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FAMU football coach James Colzie III to 'rally the troops,' regroup vs Mississippi Valley
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- FAMU football coach James Colzie III to 'rally the troops,' regroup vs Mississippi Valley
Florida A&M's football season likely won't extend to the postseason this year.
It's a situation that the Rattlers have become unfamiliar with as two of their last three seasons have finished in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs in 2021, then hoisting the Celebration Bowl trophy in 2023.
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FAMU (5-4, 3-2 in SWAC) has suffered two critical Southwestern Athletic Conference losses to Jackson State and, most recently, Prairie View A&M 31-12 last Saturday , which stymied all the Rattlers' postseason hopes.
"It's a situation that this team hasn't been accustomed to over the last three years. It's a tough pill to swallow," FAMU head coach James Colzie III said in Tuesday's game week press conference. "But we knew going in, we would get a team's best."
Head coach James Colzie III coaches the The Florida A&M Rattlers as they take on Southern University, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
Mississippi Valley State (0-10, 0-6 in SWAC) is coming to Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium this Saturday at 1 p.m. HBCU Go will televise the Week 12 SWAC game, and the Rattlers Plus mobile application will host its audio broadcast.
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Colzie sent his condolences to MVSU after the Delta Devils linebacker Ryan Quinney, 20, passed away in a car accident Friday night in Yazoo County. The FAMU coach says the Delta Devils will arrive at FAMU on Saturday motivated to perform well for their teammate.
MVSU lost at SWAC East leaders Jackson State 51-14 last Saturday.
"[MVSU] will be ready to play when they come here this Saturday," Colzie said. "We got to rally the troops and make sure we're putting our best product on the field. Because if we don't, it's a similar situation, and we could be battling a team that's got nothing to lose."
FAMU has been hit with haplessness to join its recent losses.
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Rattlers quarterback Daniel Richardson's playing status for Saturday is being evaluated after he suffered a concussion at Prairie View A&M.
Colzie added that FAMU running back Kelvin Dean Jr . and wide receiver Jamari Gassett didn't practice Tuesday and that receiver A'Ceon Cobb is out for the season.
"This is probably about as banged up as we've been in the three years I've been on staff," Colzie said. "Those guys have different issues that you're worried about. But we still got a couple of days to see if guys can go."
FAMU football still has a lot to play for despite recent losses
Colzie is looking forward to FAMU's final three weeks of the season.
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The goal is to finish 8-4, which means the Rattlers must host and beat MVSU this week, defeat Bethune-Cookman in Orlando's Florida Classic on Nov. 23, and finish by hosting and triumphing over Alabama A&M on Nov. 29.
The Rattlers' final games have significance, with their two home games placing their second-longest active FCS home streak on the line, as well as the annual rivalry game versus Bethune-Cookman.
Florida A&M running back Thad Franklin Jr. (23) rushes the football in the Rattlers' Week 11 Southwestern Athletic Conference game at the Prairie View A&M Panthers in Prairie View, Texas, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024.
"We talked about trying to finish at 8-4 this season," Colzie said. "Sustaining one of the longest home game winning streaks was on tap, and making sure we win the Florida Classic was also a conversation."
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FAMU has turned the page on last week's loss at Prairie View A&M.
It is what it is.
But Colzie says his Rattlers are still motivated to play for seniors who have been integral in FAMU's recent success, from nine-win seasons to last year's Black College Football National Championship.
"We want to make sure to finish the season the right way. Those seniors deserve to finish the right way," Colzie said. "We got three quality football games; if we play well, we got a shot."
Florida A&M vs Mississippi Valley State ― Week 12, SWAC
When: Saturday, Nov. 16 at 1 p.m.
Where: Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium; Tallahassee, Florida
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Broadcast: HBCU Go, Rattlers Plus
Tickets: Purchase Here
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee .
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU football coach James Colzie to to keep Rattlers motivated vs MVSU
