Alabama State’s Homecoming is coming a day early. Originally scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10, the Hornets’ game against Florida A&M was moved up because of Hurricane Isaias and will now kick off Friday, Oct. 9, at 11:05 a.m. CT (12:05 p.m. ET) at ASU Stadium in Montgomery.

Both teams need this one. Alabama State (3-2, 1-1 SWAC) is coming off a 16-10 loss at Bethune-Cookman, its first SWAC defeat of the season. Florida A&M (1-4, 0-1 SWAC) comes off an open date and looks for its first conference win under first-year head coach Quinn Gray, after a 40-21 home loss to Alabama A&M to open SWAC play.

A Series That Could Not Be Much Closer

Friday marks the 43rd meeting between the programs, and the all-time series is dead even at 20-20-2. Florida A&M controlled the recent run, winning five of six meetings since 2008, before Alabama State snapped the Rattlers’ streak emphatically last season with a 42-14 win in Tallahassee.

Montgomery has been kind to the Rattlers lately. Florida A&M won 21-14 on its 2022 trip and won 28-13 on its most recent visit.

Familiar faces line both sidelines. Florida A&M linebacker Denzel Johnson and quarterback James Hayes both transferred from Alabama State, and Rattlers defensive coordinator Ryan Lewis held the same job at Alabama State during Eddie Robinson Jr.’s first three seasons. On the other side, Hornets receivers coach Marcus Windham coached at Florida A&M from 2022 through 2024.

By the Numbers

Florida A&M’s season numbers include a 77-7 loss at Miami and a win over Division II Albany State, so it helps to isolate the Rattlers’ three games against FCS opponents (South Carolina State, Tennessee State, and Alabama A&M). In those games, Florida A&M has averaged 261.0 yards per game, 216.0 through the air and 45.0 on the ground, while allowing 470.7 yards per game, split evenly between 235.3 rushing and 235.3 passing.

The 29-26 loss to Tennessee State accounts for much of that offense. The Rattlers piled up a season-high 449 yards that day, but they finished with 161 yards against South Carolina State and 173 against Alabama A&M, running for a combined 1 yard in those two games.

The biggest difference between the two teams is the gap on the ground. Florida A&M averages 48.4 rushing yards per game, and Alabama State is coming off a game in which it allowed 337 rushing yards, the most under Robinson.

Alabama State: Can the Black Swarm Bounce Back?

Defense has carried the Hornets all season. Alabama State leads the SWAC and ranks 13th nationally in scoring defense at 16.4 points per game, and it ranks third in the country in passing yards allowed at 129.8 per game. The Hornets lead the league with 8.4 tackles for loss per game and have forced nine fumbles, also tops in the SWAC.

That made last week’s loss stand out. Bethune-Cookman’s Rashon Brown ran for 260 yards, the first opponent to top 200 rushing yards against a Robinson-coached Alabama State team. Mitchell Robinson Jr. leads the defense with 40 tackles and two forced fumbles, Montel Campbell and Rashad Watson each have 30 tackles, and Eldridge Shelton (2.0 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss) leads the SWAC in forced fumbles per game.

The offense still lacks consistency, averaging 272.6 yards per game. Freshman Aaron Frye started at Bethune-Cookman and has played in all five games, completing 22 of 44 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown with two rushing scores. Preseason SWAC Offensive Player of the Year Andrew Body has appeared in three games, for 37 of 60, 410 yards, and three touchdowns. Jamarie Hostzclaw leads the ground game with 255 yards and four touchdowns, and Randall King is averaging 18.0 yards per catch.

Special teams remain a weapon. Andrew Abu-Akel has made 9 of 10 field goals, and his 1.8 field goals per game lead the SWAC. Nehemiah Hixon leads the league with 10.7 yards per punt return, and DJ Hicks has a 98-yard kickoff-return touchdown.

Florida A&M: Finishing Drives and Winning Third Down

Florida A&M’s offense has struggled to sustain drives, converting just 15 of 68 third downs (22.1 percent). When the Rattlers get close, though, they cash in. Florida A&M is tied for first in the FCS in red zone offense, with six touchdowns and four field goals on its 10 red zone scores, and it has not turned the ball over inside the opponent’s 20.

True freshman quarterback Armond Parker has lifted the offense, completing 33 of 59 passes for 472 yards and five touchdowns in three appearances. He threw for 267 yards against Tennessee State and three touchdowns against Alabama A&M. Kieren Jackson leads the team with 373 all-purpose yards, including 177 receiving yards and a 24.5-yard kickoff return average.

The defense has been the Rattlers’ calling card in SWAC play. Florida A&M leads the league in sacks per game (2.80) and third-down defense and ties for the national lead with two defensive touchdowns. Justin Bostic has all three interceptions and returned them for 122 yards, including a touchdown. Antonio Camon leads the team with 3.0 sacks and 6.0 tackles for loss, and Johnson leads the Rattlers with 31 tackles against his former team.

The Rattlers have also played better after halftime. Opponents have outscored Florida A&M 106-39 in first halves, but the margin shrinks to 78-48 in second halves. Ball security will be a focus after a season-high four turnovers against Alabama A&M, a game in which the Bulldogs ran for 283 yards and totaled 543. Parker threw three touchdown passes in that loss, and Florida A&M cut the lead to 23-21 in the third quarter before Alabama A&M scored the final 17 points.

What to Watch

The red zone. Florida A&M’s red zone offense, tied for first nationally, faces an Alabama State defense ranked seventh nationally in red zone defense and allowing just four touchdowns on 15 opponent trips inside its 20.

Field position. Florida A&M leads the SWAC in net punting behind Bobby Engstler, who averages 41.6 yards per punt and has 11 downed inside the 20. Alabama State leads the league in kickoff-return defense and punt-return defense.

Third down. Both offenses have struggled to move the chains, with Florida A&M at 22.1 percent and Alabama State at 26.3 percent, and both defenses rank among the SWAC’s top four on third down. Whoever wins the money down could control the game.

Alabama State is ranked No. 5 in the Week 5 Black College Football Poll and No. 7 in our #DataDrivenHBCUTop5 computer rankings. Follow the result and every other HBCU game on our 2026 football season dashboard.