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Charlie Ward to lead Florida A&M to clash with alma mater Florida State
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- Charlie Ward to lead Florida A&M to clash with alma mater Florida State
Charlie Ward to lead Florida A&M to clash with alma mater Florida State appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Former Florida State two-sport legend Charlie Ward is set to bring his Florida A&M Rattlers to his alma mater next season. After playing in an exhibition last season in Ward's official first game coaching Florida A&M , the teams will face off against each other in the Orion180 Tip-Off Classic on November 2nd.
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Per the Tallahassee Democrat, the matchup will renew a rivalry that carries a unique chapter in its history. Prior to the exhibition last season, the last meeting between the programs in December 1991 ended abruptly after a bench-clearing altercation led to multiple ejections. With Florida A&M left without enough eligible players to continue, the Rattlers were forced to forfeit the contest.
This upcoming meeting will also carry added intrigue because Charlie Ward will be on the opposite sideline from his alma mater in an official game. The former two-sport star at Florida State University and Heisman Trophy winner will lead Florida A&M University into a matchup against the program where he became one of the most celebrated athletes in school history.
Ward led Florida A&M to success in his first season with the program. Though the team went 15-16 overall in the 2025-2026 season, they went 11-7 in conference and advanced to the SWAC Basketball Tournament conference semifinals, where they lost 73-70 to Southern University. They will face a Florida State team that finished their season 18-15 and 10-8 in the ACC.
Like the Rattlers, they advanced to the conference semifinals, beating Cal 95-89, but they ultimately were unseeded by top-ranked Duke in a tight 80-79 game.
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