In Sunday’s game between Florida A&M and North Carolina A&T, the Rattler football team defeated the Aggies for the second time in two years, 34-31 in overtime.
With this win FAMU was able to clinch the 20th spot in the STATS FCS Top 25, getting ranked for the first time in 10 years. The Rattlers have extended their record to 6-1, (4-0 MEAC).
FAMU is on a six-game winning streak and it plans to keep advancing when it faces Saturday’s opponent, Morgan State. Although Morgan State is 1-6, (1-3 MEAC) players and coaches plan to go into this game focused and ready to dominate.
Ryan Stanley, the starting quarterback said his mentality going forward this season is to not worry about records or other teams but simply to win.
“Just keep winning every weekend, I got a great group of guys around me, o-line, receivers, just focused on going 1-0 every weekend,” Stanley said in a post-game interview after the victory against North Carolina A&T.
The last time FAMU and Morgan State faced each other, the Rattlers won convincingly, defeating the Bears 38-3.
In his weekly press conference, FAMU coach Willie Simmons expressed how the aggression and mindset this week while heading up to Baltimore has to be stronger than ever.
‘The reality for this football team is that every game is a trap game, but we have to keep the goal in mind, which is to finish the season as the best team in the MEAC conference. We have to approach this game no different than we approach any other game and that means us going in prepared to play our best,” Simmons said.
Heading into this game, there are a few key players missing from the Rattlers offense such as Stanley, who is out with an AC sprain. Also, running back Bishop Bonnett who is out with a knee injury, and wide receiver Chad Hunter, who is battling a reoccurring ankle injury.
Though these players are out, Simmons said their status would be determined by day-to-day practices.
“It is a game time decision to decide whether they feel good enough to play or not. We want to make sure that we don’t put these players in further harm by bringing them back prematurely,” Simmons said.
Simmons says the motto for the rest of the season is fight to finish. Rattlers have taken steps this week to build a strategy to defeat Morgan State’s two-quarterback system.
The game will take place at Hughes Stadium in Baltimore, and will begin at 3 pm on ESPN3.