarre postseason situation. Due to some SWAC tiebreakers and scheduling quirks, they ended up playing a "postseason" style game against Mississippi Valley State on November 29, which unfortunately ended in another close 35-31 loss.
Final Look: 2025 Record and Results
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 30 | vs Howard (Miami) | L, 9-10 |
| Sep 6 | at Florida Atlantic | L, 14-56 |
| Sep 13 | Albany State | W, 33-25 |
| Sep 27 | Alabama State | L, 14-42 |
| Oct 11 | NC Central | L, 7-45 |
| Oct 18 | Alcorn State (Homecoming) | W, 33-28 |
| Oct 25 | at Southern | W, 43-35 |
| Nov 1 | Jackson State | L, 16-41 |
| Nov 8 | at Arkansas-Pine Bluff | W, 31-28 |
| Nov 15 | at Alabama A&M | W, 26-23 |
| Nov 22 | vs Bethune-Cookman (Orlando) | L, 34-38 |
| Nov 29 | at Mississippi Valley State | L, 31-35 |
The final tally? A 5-7 overall record and 4-4 in the SWAC. It wasn't the championship season fans dreamed of, but it was far from boring.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Offseason
- Rebuild the Defensive Front: The Rattlers gave up way too many points in key losses. They need to hit the transfer portal hard for interior defensive linemen who can stop the run.
- Solidify the QB Room: While RJ Johnson III showed flashes of brilliance, the inconsistency in the passing game was the Achilles' heel. Finding a steady, veteran presence under center is priority number one.
- Home Field Advantage: Going 2-3 at Bragg is unacceptable for a program with this much history. The coaching staff needs to evaluate why the team underperformed in Tallahassee.
If you're planning for next year, keep an eye on the recruitment trail this February. The talent is there, but the execution in 2025 just didn't match the expectations.