BATON ROUGE, La. | The Rattlers head to Baton Rouge with their sights on picking up their sixth straight win and second straight versus Southern as they continue to make a playoff push.
"We're looking forward to hitting the road and taking on a tough Southern football team down in Mumford Stadium, which rivals our atmosphere as one of the best in SWAC football," said head coach Willie Simmons. "Mumford Stadium is a tough place to play, and they're very passionate about their football in Baton Rouge as we are here in Tallahassee."
Where can you watch or listen?
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Rattler Sports Network, WANM 90.5 FM
Coaches in the game
Willie Simmons
Career Record, Conference Record: 42-20, 35-10
FAMU Record, Conference Record: 21-9, 16-4
Jason Rollins
Career Record: 4-4
SU Record: 4-4
Series History
The two teams met for the first time in 1941, which FAMU won 10-8.
FAMU and SU have played each other 60 times, and the Rattlers lead the all-time series 33-26-1. FAMU won the last meeting 27-21 (2019).
Elite Rattlers Defense
The Rattlers come into the game with one of the best defenses in the nation (FCS), allowing only 111 points through eight games and 76 points in six FCS games. The defense also ranks top 30 in the following categories:
• turnovers gained (26)
• 4th down defense (14)
• fumbles recovered (14)
• rushing defense (12)
• team sacks (9)
• red zone defense (8)
• scoring defense (6)
• total defense (5)
• team tackles for loss (5)
• 3rd down defense (5)
• passing yards allowed (4)
• 1st down defense (4)
• team passing efficiency defense (3)
Sack Master
The Rattlers have the nation's leading sacker in Isaiah Land with 12 sacks. Land set a Rattlers single-game record recording five sacks versus South Carolina State, the second-most in a single FCS game this season.
Land is also second in the nation in total tackles for loss with 18.5 but is first in solo tackles for loss with 16.
Ground Attack
The Rattlers have been at their best offensively when running the ball, and they look to continue their rushing success tomorrow at Southern.
Bishop Bonnett leads the team and is third in the SWAC with 666 yards, which is also good for the 29th most in the nation. Bonnett is also eighth in the nation averaging 7.2 yards per carry. Bonnett and Terrell Jennings both have five rushing touchdowns each.
Jah'Marae Sheread Number One Punt Returner
Jah'Marae Sheread had a game for the ages a couple of weeks ago in Itta Bena, going for a combined 229 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns. Sheread picked up 154 yards in the punt return game, including a 59-yard punt return touchdown. Sheread's 154 yards are the most in a single game this season.
Sheread currently ranks number one in the nation in yards per punt return averaging 24.5 yards per return. Sheread also ranks 20th in the nation with six receiving touchdowns.
Xavier Smith Among Nation's Best
The Rattlers has one of the nation's best playmakers in Xavier Smith as Smith ranks top 40 in the following career leader categories:
• 3rd in receptions per game for his career with 5.79
• 4th in receiving yards per game with 77.6
• 11th in receptions with 169
• 14th in receiving yards with 2,250
• 31st in receiving touchdowns with 16
• 33rd in all-purpose yards per game with 94.41
• 40th in yards per catch with 13.3
Smith also had the second-most receptions in an FCS football single-game this year with 15 versus South Florida.
Scouting the Jaguars
• The Jaguars' strength is their ability to run the ball as their rushing offense ranks 12th in the nation averaging 217.4 yards per game.
• The Jaguars have spread the scoring among their rushers as five players have at least three rushing touchdowns.
• Running back Kobe Dillion is the Jaguars' biggest offensive threat as he ranks 1st in the NCAA, averaging 8.18 yards per carry. Dillon also ranks 23rd in rushing yards per game (90) and 34th in the nation in total rushing yards (630).
• Defensively, the Jaguars find their way in the backfield often as the Jaguars rank 16th in the nation in tackles for loss.
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