TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida A&M University (FAMU) announced today that its football program has received Level Two Academic Progress Rate (APR) penalties from the NCAA for the 2026 football season, which include practice restrictions and ineligibility for postseason competition during the 2026 season. President Marva B. Johnson, J.D. and the university's leadership are committed to addressing the structural conditions that contributed to this outcome and to building the academic infrastructure our student-athletes deserve.
 
"Florida A&M holds its student-athletes to the same standard of excellence we hold every Rattler," said President Johnson. "These penalties reflect a failure of institutional infrastructure, not a failure of our student-athletes. We are committed to building the academic support structure this program has long deserved — and this administration will be accountable for delivering it. We are fortunate to have tremendous partners in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland has acted swiftly to provide support as we move forward."
 
Vice President and Director of Athletics John F. Davis said the university fully accepts the NCAA's findings and has already begun implementing an enhanced academic action plan.
 
"We owe it to our student-athletes and the Rattler community to be transparent about where we are and where we are going," said Davis. "The four-year rolling average that produced this outcome includes a period of significant transition — that context does not excuse the result, and we are not here to make excuses. We are here to fix it. The 2026 season is an opportunity for this team to demonstrate its character, develop its culture under Coach Gray, and lay the foundation for years to come. I am already encouraged by the support of SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland as we work through this together."
 
The penalties stem from a multi-year APR score that fell below the NCAA's required 930 benchmark. The APR is a term-by-term measure of academic eligibility and retention for scholarship student-athletes, calculated on a rolling four-year average. The four-year window that produced this score includes academic years that predate the current President, athletic administration, and coaching staff, and reflects a period in which the university's academic support infrastructure for student-athletes was insufficient. While the university knew the data was trending toward this outcome and was optimistic a conditional waiver approved for the 2025 season would provide relief, the conditions of that waiver were not met, resulting in postseason ineligibility for the 2026 season.
 
Head Football Coach Quinn Fordham Gray Sr. said academics and athletic excellence are unified priorities in his program.
 
"Academics and football are not competing priorities in our program — they are the same priority. Every player on this roster knows the expectation: you handle your business in the classroom first," said Gray. "We have put the systems in place. Now it is about execution and accountability, every single day. Our job is to build this program the right way — on the field, in the classroom, and in the community. While this ban seems daunting, it does not take away our ability to continue to impact our student-athletes' lives on and off the field, and still work toward the ultimate goal of earning degrees."
  FAMU has initiated a series of structural and operational changes to strengthen academic outcomes for student-athletes. The university has expanded compliance and academic monitoring, including real-time tracking of student-athlete academic engagement and early intervention protocols to identify and address academic risk promptly. Newly appointed Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Gail Randolph has been formally engaged in the university's academic infrastructure, connecting athletic academic support to faculty advising networks across the institution. The university is committed to a thorough assessment of its academic support structure and will implement additional corrective measures as that review is completed.
  In accordance with NCAA regulations, all football student-athletes have been individually notified of the penalty and their eligibility options under applicable NCAA bylaws. The university is committed to supporting each student-athlete through this process and to ensuring every student-athlete has the information and resources needed to make the best decision for their academic and athletic future.
  The Rattler football team will open its full 2026 regular-season schedule, at home against Albany State Aug. 29, and concluding with the Florida Blue Florida Classic against Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 21.

While the program is ineligible for postseason competition during the 2026 season, the university is focused on ensuring the football program's multi-year APR score returns to full compliance at the earliest opportunity. The corrective measures are designed to be reflected in future APR reporting cycles.