The Rattlers will look to play spoiler Saturday as they take on the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats in the Florida Blue Florida Classic.
Florida A&M acting head coach Earl Holmes, who took over after Joe Taylor retired, is looking to earn his second victory.
Holmes said that the team never got too high or too low in the homecoming game against North Carolina Central University. He said the team fed off of the energy in the game. Holmes also said that he was not worried about who the next head coach will be. The team is focused on B-CU.
The Rattlers will have quarterback Damien Fleming back healthy for a second straight week. Fleming, a second-year criminal justice student from Jacksonville, said he was feeling good.
“Being hurt is boring,” Fleming said.
Chase Varnadore was five-for-five on field goal attempts against NCCU, including a 36-yard game winner that put the Rattlers up 22-21. Varnadore, a redshirt sophomore criminal justice student from Tallahassee, was pumped about his performance Saturday.
Varnadore said there was a surreal feeling about his game, which was his career high in field goals made. He also said that the team needs special teams to play well.
“Special teams is a need,” Varnadore said.
The Florida Classic is the largest game in the nation played between two historically black colleges. The game started in 1978 with the help of Hansel E. Tookes II and has seen over 1.5 million spectators since its inception.
In 2003, 73,358 people attended the Florida Classic. FAMU leads the all-time series against B-CU 21-11.
The Rattlers have won three of their last five games against the Wildcats and will look to notch another win in Orlando at the Florida Blue Florida Classic. Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m.