American college football season
The 2019 Florida A&M Rattlers football team represented Florida A&M University as member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Rattlers were led by second-year head coach Willie Simmons and played their home games at Bragg Memorial Stadium. Florida A&M finished the year 9–2 overall and 7–1 in MEAC play to post with the best record in the MEAC and across all HBCU schools. However, in May 2019, Florida A&M had been banned from 2019 postseason play,[1] so could not compete in the Celebration Bowl or for a MEAC championship.
Preseason
MEAC poll
In the MEAC preseason poll released on July 26, 2019, the Rattlers were predicted to finish in third place.[2]
Predicted finish
|
Team
|
Votes (1st place)
|
1 |
North Carolina A&T |
304 (12)
|
2 |
Bethune–Cookman |
237 (1)
|
3 |
Florida A&M |
204 (2)
|
4 |
Howard |
166
|
5 |
North Carolina Central |
161 (1)
|
6 |
South Carolina State |
152
|
7 |
Norfolk State |
119 (1)
|
8 |
Morgan State |
87 (1)
|
9 |
Delaware State |
46
|
Preseason All–MEAC teams
The Rattlers had eleven players selected to the preseason all-MEAC teams.[3]
Second Team Offense
Ryan Stanley – QB
Deshawn Smith – RB
Xavier Smith – WR
Third Team Offense
Bishop Bonnette – RB
Chad Hunter – WR
|
First Team Defense
Yahia Aly – K
Chris Faddoul – P
Second Team Defense
Terry Jefferson – DB
Third Team Defense
Demontre Moore – DL
Elijah Richardson – LB
Herman Jackson Jr. – DB
|
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
---|
| 7:30 p.m. | at No. 17 (FBS) UCF* | | | CBSSN | L 0–62 | 44,073
|
September 14 | 6:00 p.m. | Fort Valley State* | | | ESPN3 | W 57–20 | 17,911
|
September 21 | 6:00 p.m. | Southern* | | - Bragg Memorial Stadium
- Tallahassee, FL
| ESPN3 | W 27–21 | 27,191
|
September 28 | 4:00 p.m. | at Norfolk State | | | ESPN3 | W 30–28 | 8,249
|
October 5 | 2:00 p.m. | North Carolina Central | | - Bragg Memorial Stadium
- Tallahassee, FL
| ESPN3 | W 28–21 | 25,679
|
October 12 | 2:00 p.m. | at South Carolina State | | | ESPN3 | W 42–38 | 15,792
|
| 2:00 p.m. | No. 10 North Carolina A&T | | - Bragg Memorial Stadium
- Tallahassee, FL
| ESPN3 | W 34–31 | 1,051
|
October 26 | 3:00 p.m. | at Morgan State | No. 20 | | ESPN3 | W 24–12 | 2,786
|
November 2 | 4:00 p.m. | Delaware State | No. 17 | - Bragg Memorial Stadium
- Tallahassee, FL
| ESPN3 | W 52–30 | 7,412
|
November 16 | 4:00 p.m. | Howard | No. 12 | - Bragg Memorial Stadium
- Tallahassee, FL
| ESPN3 | W 39–7 | 8,979
|
November 23 | 3:30 p.m. | vs. Bethune–Cookman | No. 12 | | ESPNews | L 27–31 | 55,730
|
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Eastern time
|
[4][5]
Game summaries
At UCF
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Rattlers
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0 |
0 |
No. 17 (FBS) Knights
|
17
|
31
|
7
|
7 |
62 |
Fort Valley State
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Wildcats
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
14 |
20 |
Rattlers
|
14
|
26
|
7
|
10 |
57 |
Southern
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Jaguars
|
0
|
7
|
7
|
7 |
21 |
Rattlers
|
17
|
0
|
2
|
8 |
27 |
At Norfolk State
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Rattlers
|
7
|
10
|
6
|
7 |
30 |
Spartans
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
7 |
28 |
North Carolina Central
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Eagles
|
0
|
7
|
7
|
7 |
21 |
Rattlers
|
7
|
7
|
0
|
14 |
28 |
At South Carolina State
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Rattlers
|
7
|
7
|
14
|
14 |
42 |
Bulldogs
|
0
|
14
|
3
|
21 |
38 |
North Carolina A&T
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 | OT |
Total |
No. 10 Aggies
|
7
|
7
|
3
|
11 | 3 |
31 |
Rattlers
|
14
|
7
|
0
|
7 | 6 |
34 |
At Morgan State
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
No. 20 Rattlers
|
7
|
17
|
0
|
0 |
24 |
Bears
|
7
|
3
|
0
|
2 |
12 |
Delaware State
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Hornets
|
0
|
3
|
20
|
7 |
30 |
No. 17 Rattlers
|
14
|
17
|
14
|
7 |
52 |
Howard
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
Bison
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
7 |
7 |
No. 12 Rattlers
|
3
|
14
|
22
|
0 |
39 |
Vs. Bethune–Cookman
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4 |
Total |
No. 12 Rattlers
|
7
|
6
|
7
|
7 |
27 |
Wildcats
|
7
|
14
|
0
|
10 |
31 |
Ranking movements
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes т = Tied with team above or below | Week |
---|
Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Final |
---|
STATS FCS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | RV | 20 | 17 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 20 | 24 |
---|
Coaches | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | RV | 23 | 17 | 15T | 14 | 13 | 21 | 25 |
---|
References
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Venues | |
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Bowls & rivalries | |
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Culture & lore | |
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People | |
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Seasons | |
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National championship seasons in bold |