The Florida A&M football team needed a dramatic 24-23 win over Norfolk State in Week 0 of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Atlanta to help the Rattlers overcome an early deficit.
WATCH: FAMU coach James Colzie III on the adversity of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge
WATCH: Statement from FAMU coach James Colzie following MEAC/SWAC Challenge win over Norfolk State
Hope was never able to escape the Florida A&M football team as it fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter against Norfolk State on Saturday.
That’s because the Rattlers faced familiar territory in Week 0 at the MEAC/SWAC Challenge at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta.
Eight months ago, FAMU fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter against Howard at the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta, but came back for a 30-26 victory.
As fate would have it, the Rattlers (1-0) were down 14-0 in the first quarter in Atlanta against the Spartans (0-1) and managed another comeback win with a score of 24-23.
“We take the pressure and live with it,” said FAMU wide receiver Jamari Gassett, a key returnee from last year’s team.
All week, new FAMU head coach James Colzie III said he hoped his Rattlers would face adversity in their season opener against the Norfolk State Spartans.
And they did, resulting in Colzie taking the win on his debut and leading the Rattlers in dramatic fashion.
“We didn’t ask to go down 14-0. That wasn’t the plan, nor was it something we wanted,” Colzie said. “We talked about adversity last night and all week. You just have to understand that things might not go the way you want them to.”
FAMU quarterback Daniel Richardson also made his debut for the Rattlers on Saturday.
And it was his heroics and his response to Colzie’s message of misfortune that inspired the newly appointed starting quarterback to his heroics, and FAMU left Atlanta triumphant over Norfolk State.
Richardson completed 22 of his 30 passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns, as well as three runs for 32 yards. After the game, he was awarded the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Most Valuable Player trophy.
Richardson’s favorite target on Saturday was Gassett, who caught eight passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns on eight attempts.
Defensively, FAMU’s Dark Cloud Defense was tough on Norfolk State in the second half, allowing just 145 yards in the first half while rushing for 224. The Rattlers also held the Spartans to nine points in the second half.
“Coach said there would be times throughout the month when they would hit you. It’s all about how you react and fight back,” Richardson said. “We stayed calm. A lot of guys have been through that. We started slow and then we were able to catch up.”
The Rattlers just won the national championship in black college football.
So they will be challenged by all the teams trying to beat the top HBCU football team.
“We’ve been a target since the beginning,” Gassett said. “Everyone is going to play us hard like we’re Alabama.”
FAMU’s resilience reflects optimism at the start of the Colzie era.
Colzie said the nation learned about the Rattlers’ mental toughness during Saturday’s game, something it learned from his first Rattlers team.
“We didn’t go down when we went down,” Colzie said. “I’m extremely excited. We can build on this.”
Next: FAMU hosts South Carolina State (0-0) on August 31 at Bragg Memorial Stadium in a Week 1 game.
Gerald Thomas III covers Florida A&M University athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Reach him via email at [email protected] or through the app formerly known as Twitter. @3peatgee.
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