TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida A&M University men's basketball unveiled its 2025–26 schedule this week, featuring an early-season slate packed with in-state rivals, Power Four opponents, and a challenging Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) lineup that will test the Rattlers from start to finish. It's the inagural season for FAMU Head Men's Basketball Coach and Heisman Trophy Winner Charlie Ward.
The Rattlers will tip off the new campaign on October 21 with a home exhibition against Edward Waters at the Al Lawson Center. A quick turnaround follows as FAMU makes the short trip across town to face Florida State on October 26 in an exhibition. The Rattlers will also travel to South Florida (Nov. 3), Central Florida (Nov. 11), and Georgia (Nov. 17) before returning home to host Kennesaw State on November 8.
December brings a mix of home, road, and neutral-site contests, including a return matchup with Jacksonville on December 17 and participation in the ESPN HBCU Hoops Invitational in Orlando on December 5-7. The team will also face Tarleton State (Dec. 19), Texas Christian (Dec. 21), and Georgia Tech (Dec. 28) to round out the calendar year.
Conference play begins on January 3 when the Rattlers visit long-time rival Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach. FAMU will then host Southern (Jan. 10) and Grambling State (Jan. 12) in back-to-back games before embarking on a road stretch through Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Mississippi Valley State, and the Alabama schools.
The Rattlers' home conference schedule also features notable matchups against Jackson State, Texas Southern, and Prairie View A&M, with the regular season finale set for March 5 against Bethune-Cookman at the Al Lawson Center.
Florida A&M will cap the season at the SWAC Basketball Tournament in Atlanta beginning March 9, where the Rattlers will look to make a deep postseason run.
Ward said he's eager to see how his team responds to the early challenges on the schedule.
"We've built this schedule to prepare our guys for the intensity of SWAC play," Ward added. "Facing high-level competition early in the season will show us where we are and where we need to grow. Our goal is to keep improving each night and be playing our best basketball when March comes around."
With a mix of returning veterans and new faces, the Rattlers will aim to build on last season's progress and make a statement both in nonconference play and within the SWAC.
