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FAMU football coach James Colzie III to 'light a fire' in Rattlers to fix disappointments
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- FAMU football coach James Colzie III to 'light a fire' in Rattlers to fix disappointments
Florida A&M head football coach James Colzie III is trying to keep his players upbeat.
The Rattlers ' season hasn't been ideal at 5-5 overall and 3-3 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
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To add insult to injury, the Rattlers lost to the previously winless Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils 24-21 last Saturday at Bragg Memorial Stadium. The defeat snapped FAMU's 23-game home winning streak that spanned back to the 2019 season and was the second-longest in the Football Championship Subdivision.
FAMU's season comes a year after claiming the Black College Football National Championship .
"Continuing to build confidence in our guys," first-year FAMU head coach Colzie said Monday. "You got some guys that may have lost confidence or been disappointed with how the season may turn out. So, it's important for me to try to light a fire with them to make sure that we finish the way we should."
There's no time for FAMU to sulk in its misery.
Head coach James Colzie III coaches the The Florida A&M Rattlers as they take on Southern University, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
The Rattlers face their longtime rivals Bethune-Cookman at Orlando's Camping World Stadium Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ESPNU will broadcast the Week 13 SWAC rivalry game.
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The Wildcats (2-9, 2-5 in SWAC) lost 17-14 at Texas Southern last Saturday.
"We're getting ourselves back together after a very tough Saturday," Colzie said. "We had a decent practice [Sunday] with the guys. The guys are ramped up, getting ready for the Florida Classic."
Colzie is confident in his team after seeing players fly around at practice a day after being on the losing side of one of the SWAC's biggest upsets.
But Colzie also knows that the energy displayed at practice this week needs to carry over to this Saturday as FAMU looks to beat Bethune-Cookman for the fourth consecutive season.
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"I entered the locker room [Sunday] evening talk to the team ― upbeat, we spoke and talked, and hit the field running," Colzie said. "When we get to Saturday ― that same energy and belief ― we need to make sure we continue to keep that."
FAMU football has its most important game ahead: Florida Classic vs Bethune-Cookman
A Birdseye view of the stadium during the first quarter in the 2019 Citrus Bowl between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Kentucky Wildcats at Camping World Stadium.
The Florida Classic is a rivalry game between FAMU and Bethune-Cookman that dates back to 1978. FAMU leads the Florida Classic rivalry 24-19.
The Rattlers and Wildcats have been regular opponents since 1925, though. FAMU still leads the series 53-24-1.
So, the game holds historical significance to FAMU and Bethune-Cookman.
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Colzie is spreading that message and says he will have Rattlers from various eras shed light on what winning Saturday means despite the hardships FAMU football has undergone this season.
"It's going to be pumped into them how important this football game is," Colzie said of the Florida Classic.
"There's a history to this football game bigger than the SWAC. There's a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into this classic," the FAMU coach added.
Winning the Florida Classic would brighten the mood of FAMU football and its fans. Some Rattlers consider the Bethune-Cookman matchup the most important year in and year out, regardless of championship or underperforming seasons.
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"I made mention to the team that you want to get some things forgotten with the way this season has gone. Win this upcoming Saturday," Colzie said.
"For me, as the head coach of a team on a two-game losing streak, it's important for us to win. It keeps us above .500 and allows us to have a chance to finish strong," Colzie added.
Florida A&M coach James Colzie III leads his team onto the field during the Cricket MEAC-SWAC Challenge NCAA college football game against Norfolk State in Atlanta on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024.
Saturday will be Colzie's first time head coaching FAMU football in the Florida Classic. Colzie was an assistant on the Rattlers' staff for the last two years.
The first-year FAMU coach isn't taking the responsibility lightly as he aims to sustain the Rattlers' Florida Classic fortunes.
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"I'm excited to be the person leading the team out this year. We want to be on the right side of this and continue the winning streak that we have now with this great rivalry," Colzie said. "Regardless of the records ― all that's thrown out."
Florida A&M vs Bethune-Cookman ― Florida Classic: Week 13, SWAC
When: Saturday, Nov. 23 at 3:30 p.m.
Where: Camping World Stadium; Orlando, Florida
Broadcast: ESPNU
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: Florida A&M coach Colzie trying to reignite Rattlers for last 2 games
