The Rattlers are opening their 2022 football season with their first game ever against the North Carolina Tar Heels .
But they very nearly didn't make it.
Florida A&M delayed their departure from Tallahassee after the NCAA told them more than 20 players were ineligible . One of those was Isaiah Land , last year's Buck Buchanan award winner as the best defensive player in FCS.
FAMU head coach Willie Simmons said the team will have just seven offensive linemen available Saturday, a less than ideal situation against an ACC opponent.
The defense, one of the best in the nation, will have to hold up against UNC, who have a new quarterback in Drake Maye following the departure of the highly-decorated Sam Howell to the NFL .
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FAMU was outnumbered tonight as it was out of 20 players due to ineligible players.
They simply ran out of gas as they game progressed, but competed for a large duration of the game.
UNC's running backs have stepped up in absence of British Brooks, who is out for the season with a lower body injury.
Omarion Hampton scored his second touchdown of the night on a 25-yard rush.
The Rattlers trail 56-24 with 8:14 left in the game.
A Terrell Jennings fumble may have put the final nail in the coffin for FAMU.
This led to a one-play drive where Maye found Downs for a 27-yard touchdown to go up 49-24.
FAMU still has over 12 minutes to make up ground.
Every time the Rattlers shows a sign of life, the Tar Heels gets an upper hand.
This time UNC running back George Pettaway broke a 29-yard run to take a 42-24 lead.
It's 13:24 left in the game.
Moussa is continuing his impressive performance by finding wide receiver Trevonte Davis for a 22-yard touchdown score.
The Rattlers are trying to keep it close as they trail 35-24 with a minute remaining in the third quarter.
After a 1-yard touchdown by UNC running back Omarion Hampton, the Rattlers respond with a 35-yard field goal by Jose Romo-Martinez.
FAMU trails 35-17 with 7:41 to go in the third quarter.
The Rattlers got into the endzone after Jaylen McCloud punched in a five-yard rushing touchdown to cap off a 12 play, 75-yard drive.
Team had the ball deep in its own territory before Moussa threw an interception to Storm Duck.
Tar Heels took advantage and scored on a pass from Maye to Josh Downs to conclude a five play, 21-yard drive.
Rattlers offensive linemen Bryan Crawford and Cesar Reyes have left the game with injuries.
The Dark Cloud Defense had a chance to force a turnover on downs as it was backed into the redzone.
On 4th and goal, the Tar Heels decided to try their luck where it ended in a 12-yard touchdown from Maye to Gavin Blackwell in a 12 play, 83-yard drive.
It is 7:39 left in the second quarter.
Going three quarters of the field, FAMU handed the ball off to running back Jaylen McCloud for a five-yard touchdown.
The drive included a 4th and 13 conversion by the Rattlers as Moussa found Darian Oxendine.
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UNC received the ball first after halftime and took advantage of it.
Driving the ball 65 yards on seven plays, the Tar Heels' first drive was finished by Omarion Hampton's 1-yard run.
The Rattlers trail 35-14 with 12:10 left in the third quarter.
Jeremy Moussa has responded to the pressure well.
In the first quarter of his first Division I start, he has a stat line of 11 of 15 completions, 98 yards, and a touchdown to running back AJ Davis.
Rattlers trail 14-7 after first quarter.
The Tar Heels responded to the Rattlers touchdown with one of their own.
Maye finds tight end Bryson Nesbit for a 23-yard touchdown to take the lead for UNC.
The drive was seven plays for 75 yards.
Vanderbilt transfer quarterback Jeremy Moussa finds Pitt transfer running back AJ Davis for a 17 yard touchdown pass.
The Rattlers put together an eight play, 75 yard drive.
The game is tied at 7 with 2:16 left in the first quarter.
After not earning a first down in their first drive, the Tar Heels were fueled by a 42-yard scramble by quarterback Drake Maye.
On the following play, Maye found Lincoln alum Kamari Morales for a 19-yard touchdown pass.
After pinning UNC within the 20-yard line, to the Dark Cloud Defense denied any first down attempts and forced the Tar Heels to punt.
FAMU has won the toss and will receive the ball first.
The FAMU and UNC teams have run out of the tunnel to get in a the last few warmups before the kickoff.
The Dark Cloud Defense will be without its All-American defenders in 2021 Buck Buchanan winner and sack leader linebacker Isaiah Land and Preseason All-SWAC cornerback BJ Bohler.
Both players were subjects to being deemed ineligible for the game, which caused the team's travels to be delayed by nearly seven hours.
While FAMU is playing in Week 0, Jackson State wrapped up preseason practice Saturday.
The defending SWAC Champion Tigers face FAMU next Sunday, Sept. 4, in the Orange Blossom Classic in Miami Gardens on ESPN2 at 3 p.m.
According to Jackson State's release Saturday, players battled for positioning on the depth chart.
"It was a great practice today," Jackson State coach Deion Sanders said..
"We let a lot of the potential starters rest a little bit, and we practiced with some of the other guys and gave them quite a few more reps than they would normally get, just to allow them the opportunity to show what they have."
Competition for roles has been a constant in the program, with battles intensifying during August in preparation for the season.
"We're deep. That's the problem," Sanders said of the amount of talent on the team. "I love the problem that we have that we are deep. It's a battle for several positions, and I love it. It's a good position to be in."
FAMU has invited Rattler legend Rudy Hubbard to serve as its Honorary Captain.
A 2021 College Football Hall of Fame inductee, Hubbard served as the head football coach at FAMU from 1974-85, compiling an 83-48-3 record. He led the Rattlers to two Black College Football National Championships and the Division I-AA (now FCS) national title in 1978. For all of his accomplishments, Hubbard was inducted into the FAMU Hall of Fame in 1990.
Unlike the Seminoles , it looks like the Rattlers will have a fairly docile night for weather. It's currently 80 degrees in Chapel Hill, N.C. with partly cloudy skies.
Weather reports show little chance of precipitation, with temperatures falling into the mid-70s – a superb night for football.
Gerald Thomas III covers FAMU athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at gdthomas@gannett.com or on Twitter @3peatgee.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Follow FAMU vs. North Carolina football with live updates, score
