MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Florida A&M (1-4, 0-1 SWAC) travels to Montgomery to face Alabama State (3-2, 1-1 SWAC) on Friday, October 9, 2026, in Montgomery, Ala. at ASU Stadium. The game will be available on SWAC TV. The Rattlers have been tested early, opening the season with a win over Albany State and then facing South Carolina State, Miami (FL), Tennessee State and Alabama A&M in succession.

GAME INFORMATION
Florida A&M at Alabama State
Oct. 9 | 12 p.m. EST
ASU Stadium | Montgomery, Ala.
TV/Stream: SWAC TV
Radio: WHBX 96.1 FM | Sirius XM
X/Twitter: @FAMUAthletics | @FAMU_FB
Facebook: /FAMUAth
Instagram: @FAMUAthletics | @FAMUFB
YouTube: /GoFAMUAthletics
Game Day Hashtags: #FAMUvsASU| #BeatASU | #FangsUp | #FAMUly

Rattler Defense Turning Pressure into Points
Florida A&M has made a habit of disrupting opposing offenses. The Rattlers have 14 sacks and 30 tackles for loss this season, and opponents have converted just 29 percent of their third downs (14 of 48). That pressure has produced seven takeaways (three interceptions and four fumble recoveries) that have turned into 23 points. Two of them went the distance: Justin Bostic's 80-yard interception return for a touchdown against South Carolina State, and Caleb McKenzie's fumble-recovery score at Miami (FL). Bostic leads the team with three interceptions for 122 return yards.

Antonio Camon sets the tone up front with a team-best 3.0 sacks and 6.0 tackles for loss, including 3.0 sacks and 5.0 tackles for loss in the season-opening win over Albany State, when the Rattlers piled up 10 sacks and held the Golden Rams to just 3 rushing yards. DJ Jones (1.5 sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss) and Omari Kinsler (1.5 sacks) have also gotten home. Linebacker Denzel Johnson leads the team with 28 tackles, including 11 against Tennessee State, followed by Andre Powell Jr. with 18 and Bostic with 17.

Special Teams Giving FAMU an Edge
Florida A&M's kicking game has been a clear strength. Punter Bobby Engstler averages 41.6 yards on 39 punts, with 11 downed inside the 20, seven of 50-plus yards and a long of 58. The Rattlers' net punting average of 40.8 yards is four full yards better than Alabama State's 36.8. The kicking unit is a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals, with Emilio Bacardi 3-for-3 and Gabriel Caison 1-for-1, and Bacardi has sent nine of his 20 kickoffs for touchbacks. In the return game, Kieren Jackson has averaged 24.5 yards on eight kickoff returns with a long of 50, and Corey Petty has added eight punt returns.

Offense Finding Its Playmakers
Quarterback Armond Parker has thrown for 472 yards and five touchdowns in three appearances, with a passer rating of 140.9. The Rattler offense put together its best day against Tennessee State, totaling a season-high 449 yards, 315 of them through the air, and it threw three touchdown passes in both that game and the most recent outing against Alabama A&M.

Jackson is the engine of the receiving corps and the team's top all-purpose threat, with 12 catches for 177 yards and a touchdown and 373 all-purpose yards (74.6 per game). Petty also has 12 receptions for 131 yards and a score, and Jaquan Lee has nine receptions for 151 yards (16.8 per catch) and two touchdowns, including an 80-yard touchdown against Tennessee State. Jamal Hailey has nine catches and a touchdown to go with 99 rushing yards, Chase Gillespie leads the team with 115 rushing yards and a score, and Maliek Denmark has found the end zone twice. The Rattlers are also a perfect 10-for-10 when they reach the red zone, with six touchdowns and four field goals.

Scouting the Hornets
Alabama State is averaging 26.4 points per game while allowing 16.4. The Hornets opened with a 30-17 win over Southern and a 34-0 shutout of Lane, fell at Troy, then started SWAC play with a 41-15 win over Mississippi Valley State on Sept. 26 before a 16-10 loss at Bethune-Cookman on Oct. 3.

Alabama State leans on the run, averaging 141.6 rushing yards per game with 10 rushing touchdowns. Jamarie Hostzclaw leads the way with 255 yards and four touchdowns on 60 carries, Jareese Howard has 116 yards and three scores, and TJ Ramsey is averaging 6.0 yards per carry. Aaron Frye has started the last two games at quarterback, while Andrew Body (410 yards, three touchdowns) started the first three. Randall King is the top target with 10 catches for 180 yards and a touchdown. The Hornets are dangerous in the return game, where DJ Hicks housed a 98-yard kickoff return against Mississippi Valley State and Nehemiah Hixon is averaging 26.5 yards on kickoffs and 10.7 on punts, and kicker Andrew Abu-Akel is 9-for-10 on field goals, including 3-for-3 from 40-49 yards.

Defensively, Alabama State has recorded 42 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and three interceptions. Mitchell Robinson Jr. leads the Hornets with 40 tackles, Rashad Watson and Montel Campbell each have 30, and Omari Russell has 4.5 tackles for loss.