TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | The Florida A&M University football team was honored on Thursday night during its Celebration of Champions ceremony at Bragg Memorial Stadium.
 
The Rattlers opened the 2019 campaign with a loss to then-ranked 17th UCF in Orlando. Despite the early season setback, Florida A&M reeled off nine straight victories, including wins over Southern, South Carolina State and North Carolina A&T State.
 
The 34-31 overtime win over the 10th-ranked Aggies elevated Florida A&M into the FCS Top 25 polls, where the Rattlers headed into the final week of the regular season as the 13th-ranked team in the country.
 
However, much like the season opener in Orlando, the Rattlers' nine-game win streak was snapped in the Florida Blue Florida Classic by Bethune-Cookman.
 
Earlier on Thursday on twitter, Florida A&M head coach Willie Simmons staked his claim that the Rattlers are the conference champions and HBCU Black College Football National Champions.

"What I am most proud of is that these guys have constantly overcome adversity," Simmons said. "Every situation they've been thrown, they just continued to fight. They just fight and strike and strike and strike again and they just don't quit. That is the sign of a championship group and that's why we are the 2019 Black College Football National Champions."
 
While the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) will hold its championship game on Saturday, that game features Alcorn State and Southern.
 
Meanwhile, North Carolina A&T State and South Carolina State both finished MEAC play with two losses and were chosen co-champions by the conference office. The Aggies will represent the MEAC in the Celebration Bowl by virtue of the head-to-head win.
 
Alcorn State sits at 8-3, with losses to Southern Miss, McNeese and Grambling State. The loss to Grambling State stings a bit considering the Braves will face the very team that defeated Grambling State – Southern – on Saturday.
 
North Carolina A&T State has already locked up a spot in the Celebration Bowl. However, the Aggies, much like Alcorn State, sit at 8-3, with losses to Duke, Florida A&M and Morgan State. Duke finished the season at 5-7, while FAMU was 9-2. Morgan State ended the 2019 season at 3-9. The loss to Morgan State stings a bit because the Bears entered that game at 1-8.
 
Southern has perhaps the best resume of the three teams, with losses to McNeese, Alcorn State, Florida A&M and a one-loss Memphis team, who will play in the American Conference Championship game. The Jaguars rallied from a 21-3 deficit to win the Bayou Classic, setting up a rematch with Alcorn State.
 
Should Southern and North Carolina A&T State meet in the Celebration Bowl, the Rattlers would have beaten both opponents.
 
Florida A&M finished the regular season at 9-2 and stacked up against some of the best of the best in the state of Florida.

FLORIDA NCAA DIVISION I RECORDS
Florida (10-2): Next Game (Bowl Game)
Florida A&M (9-2)
Florida Atlantic (9-3): Next Game (C-USA Championship vs. UAB)
UCF (9-3): Next Game (Bowl Game)
Bethune-Cookman (7-4)
Stetson (7-4)
Florida State (6-6): Next Game (Bowl Game)
FIU (6-6): Next Game (Bowl Game)
Miami (6-6): Next Game (Bowl Game)
South Florida (4-8)
Jacksonville (3-9)
 
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