Florida A&M University football is a lot of things. It’s a drumbeat that you can feel in your teeth blocks away from Bragg Memorial Stadium. It's a legacy that stretches back to the late 1800s. Honestly, if you grew up in Tallahassee or follow HBCU sports, it’s basically a religion.
But here’s the thing: most people only see the highlights. They see the "Marching 100" at halftime or maybe caught a glimpse of the 2023 Celebration Bowl victory on ABC. They don’t see the actual grind or the wild transitions this program has survived. Right now, in early 2026, the Rattlers are in the middle of a massive "reset" that’s catching a lot of folks off guard.
Why Florida A&M University football is hitting the reset button
Football is a "what have you done for me lately" business. It’s harsh, but true. After a mediocre 5-7 run in 2025, the university didn't wait around. They fired James Colzie III in December. You might remember Colzie took over after Willie Simmons left for Duke, and there was so much hope he'd keep the momentum from that 12-1 championship season going.
It didn't happen.
Instead, the Rattlers looked undisciplined. They averaged over 60 yards in penalties per game. That’s how you lose close ones to rivals like Bethune-Cookman or drop a heartbreaker in the Orange Blossom Classic to Howard. Now, the keys have been handed to a familiar face: Quinn Fordham Gray Sr.
Gray isn't just some random hire. He’s Rattler royalty. He was the quarterback who basically rewrote the record books here before heading to the NFL. He’s coming back home after a really solid 24-11 run at Albany State. The vibe in Tallahassee right now? It's cautious but optimistic. People want that "Strike, Rattlers, Strike" energy back, and they want it yesterday.
The ghost of Jack Gaither and the "Blood, Sweat, and Tears" era
You can't talk about Florida A&M University football without mentioning Jake Gaither. He wasn't just a coach; he was a force of nature. From 1945 to 1969, the man basically owned Black college football.
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His stats are frankly ridiculous. A 203-36-4 record. That’s a .844 winning percentage.
Gaither’s philosophy was simple: "Agile, mobile, and hostile." He built a program that was so good, the major "white" universities in Florida were literally afraid to play them for decades. When FAMU finally got to play the University of Miami in 1979—nearly ten years after Gaither retired—they won.
That history matters because it sets a bar that is incredibly high. When a coach at FAMU goes 5-7, it’s not just a bad season. It feels like a betrayal of that Gaither legacy. That’s why the pressure on Quinn Gray is so intense. He’s not just competing against the SWAC; he’s competing against the ghosts of the past.
The Bragg Memorial experience: More than just a game
If you haven’t been to Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium, you’re missing out on one of the best atmospheres in American sports. Period.
It’s not just about the four quarters of football. It’s the tailgating on the Paddyfote lawn. It’s the smell of ribs and the sound of Greek life chants. The stadium itself has been getting some much-needed love lately, too. We’re talking new video boards and renovated bleachers that actually make the 19,000-plus capacity feel modern.
But the real show is the "Marching 100." There’s a reason they’ve performed at Super Bowls and presidential inaugurations. At FAMU, the band is as much a part of the football identity as the quarterback is. If the band is on point and the Rattlers are winning, Tallahassee is the best place on earth.
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Real talk on the NFL pipeline
A lot of people think HBCU football is "small time." Those people are wrong.
FAMU has a legitimate pipeline to the pros. We’re talking about Hall of Famers like Ken Riley and Bob Hayes. "Bullet" Bob Hayes is still the only person to win an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring in the same year. That’s legendary stuff.
Even recently, guys like Markquese Bell and Isaiah Land have proven that scouts are still watching the Hill. The talent is there. The challenge lately hasn't been finding players; it's keeping them. With the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) era and the transfer portal, FAMU is fighting a two-front war to keep their stars from being poached by the "big" FBS programs.
The Florida Classic: The game that actually matters
You want to know how a FAMU coach keeps his job? He wins the Florida Classic.
This is the annual showdown against Bethune-Cookman in Orlando. It’s huge. It regularly pulls in 60,000-plus fans to Camping World Stadium. It’s arguably the biggest HBCU game in the country, often outdrawing the Bayou Classic.
In 2025, the Rattlers lost a 34-38 thriller to the Wildcats. That loss was probably the final nail in the coffin for the previous coaching staff. You can lose to a lot of teams, but losing the Classic is a cardinal sin in Tallahassee. Quinn Gray knows this better than anyone—he lived it as a player.
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What the 2026 season looks like
So, where do we go from here? Quinn Gray is preaching an "ALL IN" mantra—Attitude, Little Things, Love, Intelligence, Now. It sounds like standard coach-speak, but there's a practical side to it.
He’s gotta stabilize the roster. When Colzie was fired, players like quarterback RJ Johnson III and wide receiver Kinari Wilcher jumped into the transfer portal. That’s a lot of production to replace.
The focus now is on "Restoring the Strike." This means:
- Cleaning up the penalties that killed them last year.
- Fixing a defense that gave up over 33 points per game in 2025.
- Leveraging the new Athletic Director, John F. Davis, to boost NIL money so players actually want to stay in Tallahassee.
Actionable insights for Rattler fans
If you're following Florida A&M University football this year, don't just look at the scoreboard. Keep an eye on the "little things" Gray is talking about.
Check the box scores for penalty yards. If those numbers drop, it means the culture is shifting. Watch the recruiting trail in South Florida—that’s Gray’s backyard. If he can lock down the "305" and "954" area codes again, FAMU will be back at the top of the SWAC East in no time.
The road back to the Celebration Bowl isn't going to be a straight line. It's going to be a grind. But with a hometown hero at the helm and a fan base that’s hungry for a return to dominance, the Rattlers are still the most dangerous team in HBCU football when they get it right.
To stay ahead of the curve, make sure you're monitoring the official FAMU Athletics portal for spring game dates and updated roster moves, as the transfer portal window will dictate the depth chart for the upcoming 2026 season. Support the FAMU NAA (National Alumni Association) or local NIL collectives if you want to see the program compete financially with the bigger schools.