Florida A&M football isn’t expected to be atop the Southwestern Athletic Conference in 2024.
On Tuesday, the SWAC announced its football predicted order of finish, where the Rattlers were voted to predicted second in SWAC East standings for the upcoming season.
Alabama State were selected to finish first with 114 points and 11 first-place votes. FAMU followed with 104 points and six first-place votes.
The Rattlers won the program’s first SWAC Championship and 17th Black College Football National Championship by winning their Celebration Bowl appearance. However, FAMU will have a new-look team under first-year head football coach James Colzie III, who replaced Willie Simmons. Simmons is now Duke’s running backs coach.
FAMU has also flipped its roster with an influx of transfers to replace graduated players and NCAA Transfer Portal entries.
The remainder of the SWAC East preseason predicted order of finish are Jackson State (82), Alabama A&M (71 points), Bethune-Cookman (37 points), and Mississippi Valley State (31 points).
In the SWAC West, Alcorn State (112 points) is predicted to finish first with Prairie View A&M (104 points), Grambling State (72 points), Southern (70 points), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (61 points), and Texas Southern (40 points).
FAMU football has eight players garner preseason All-SWAC honors
FAMU football has eight players on the preseason All-SWAC list.
Rattler first teamers include offensive lineman Ashton Grable, defensive backs Kendall Bohler and Deco Wilson, and placekicker Cameron Gillis.
Grable is considered the SWAC’s top returning interior offensive lineman by HERO Sports. Bohler, a 2023 Boxtorow HBCU All-American, ranks seventh in FCS returning defensive backs and first in the SWAC.
Gillis and Wilson were key transfers for the Rattlers during their run to the Black College title last season.
FAMU’s Preseason All-SWAC second teamers are running back Kelvin Dean Jr., wide receiver Jamari Gassett, and Allen Smith Jr.
Last season, Dean won the Celebration Bowl’s Offensive Most Valuable Player for notching three receptions for 87 yards and two clutch touchdowns in the Rattlers’ 30-26 win over the Howard Bison.
Gassett and Smith transferred to FAMU last season and are expected to take the next step for the Rattlers.
Florida A&M Rattlers 2024 Football Schedule
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Aug. 24 vs. Norfolk State in MEAC/SWAC Challenge, Atlanta* at 7:30 p.m., ABC
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Aug. 31 vs. South Carolina State, 6 p.m., ESPN+
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Sept. 7 at Miami, 6 p.m., ACC Network
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Sept. 21 at Troy, 7 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN+
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Sept. 28 vs. Alabama A&M, 6 p.m., ESPN+
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Oct. 5 at Alabama State, 3 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN+
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Oct. 19 at Jackson State, 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN Network
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Oct. 26 vs. Southern, 7 p.m., ESPN Network
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Nov. 2 vs. Texas Southern (HOMECOMING), 4 p.m., ESPN+
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Nov. 9 at Prairie View A&M, 3 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN+
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Nov. 16 vs. Mississippi Valley State, 1 p.m.
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Nov. 23 vs. Bethune-Cookman in Florida Classic, Orlando*, 3:30 p.m., ESPN Network
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Nov. 30: FCS Playoffs Begin
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Dec. 7: SWAC Championship, LOCATION/TEAMS TBA, ESPN2
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Dec. 14: Celebration Bowl, Atlanta*, TEAMS TBA, 12 p.m., ABC
BOLD = SWAC
* = Neutral Site
Gerald Thomas, III covers Florida A&M University Athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at gdthomas@tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Where did FAMU land in the SWAC football predicted order of finish?
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