Location: Tallahassee, Florida 32307

Founded: 1887

Enrollment: 13,300

Nickname: Rattlers, FAMU (FAM-You)

Colors: Orange and Green

Stadium: Bragg Memorial Stadium

Capacity / Surface: 25,500 / Natural Grass

Affiliation: NCAA , Football Championship

Subdivision (Division I-AA)

Conference: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

Director of Athletics: Derek Horne

Athletic Phone: (850) 599-3868 / 3878

Athletic Website: www.FAMUATHLETICS.com

Florida A&M University

Rattlers, (7-3, 5-2 MEAC)

vs.

Bethune-Cookman Univ.

Wildcats, (7-3, 5-2 MEAC)

Saturday, Nov. 19 • 2:30 p.m. ET

Florida Citrus Bowl - Orlando, Fla.

Head Coach Information

Head Coach: Joseph "Joe" Taylor

Alma Mater: Western Illinois, 1972

Record at FAMU: 31-12-0, 3 Year

Career Record: 229-88-4/29 Years

Interim Sports Information: Vaughn Wilson

Office Phone: (850) 599-3200

Email: Vaughn.Wilson@FAMU.edu

Assistant Sports Information Director

Football Contact : Ronnie Johnson

Office Phone: (850) 599-3736

Email: Ronnie.Johnson@FAMU.edu;

Ronjon_2001@yahoo.com

Fax Phone: (850) 599-3206

2011             MEAC Standings

Team                                     MEAC Pct.             Overall Pct.

Norfolk State                         7-1             .875             9-2             .818

Bethune-Cookman                 5-2             .714             7-3             .700

Florida A&M                          5-2             .714             7-3             .700

South Carolina State             5-2             .714             6-4             .600

Hampton                              4-3            .571             6-4             .600

Morgan State                        4-3             .571             5-5             .500

Howard                                4-3             .571             5-5             .500

North Carolina A&T               3-4             .429             4-6             .400

North Carolina Central          1-6             .143             2-8             .200

Savannah State                   1-6             .167             1-9             .100

Delaware State                    0-7             .000            2-8             .200

This Week in the MEAC

Nov. 19

Howard at Delaware State, 1 p.m.

North Carolina Central at North Carolina A&T, 1:30 p.m.

Florida A&M vs. Bethune-Cookman, 2:30 p.m.

Hampton at Morgan State, 1 p.m.

South Carolina State at Savannah State, 2 p.m.

FAMU Schedule/Results

Date             Opponent                                     Time / Result

9-3               FORT VALLEY STATE                           28-22 W

9-8               at Hampton*                                     17-23 L

9-17             at South Florida                                 17-70 L

9-24             vs Southern University                       38-33 W.

Bank of America Football Classic

10-1             DELAWARE STATE*                            34-7 W

10-8             HOWARD                                           28-29L

Homecoming

10-15             at Savannah State *                         47-7 W

10-22             at South Carolina State*                  27-24 W

11-5             N.C. A&T *                                        26-20 W

11-12             at N.C. Central *                              31-10 W

11-20             vs. Bethune-Cookman*                    2:30 p.m.

32nd Florida Classic;*-Denotes MEAC Games

32nd Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Classic

THE MATCHUP: This 2011 regular season finale pits the Florida A&M Rattlers (7-3, 5-2 MEAC) against their in-state archrivals, the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats (7-3, 5-2 MEAC) in the 32nd Blue Cross/Blue Shield Florida Classic, at the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Kickoff will be 2:30 p.m. ET for the game, which will be televised live nationally on ESPN Classic/ ESPN3.com.

ON THE AIR: FAMU will air the game via the Rattler Sports Network (WXBX 96.1 FM - Tallahassee. Fla.) with founder and FAMU Sports Hall of Famer, Keith Miles anchoring the broadcast.... Mike Thomas will be the color analyst, with Victor Duncan and Sean D providing timely sideline updates and Jerome Swaine engineering the broadcast.... Bethune- Cookman fans can hear Saturday's game in the Daytona Beach metro area via WELE 1380- AM..... ESPN Classic Network (Cable 726 in Tallahassee) and ESPN3.com will televise the game live nationally.

POSTGAME HIGHLIGHTS: Highlights of the game will be seen on the Joe Taylor Show on Sundays at 11:30 a.m. on WTXL 27 (Channel 7) in Tallahassee and on the Sun Sports Network (Cable 28 in Tallahassee) state wide on Wednesdays at 3 p.m.... Rattler Prime Time, which airs on FAMU TV 20 (Comcast Cable 20), will also feature full game replays several times each week following every game.

LAST TIME OUT: FAMU won their fourth straight as they defeated North Carolina Central, 31-10 in Durham, N.C., while Bethune-Cookman won their fifth straight game, defeating Savannah State, 59-3 in their home finale in Daytona Beach, Fla.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: For both teams, bragging and recruiting rights are on the line in this rivalry series and both are holding out hope that a win would position them for an at-large bid for the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs.

THE SERIES HISTORICAL: This will be the 66th meeting between the Rattlers and the Wildcats in a series which began in 1925... FAMU leads the series 49-15-1.... FAMU has won three straight games (2008-10) and five of the last six games in the series... FAMU won last year's game, 38-27... Bethune-Cookman last won in 2007, 34-7.

FAMU-B-CU Series Scorecard

1925 FAMU 25, B-CC 0

1926 B-CC 12, FAMU 0

1929 FAMU 6, B-CC 6

1931 FAMU 32, B-CC 0

1932 FAMU 25, B-CC 0

1947 FAMU 6, B-CC 0

1950 FAMU 33, B-CC 7

1951 FAMU 26, B-CC 13

1952 B-CC 8, FAMU 7

1953 FAMU 39, B-CC 7

1955 FAMU 32, B-CC 0

1956 FAMU 54, B-CC 6

1957 FAMU 45, B-CC 6

1958 FAMU 29, B-CC 0

1959 FAMU 68, B-CC 6

1960 FAMU 97, B-CC 0

1961 FAMU 76, B-CC 0

1962 FAMU 52, B-CC 6

1963 FAMU 38, B-CC 14

1964 FAMU 31, B-CC 14

1965 FAMU 47, B-CC 8

1966 FAMU 37, B-CC 13

1967 FAMU 30, B-CC 6

1968 FAMU 23, B-CC 20

1969 FAMU 60, B-CC 15

1970 FAMU 20, B-CC 9

1971 FAMU 33, B-CC 20

1972 FAMU 28, B-CC 18

1973 B-CC 21, FAMU 13

1974 B-CC 6, FAMU 0

1975 FAMU 17, B-CC 7

1976 B-CC 34, FAMU 0

1977 FAMU 14, B-CC 7

1978 FAMU 27, B-CC 17

1979 B-CC 25, FAMU 20

1980 B-CC 16, FAMU 14

1981 FAMU 29, B-CC 0

1982 FAMU 29, B-CC 14

1985 B-CC 31, FAMU 27

1986 FAMU 16, B-CC 6

1987 FAMU 21, B-CC 10

1988 B-CC 25, FAMU 0

1989 FAMU 31, B-CC 7

1990 FAMU 42, B-CC 20

1991 FAMU 46, B-CC 28

1992 B-CC 35, FAMU 21

1993 FAMU 27, B-CC 22

1994 B-CC 27, FAMU 24

1995 FAMU 43, B-CC 0

1996 FAMU 41, B-CC 7

1997 FAMU 52, B-CC 35

1998 FAMU 50, B-CC 14

1999 FAMU 63, B-CC 14

2000 FAMU 31, B-CC 28

2001 FAMU 31, B-CC 21

2002 B-CC 37, FAMU 10

2003 B-CC 39, FAMU 35

2004 B-CC 58, FAMU 52/OT

2005 FAMU 26, B-CC 23/OT

2006 FAMU 35, B-CC 21

2007 B-CU 34, FAMU 7

2008 FAMU 58, B-CU 35

2009 FAMU 42, B-CU 6

2010 FAMU 38, B-CU 27

THE COACHING MATCHUP: Florida A&M's Joseph "Joe" Taylor (Western Illinois, '72) is in his 29th season as a collegiate head coach, bringing a career record of 229-88-4 into the final week of the regular season.... Brian

Jenkins (Cincinnati , '93) is in his 2nd season as a collegiate head coach and as head coach at Bethune-Cookman.... He comes into Saturday's contest with a record of 17-5, with an 0-1 record (2010) head-to-head against FAMU's Joe Taylor.

RATTLERS AT A GLANCE (7-3, 5-2 in MEAC): FAMU comes into the Classic on a four-game winning streak, armed with the #2 in scoring offense (29.3) and #2 in passing offense (221.2 ypg) in the MEAC.... RB Eddie Rocker has become the Rattlers leading rusher, heading the pack with 518 yards on 102 carries with 3 TDs .... Behind him is Al-Terek McBurse as he has rushed for 338 yards on 49 carries with four TDs... RB Lavante Page is the league's #2 scorer with 84 points, and remains the team's leading scorer as he has rushed for 308 yards on 109 carries with 13 TDs rushing and 14 total TDs... Freshman QB Damien Fleming has passed 1,335 yards on the season completing 110-of-180 passes with nine (9) TDs, averaging 166.9 yards per game, ranking #3 in pass efficiency, #6 in passing and #7 in total offense..... WR Lenworth Lennon leads the Rattler receivers in receptions with 36 for 447 yards receiving, while Kevin Elliott has 33 passes for 596 yards, ranking #3 in yardage, with four TDs.... LB Brandon Hepburn is the Rattlers' leading tackler with 57 tackles (39 solos) along with 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack, two pass breakups and two quarterback hurries.... Behind him is LB Demarius Folsom, who has tallied 55 tackles (34 solos) seven    tackles for loss, five sacks, one interception, two pass breakups and four quarterback hurries... DE Nic Hollinghead leads the club in tackles for loss (12), followed by fellow DE Jerry Willis (8 tackles for loss)..... K Trevor Scott is one of the league's top scorers, standing a perfect 35 of 35 on PATs, while cashing in on 12 of 15 field goals, including a nifty 5-of-7 from beyond 40 yards..... P Branden Holdren is the league's top punter with a 40.2 average, with 13 kicks downed inside the 20-yard line.

WILDCATS AT A GLANCE (7-3, 5-2 in MEAC): The Wildcats are riding a fivegame winning streak and bring the MEAC's #1 scoring offense (34.7), #1 rushing offense and #1 total offense (444.8 ypg) into this weekend's Classic showdown, along with the #4-ranked defense (303.3) in the league... RB Isidore Jackson, the #2 rusher in the MEAC, has rushed for 778 yards and 7 TDs on 127 carries... Rodney Scott ranks #8 in the league with 518 yards on 96 carries with one (1) score on the ground... The Wildcats have employed three quarterbacks this season - David Blackwell, Jamarr Robinson and Jackie Wilson..... Blackwell has passed for409 yards and 3 TDs (22 of 38 passing, 1 INT), while rushing for 345 yards on 27 carries with 4 TDs.... Robinson has tallied 607 yards and 5 TDs through the air (60 of 106 passing, 6 INTs), while rushing for five (5) TDs and 89 yards on 37 carries.... Wilson, has rushed for 325 yards and 5 TDs, while passing for 839 yards and 5 TDs (68 of 104 passing, 3 INTs).... WRs Eddie Poole and Maurice Francois lead the Wildcat receivers, with Poole makingcatches for 390 yards and 4 TDs, while Francois, a former quarterback, has 28 catches for 524 yards and one score.... Defensively, the Wildcats are led by DE Ryan Davis, who has 20.5 tackles for loss and 11 quarterback sacks with 58 total tackles, and LBs Jarkevis Fields (70 tackles, 4.5 TFL/1.0 sacks) and Reggie Sandilands (50 tackles, 9.5 TFL/2.0 sacks).

.

FLORIDA CLASSIC ON TAP

This year's intrastate battle between Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman will be the 32nd Classic in the current incarnation... Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida, the Sunshine State's premier health insurance provider, signed on this spring as the new title sponsor of the event, which began in Tampa (1978- 82; 1985-96) and moved to Orlando in 1997.

CLASSIC LOOKING FOR MILLIONTH ORLANDO FAN

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Classic between Florida A&M University and Bethune-Cookman University, could possibly see a special milestone reached at this year's edition the nation's top HBCU Classic.

Should the game reach an attendance mark of  63,200, the one-millionth fan of the game since it came to Orlando in 1997 will walk through the gates of Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. Heading into this year's 32nd overall edition of the game, 936,801 fans have attended the game in its 14 previous years in Orlando.

Game officials expect to hit the 1,000,000 mark this year based on current ticket sales projections combined with an annualattendance average of nearly 67,000.

"Since 1997, FAMU, B-CU and the City of Orlando have truly built something special together," said Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan. "The Classic weekend is one of the great rivalry experiences in college  athletics and this year's game could see fan number 1,000,000 walk through the gates - yet another milestone to celebrate in a series already rich in tradition." Should the 1,000,000th fan enter the gates, he/she will receive:· Two free Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Classic tickets in Orlando for life; Instant seat upgrade for tw  in the Uprights Club for this year's game; A BCBS Florida Classic merchandise prize pack. @Overall, the 31 previous games have drawn in excess of 1.6 million fans between the games in Tampa and Orlando since 1978.

NCAA BID COULD BE ON THE LINE: It appears now that this year's Florida Classic between Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M could have FCS playoff implications for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, as both squads come in with identical records and riding winning streaks... Both squads are 7-3 overall and 6-2 in the MEAC, tied for second with fellow 2010 co-champion South Carolina State (6-4, 5-2), which is out of the at-large conversation thanks to a pair of FBS losses (Central Michigan, Indiana) and losses to FAMU, and Norfolk State... Bethune-Cookman has won five straight games and apparently had solved their quarterback dilemma that was partly responsible for a 2-3 start and bitter losses to SCSU and North Carolina A&T. Their 14-6 win at Norfolk State in the midst of the win streak, a crushing victory over Morgan State (49-23) two weeks ago, coupled with a stirring performance for three quarters against Miami (trailed 14-7 at half, 24-14 after three quarters) Oct. 1, showed them to be ready for prime time... The Rattlers are on a four-game win streak including their first win over South Carolina State (27-24) since 2001, and they have won six of their last seven games since changing quarterbacks, settling on a true freshman, Damien Fleming, who has thrown just two (2) picks in 180 attempts. Their two league losses were bitter defeats, 23-17 in Week Two at Hampton, and 29-28 at homecoming against Howard, Oct. 8....

Bethune is 0-3 lifetime in playoff history including last year's 45-20 home loss to New Hampshire, while FAMU is 5-6 in postseason play, which includes the first FCS title in 1978, and a run to the semifinals in 1999.

MEAC'S FCS AT-LARGE HISTORY

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference has had member schools make five NCAA playoff appearances as an at-large entry, with a combined 3-5 record in the postseason... Florida A&M (1997, 1998, 1999) made three appearances, posting a 3-3 record in their six games, including an appearance in the 1999 national semifinals... Other teams appearing as at-large entries included Bethune-Cookman (2003) and South Carolina State (2010).

FLEMING FIRST FRESHMAN STARTING QB SINCE 1988

Damien Fleming is the first true freshman starter at quarterback for the Rattlers since Antoine "Tony" Ezell in 1988... Ezell became the starter in the third game of the year against Tennessee State, compiling a 6-1-1 record before

an injury sidelined him for the 1988 FloridaClassic... Fleming, who came on in relief of starter Austin Trainor to lead a come-from-behind win over Southern in the Atlanta Classic (Sept. 24), is 5-1 as a starter so far this season.... Ezell went on to start four seasons (1988-91), leading the Rattlers to a pair of MEAC titles (1988, 1990) and finish with 6,620 passing yards, #3 all-time in school history.

PAGE CLOSING IN ON HISTORY TOO

RB Lavante Page comes into the final regular season game close to a couple of school records.... The junior runner has scored a league-high 14 touchdowns this season, 13 rushing, one receiving, putting him within reach of two single-season FAMU records... Page needs one (1) more rushing TD to tie the single-season best of 15, set by Willie Galimore (1956), James Rackley (1971) and Kwame Vidal (1995)... Two (2) more TDs for Page ties him for most total TDs scored in a season, 16, with Galimore and Al Frazier 1956) and Antoine Flowers (1996)...

JOE TAYLOR'S QUARTERBACKS...

In his fourth season as head coach of the FAMU Rattlers, Joe Taylor has produced three of the four quarterbacks that have passed for 80-plus percent in a game in school history. Eddie Battle was a perfect 11-of-11 against South Carolina State in 2008; Curtis Pulley was 17-of-21 against Winston-Salem State for 80.9 percent in the 2009 season and Damien Fleming as he connected on 34-of-40 passes for 85 percent, two weeks ago against South Carolina State...

THE PICKS JUST KEEP ON COMING....

The FAMU Secondary has tallied 21 interceptions on the season, leading NCAA Division I FCS and the MEAC, the third most interceptions in school history.... This is the most interceptions FAMU Joe Taylor's team has garnered in a season..... In his inaugural season (2008), the Rattler secondary garnered 16 INTs as FAMU finished the season 9-3..... The last time a FAMU secondary posted 20- plus interceptions in a season was in 2000 with the Rattlers garnering 20 interceptions for 291 yards...... In 1999, the FAMU secondary tallied 22 interceptions for 402 yards..... The single season school record for interceptions is 35, during the 1981 season... In their last eight of their nine games, the Rattler secondary has garnered at one interception and has tallied two or more interception in six games on the season.

NATIONALLY RANKED RATTLERS

FAMU ranks first in the FCS and BCS in interceptions with 21.... DBs Jerral Stewart, John Ojo and Devontae Johnson rank 15th in FCS in Interceptions..... Lavante Page ranks 18th in the FCS in scoring with 84 points...

TAYLOR RANKS HIGH AMONGCOACHING GREATS....

FAMU coach Joe Taylor currently ranks thirdamong active FCS coaches in winning percentage (.718) and ranks third among active FCS coaches in victories (229). Taylor ranksfifth among winningest coaches all-time winning percentage (.718) and is currently ranks ninth among winningest coaches all-time in victories with (228).

TAYLOR CHASES HISTORY

Joe Taylor came into the 2011 campaign with 25 wins in his first three seasons at FAMU, a mark which is one win better than College Hall of Fame legends Jake Gaither (1945-47) and Billy Joe (1994-96), who each won 24 games during their first three campaigns, current FAMU coach Joe Taylor is eyeing the four-year standard for coaching success in the Orange and Green.... Billy Joe (1994-97) holds the lead with 33 victories in his first four

seasons, followed closely by Jake Gaither (1945-48) and Rudy Hubbard (1974-77) with 32 wins... Taylor is at 32 wins with one game left...

WINNINGEST FAMU COACHES (First 4 Years)

33 - William "Billy" Joe (1994-97)

32 - Joe Taylor (2008-11)

32 - Rudy Hubbard (1974-77)

32 - Jake Gaither (1945-48)

23 - Ken Riley (1986-89)

22 - William "Bill" Bell (1936-39)FAMU COACHES IN THEIR FOURTH YEARS

1920 - Jubie Bragg ............................ 0-2-0

1929 - Franz "Jazz" Byrd ................... 0-3-2

1939 - William "Big Bill" Bell ...............6-2-1

1948 - A.S. "Jake" Gaither ................. 8-2-0

1977 - Rudy Hubbard .................... ..11-0-0

1989 - Kenneth "Ken" Riley ............... 6-5-0

1997 - William "Billy" Joe .................. 9-3-0

2011 - Joseph "Joe" Taylor ................ 7-3-0