How FAMU football's Orange Blossom Classic showing can make a statement

The Orange Blossom Classic is an annual college football game that dates back nine decades.

At Florida A&M, it’s a chance to get an early statement victory under new head coach Quinn Fordham Gray Sr.

For Week 2, the Rattlers will face the defending NCAA Division I Black College Football National Champions, South Carolina State Bulldogs, on Sunday, Sept. 6.

The Labor Day weekend showdown will be played at the 65,326-seat Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, home of the Miami Dolphins and Miami Hurricanes.

The Orange Blossom Classic held its kickoff press conference at Miami Gardens City Hall Municipal Complex on Wednesday, March 25.

“I’m excited to see where we will be against the defending national champions,” Gray told the media. “You want to make sure you’re playing quality opponents so you can measure up to figure out where you are as a program.”

The 2026 Orange Blossom Classic is a callback to the 1973 matchup, when FAMU defeated South Carolina State 23-12 at the Orange Bowl. It was South Carolina State’s lone appearance in the game.

“We’re fired up to be a part of this outstanding event,” said South Carolina State head coach Chennis Berry. “This is bigger than a football. It’s culture, it’s legacy, it’s an opportunity to showcase the pride of both institutions’ tradition and excellence of HBCU football.”

September’s matchup will be the 52nd Orange Blossom Classic, which sometimes served as the Black College Football National Championship game.

The Orange Blossom Classic was founded in 1933 by J.R.E. Lee Jr., son of the former FAMU President. The game ran until 1978, was discontinued, and then revived in 2021 under the leadership of the game’s executive director, Kendra Bulluck-Major.

The Rattlers have played in 49 of the Orange Blossom Classic, holding a 27-21-1 record. FAMU lost last year’s Orange Blossom Classic to Howard, 10-9, to start a 5-7 season.

“Helping the young men understand the history and legacy of this game is always important,” Gray said. “People have played in this game and contributed and gone on to the NFL.”

FAMU football vs South Carolina State promises ‘electric atmosphere’ at Orange Blossom Classic

The last time the Rattlers and the Bulldogs met was a 2024 matchup on FAMU’s Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

The Rattlers erased an 18-7 fourth-quarter deficit to prevail 22-18 in the home opener in Tallahassee.

“Expect excitement,” Gray said. “When Florida A&M and South Carolina State get together, it’s always a great atmosphere.”

This fall will also pit two rivaling coaches against each other, with Gray at FAMU and Berry at South Carolina State.

They faced each other in the 2023 Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship game. Berry’s Benedict College Tigers trounced Gray’s Albany State Golden Rams 47-10.

Berry and Gray also matched up in February’s Legacy Bowl, where the South Carolina State coach’s Team Gaither outlasted Gray’s Team Robinson 27-23 in New Orleans’ all-star game for draft-eligible players from HBCUs.

“I look forward to playing against Coach Berry because I know what I’m going to get from him in terms of his team,” Gray said. “On Labor Day weekend, we’re looking forward to coming down, putting on a great show for the fans and alumni alike.”

The Orange Blossom Classic website says ticket sales are forthcoming. The kickoff time is also to be announced.

But the football programs hope to have a packed house for the HBCU cornerstone event.

“When you talk about the opportunity to play in Hard Rock Stadium versus Florida A&M, what an opportunity,” Berry said. “It’s going to be an electric atmosphere. Get your tickets because it should be fun in Miami Gardens on Labor Day Weekend.”

Florida A&M football 2026 schedule

• Saturday, Aug. 29: vs. Albany State
• Sunday, Sept. 6: vs. South Carolina State, Orange Blossom Classic at Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium
• Thursday, Sept. 10: at Miami
• Saturday, Sept. 19: vs. Tennessee State
• Saturday, Sept. 26: vs. Alabama A&M (SWAC)
• Saturday, Oct. 3: BYE
• Saturday, Oct. 10: at Alabama State (SWAC)
• Saturday, Oct. 17: at Jackson State (SWAC)
• Saturday, Oct. 24: vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC/Homecoming)
• Saturday, Oct. 31: vs. Southern (SWAC)
• Saturday, Nov. 7: at Alcorn State (SWAC)
• Saturday, Nov. 14: vs. Mississippi Valley State (SWAC)
• Saturday, Nov. 21: vs. Bethune-Cookman (SWAC/Florida Classic)

Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time national award-winning reporter for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.

Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Quinn Gray to figure out FAMU football team at Orange Blossom Classic