1976 Florida A&M Rattlers football team

1976 Florida A&M Rattlers football
Orange Blossom Classic, W 26–21 vs. Central State (OH)
Conference	Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Division	Division I
Record	6–3–2 (3–1–1 SIAC)
Head coach	Rudy Hubbard (3rd season)
Home stadium	Bragg Memorial Stadium, Doak Campbell Stadium
Seasons ← 1975 1977  →

1976 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Division I
Bethune–Cookman x	4	–	1	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
Tuskegee	3	–	1	–	1			6	–	3	–	1
Florida A&M	3	–	1	–	1			6	–	3	–	2
Morris Brown	3	–	2	–	0			5	–	4	–	1
Alabama A&M	2	–	3	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
Albany State	1	–	4	–	0			5	–	5	–	0
Division II
Fort Valley State x	5	–	0	–	0			8	–	2	–	0
Knoxville	3	–	2	–	0			8	–	2	–	0
Lane	3	–	2	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
Morehouse	3	–	2	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
Clark (GA)	2	–	3	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
Miles	2	–	3	–	0			2	–	8	–	0
Fisk	1	–	4	–	0			2	–	7	–	0
Savannah State	0	–	5	–	0			0	–	9	–	0
x – Division champion/co-champions

The 1976 Florida A&M Rattlers football team represented Florida A&M University as a member of Division I of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1976 NCAA Division II football season. Led by third-year head coach Rudy Hubbard, the Rattlers finished the season overall record of 5–4–2 and a mark of 3–1–1 in conference play, tying for second play in the SIAC's Division I. ^[1] Florida A&M defeated the Central State Marauders in the Orange Blossom Classic. Alabama State later forfeited their win over Florida A&M, improving the Rattlers' overall record to 6–3–2.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 18	2:00 p.m.	at Albany State	Albany, GA	W 35–22	9,500	[2] [3]
September 25	7:00 p.m.	North Carolina A&T *	Bragg Memorial Stadium Tallahassee, FL	W 24–22	12,102–14,000	[4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
October 2	7:00 p.m.	Howard *	Bragg Memorial Stadium Tallahassee, FL	W 16–14	12,800–12,831	[9] [10] [11]
October 9	2:30 p.m.	vs. Alabama State *	Ladd Stadium Mobile, AL	W 13–16 (forfeit win)	7,893–7,991	[12] [13] [14]
October 16		at Morris Brown	Herndon Stadium Atlanta, GA	T 14–14	10,000–15,000	[15] [16]
October 23	7:00 p.m.	No. T–10 Tennessee State *	Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL	L 3–21	27,500	[17] [18] [19] [20]
October 30	7:30 p.m.	vs. Tuskegee	Tampa Stadium Tampa, FL	T 28–28	9,000–17,000	[21] [22]
November 6		Alabama A&M	Bragg Memorial Stadium Tallahassee, FL	W 53–14	15,800–15,831	[23]
November 13		at Southern *	Southern University Stadium Baton Rouge, LA	L 6–24	14,500–15,500	[24]
November 20		vs. Bethune–Cookman	Tangerine Bowl Orlando, FL (Florida Classic)	L 0–34	30,000	[25]
December 4		vs. Central State (OH) *	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL (Orange Blossom Classic)	W 26–21	18,042	[26]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

^{[27] [28]}

References

1. The Official National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Guide 1977 (87th ed.). Shawnee Mission, Kansas: National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1977. p. 35. Retrieved March 1, 2023– via Internet Archive.
2. "Rattlers Open Season Of Great Expectations". The Tampa Tribune . Tampa, Florida. September 18, 1976. p. 5C. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
3. Amison, Larry (September 19, 1976). "Rattlers Strike Albany State, 35-22". The Tampa Tribune . Tampa, Florida. p. 7D. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
4. Amison, Larry (September 25, 1976). "A&M lifts curtain at 7 tonight". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. p. 17. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
5. Amison, Larry (September 25, 1976). "Rattlers opening tonight (continued)". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. p. 19. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
6. Amison, Larry (September 26, 1976). "Tyson key in Rattlers' 24-22 win". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. p. 1D. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
7. Amison, Larry (September 26, 1976). "Tyson saves A&M in last seconds (continued)". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. p. 7D. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
8. "Final 1976 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (North Carolina A&T)". National Collegiate Athletic Association . Retrieved August 21, 2024.
9. Amison, Larry (October 2, 1976). "Rattlers face Howard here at 7 tonight". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. p. 19. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
10. "Rattlers rally, win 16-14". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. October 3, 1976. p. 1D. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
11. "Final 1976 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Howard)". National Collegiate Athletic Association . Retrieved August 22, 2024.
12. Chitwood, Jim (October 9, 1976). "FAMU Rekindles a Rivalry". Pensacola News Journal . Pensacola, Florida. p. 6C. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
13. Chitwood, Jim (October 10, 1976). "Rattlers Gamble for Win, Lose". Pensacola News Journal . Pensacola, Florida. p. 1C. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
14. Chitwood, Jim (October 10, 1976). "Rattlers (continued)". Pensacola News Journal . Pensacola, Florida. p. 3C. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
15. Reese, Ernest (October 17, 1976). "Rattlers miss late FG try to tie 14-14". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. p. 1C. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
16. Reese, Ernest (October 17, 1976). "Rattlers miss late field goal try, for 14-14 tie with Morris Brown (continued)". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. p. 10C. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
17. Mashburn, Robert (October 23, 1976). "A&M set for Tennessee State". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. p. 2F. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
18. Amison, Larry (October 24, 1976). "Rattlers beaten 21-3". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. p. 1D. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
19. Amison, Larry (October 24, 1976). "Tennessee State quarterback strikes A&M Rattlers 21-3 (continued)". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. p. 6D. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
20. "Florida A&M whipped, 21–3". The Miami Herald. October 24, 1976. Retrieved February 25, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
21. "A&M faces Tuskegee in Tampa". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. October 30, 1976. p. 17. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
22. Nader, George (October 31, 1976). "A&M misses late FG, ties Tuskegee 28-28". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. p. 1D. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
23. Amison, Larry (November 7, 1976). "A&M returns to life with 53-14 victory". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. p. 1D. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
24. Gosier, Horace (November 14, 1976). "Rattlers fall to Southern in rain 24-6". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. p. 1D. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
25. Tierney, Mike (November 21, 1976). "Bethune-Cookman blitzkrieg extinguishes Rattlers 34-0". Tampa Bay Times . Tampa, Florida. p. 3C. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
26. Rand, Jonathan (December 5, 1976). "Rattlers Rally Nips Central, 26-21". Tampa Bay Times . Tampa, Florida. p. 1C. Retrieved July 1, 2023– via Newspapers.com .
27. "Division II Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association . Retrieved July 1, 2023.
28. "Florida A&M 2022 Media Guide" (PDF). Florida A&M University. 2022. p. 83. Retrieved July 1, 2023.