Story by
FAMU football vs Mississippi Valley State: Can the Rattlers avoid a second consecutive upset?
- Story by
- FAMU football vs Mississippi Valley State: Can the Rattlers avoid a second consecutive upset?
Florida A&M football is looking to get back in the win column.
The Rattlers will have the perfect opportunity to make that happen on Saturday when they host the winless Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium for a Week 12 Southwestern Athletic Conference game.
Advertisement
FAMU versus MVSU kicks off at 1 p.m. HBCU Go will stream the game, and the Rattlers Plus mobile application will host its audio broadcast.
The Rattlers (5-4, 3-2 in SWAC) are fresh off a 31-12 loss at Prairie View A&M last Saturday , which likely eliminated them any playoff contention in the SWAC and Football Championship Subdivision.
Delta Devils (0-10, 0-6 in SWAC) lost at SWAC leaders Jackson State 51-14 last Saturday.
Both FAMU and MVSU want to put those disappointing performances behind them.
Let's meet the teams and predict the winners of the Rattlers versus Delta Devils.
Florida A&M vs Mississippi Valley State: Tale of the Tape
Records
Advertisement
-
FAMU (5-4) ― Last Game: L, 31-12 at Prairie View A&M
-
MVSU (0-10) ― Last Game: L, 51-14 at Jackson State
Head Coaches
-
FAMU: James Colzie III (5-4/all at FAMU)
-
MVSU: Kendrick Wade (1-20/all at MVSU)
Players to Watch
-
FAMU: Wide Receiver Quan Lee, Defensive Lineman James Gardner
-
MVSU: Quarterback Ty'Jarian Williams, Linebacker Erek Campbell
Team Historical Accolades
-
FAMU: 17 claimed national championships (16 Black College, one NCAA Division I-AA)
-
MVSU: 1 NCAA Division I-AA playoff appearance in 1984
All-Time Series
-
FAMU leads MVSU 5-0
Last Matchup
-
FAMU 31, MVSU 7
Florida A&M vs Mississippi Valley State: Meet the Teams
Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils' wide receiver DePhabian Fant (21) runs the ball during the game against the Jackson State Tigers, in Jackson, Miss., on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024.
FAMU wants a strong finish.
The Rattlers, probably eliminated from playoff contention , are still clinging to their second-longest home winning streak in the FCS of 23 games.
FAMU may have to extend its streak without its starting quarterback, though, as Daniel Richardson may not play due to a concussion he sustained last week at Prairie View A&M. Junior Muratovic would likely start in Richardson's place
Muratovic, a redshirt junior, has completed 53 of 104 passes (51 percent) for 500 yards, throwing for two touchdowns and six interceptions.
Advertisement
MVSU is just looking to win.
The Delta Devils want to avoid going winless this season and defeating the defending Black College Football National Champions would be a morale booster as the season reaches its final weeks.
Though the Delta Devils are winless, FAMU shouldn't take them lightly. MVSU's offense and defensive statistics are amidst the SWAC's middle-of-the-road.
Florida A&M vs Mississippi Valley State: Who will win?
FAMU hasn't lost consecutive conference games since 2018.
Nor have the Rattlers lost a home game since 2018.
So, expect both to stay the same Saturday.
And though the Rattlers are vulnerable right now with vanished postseason hopes and a banged-up roster, they can still defeat the Delta Devils if the execution is there.
Advertisement
Expect a bounce-back victory for the Rattlers to move their home winning streak to 24 games.
FAMU 27, MVSU 10
BOLD PREDICTION: If FAMU quarterback Junior Muratovic starts, he will pass for 200 yards and two touchdows.
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
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 .
Advertisement
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU football vs Mississippi Valley: Who will win the Week 12 SWAC game?
