Florida A&M Rattlers Triumph Over Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in Intense Rivalry Match

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Florida A&M Rattlers emerged victorious in a thrilling contest against their arch-rivals, the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, with a narrow 41-38 victory on Saturday. The match, played in Orlando, saw the Rattlers secure their fourth consecutive win in this long-standing rivalry.

The game commenced with a strong offensive showing by the Rattlers, who quickly took a 7-0 lead courtesy of a 17-yard rushing touchdown by Thad Franklin Jr. However, the Wildcats swiftly responded, leveling the score at 7-7 through a punt return touchdown by Maleek Huggins.

Florida A&M regained the lead with a field goal, concluding the first quarter and extending their advantage in the second quarter through a 12-yard touchdown pass from Daniel Richardson to Jamari Gassett. This increased their lead to 17-7. Nevertheless, the Wildcats dominated the remainder of the second quarter, scoring 14 unanswered points to head into halftime with a 21-17 advantage.

In the third quarter, Bethune-Cookman extended their lead to seven points with a field goal. The Rattlers countered as Franklin Jr. scored from two yards out, equalizing the score at 24-24. A field goal by Cameron Gillis later granted Florida A&M a slight edge of 27-24 heading into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter was marked by intense exchanges of scores between the two rivals. The highlight was Franklin Jr.’s remarkable 70-yard touchdown following a missed field goal attempt by the Wildcats. The crucial and eventual game-winning score was delivered by Kelvin Dean, who ran into the end zone from 11 yards out.

In the wake of this win, James Colzie’s team is preparing to host Alabama A&M at Bragg Memorial Stadium on the coming Friday to conclude the 2024 season.