| 1945 Florida A&M Rattlers football | |
|---|---|
SIAC champion | |
Orange Blossom Classic, L 6–32 vs. Wiley | |
| Conference | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| Record | 9–1 (6–0 SIAC) |
| Head coach |
|
| Home stadium | Sampson-Bragg Field |
The 1945 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M College as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1945 college football season. In their first season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled a 9–1 record and won the SIAC championship. The team's sole loss was to undefeated black college national champion Wiley in the Orange Blossom Classic. The Rattlers played their home games at Sampson-Bragg Field in Tallahassee, Florida.
After seven years as an assistant coach, Jake Gaither took over as head football coach prior to the 1945 season. It was during the 1945 season that Gaither first adopted the "blood, sweat and tears" motto for his team, taking the phrase from the famous words of Winston Churchill. [1] Gaither's assistants in 1945 were Pete Griffin, M.L. Neeley, and Jess Ramsey. [2]
Four Florida A&M players were named to the All-SIAC football team selected by the conference coaches: quarterback Leroy Cromartie; halfback Ted Montgomery; end Nathaniel Powell; and tackle Bill Brewington. Two others received honorable mention honors: center Forrest McKinney and fullback Lernard Ingraham. [2]
At the team banquet following the season, college president, Dr. William H. Gray Jr., praised the work of his young coach: "Although I value a winning football team, I value Coach Gaither, not because he has coached a championship team, but because he has proved himself to be a great teacher of men, both by precept and by example. The lessons that our boys have learned under the direction of Coach Gaither, if applied throughout life, will bring victory to them, not only on the field of athletic endeavor but also in the greater field that lies ahead." [2]
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 6 | at Wilberforce * | Wilberforce, OH | W 26–20 | |||||
| October 13 | at Alabama State | Montgomery, AL | W 17–2 | |||||
| October 20 | Morris Brown | W 39–0 | ||||||
| October 27 | Knoxville |
| W 25–0 | [3] | ||||
| November 3 | vs. Tennessee A&I * |
| W 20–18 | [4] | ||||
| November 10 | at Tuskegee | Tuskegee, AL | W 54–20 | |||||
| November 17 | at Clark (GA) | Atlanta, GA | W 24–19 | |||||
| November 24 | at Morehouse  | Atlanta, GA | W 46–6 | |||||
| December 1 | 2:30 p.m. | Louisiana Normal * |
| W 33–12 | [5] [6] | |||
| December 8 | vs. Wiley * | L 6–32 | 8,000 | [7] | ||||
| ||||||||
Alonzo Smith "Jake" Gaither was an American college football coach and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Florida A&M University (FAMU) for 25 years, from 1945 to 1969, compiling a record of 204–36–4. His won–loss record is among the best of any college football coach.
The 1962 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) in the 1962 NCAA College Division football season. In their 18th season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled a 9–1 record, were ranked No. 1 in the final AP small college poll and No. 2 in the final UPI coaches poll, and suffered its sole loss to Jackson State in the Orange Blossom Classic. Florida A&M shared the SIAC title with Alabama A&M.
The 1961 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1961 college football season. In their 17th season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled a perfect 10–0 record, including a victory over Jackson State in the Orange Blossom Classic for the black college football national championship, and shut out six of ten opponents. The team was ranked No. 4 in the final AP small college poll and No. 6 in the final UPI coaches poll.
The 1959 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1959 college football season. In their 15th season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled a perfect 10–0 record, including a victory over Prairie View A&M in the Orange Blossom Classic for the black college football national championship. The team was ranked No. 14 in the final UPI small college poll. The team played its home games at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
The 1957 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1957 college football season. In their 13th season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled a perfect 9–0 record, including a victory over Maryland State in the Orange Blossom Classic for the black college football national championship. The team played its home games at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
The 1960 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1960 college football season. In their 16th season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled a 9–1 record, including a victory over Langston in the Orange Blossom Classic. The team was ranked No. 5 in the final 1960 UPI small college poll. The team played its home games at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
The 1954 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1954 college football season. In their 10th season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled an 8–1 record, including a victory over Maryland State in the Orange Blossom Classic. The team played its home games at Bragg Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
The 1950 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1950 college football season. In their sixth season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled an 8–1–1 record. The team's sole loss was to Wilberforce State in the Orange Blossom Classic. The team played its home games at Bragg Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
The 1951 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1951 college football season. In their seventh season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled a 7–1–1 record. The team's sole loss was to Morris Brown. In the Orange Blossom Classic, the Rattlers defeated North Carolina College. The team played its home games at Bragg Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
The 1953 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1953 college football season. In their ninth season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled a 10–1 record. The team's sole loss was to Prairie View A&M in the Orange Blossom Classic. The team played its home games at Bragg Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
The 1947 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M College as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1947 college football season. In their third season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled a 9–1 record, including a victory over Hampton in the Orange Blossom Classic. The Rattlers played their home games at Sampson-Bragg Field in Tallahassee, Florida.
The 1938 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M College as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1938 college football season. In their third season under head coach William "Big Bill" Bell, the Rattlers compiled a perfect 8–0 record, defeated Kentucky State in the Orange Blossom Classic, outscored opponents by a total of 189 to 7, and were recognized as the black college national championship. The Rattlers played their home games at College Field in Tallahassee, Florida.
The 1941 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M College as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1941 college football season. In their sixth season under head coach William M. Bell, the Rattlers compiled an 8–1 record, shut out six of nine opponents, and defeated Tuskegee in the Orange Blossom Classic. The Rattlers played their home games at Sampson-Bragg Field in Tallahassee, Florida.
The 1937 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M College as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1937 college football season. In their second season under head coach William "Big Bill" Bell, the Rattlers compiled a 7–1–1 record and outscored opponents by a total of 132 to 74. In post-season play, the Rattlers defeated Hampton in the Orange Blossom Classic and then lost to Prairie View A&M in the Prairie View Bowl on New Year's Day. The Rattlers played their home games at College Field in Tallahassee, Florida.
The 1956 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1956 college football season. In their 12th season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled an 8–1 record, won the SIAC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 406 to 98. The team played its home games at Bragg Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
The 1955 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1955 college football season. In their 11th season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled a 7–1–1 record, won the SIAC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 369 to 94. The team played its home games at Bragg Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
The 1958 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1958 college football season. In their 14th season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled a 7–2 record, won the SIAC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 263 to 135. The team played its home games at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
The 1949 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1949 college football season. In their fifth season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled a 7–2 record, won the SIAC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 315 to 98.
The 1946 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M College as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1946 college football season. In their second season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled a 6–3–1 record, and won the SIAC championship, and appeared in two post-season games, losing to Lincoln (PA) in the Orange Blossom Classic and tying Wiley in the Angel Bowl.
The 1945 Louisiana Normal Tigers football team represented Louisiana Normal—now known as Grambling State University—as an independent during the 1945 college football season. In their third season under head coach Eddie Robinson, the Tigers compiled a 9–2 record. Grambling was invited to the Flower Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, where the Tigers defeated Lane.
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