There are now 2 Div 1a teams in Tallahassee

G

GT Ace

Jolly Good Fellow
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That's hard to believe, but it's true. The Florida A&M Rattlers are now Div1a. They will start play in 2004. The Rattlers are the 1st historically black college to play 1a!
Their AD says they already have road games @ Oklahoma & Illinois in '04. The SEC will also be inviting them over very shortly.
The Rattlers stadium only seats 25,000 now, but they hope to expand soon. Can they recruit the players to play 1a? CenFla & SoFla took awhile, but seem to be getting there. Will the 5 other Div1a teams in Fla give them a home&home?
A&M will be like Troy St for awhile, playing 7 road game/yr & only minor games @ home. They need to be looking at joining the Sun Belt Conference post haste. Here's the announcement:

Fla A&M will play Div 1a in '04
 
I know at one time, Florida A&M was a black college. Are they integrated at this time? Does the college have white students and white athletes?

Just a question of curiosity.

Father Time
 
Ace, thanks for the information. I, for one, welcome accompanying thoughts as I look on the rucruiting horizon. This could really cut out a lot of the out of state teams from stealing Florida's sheep, and also could make it more difficult for the Florida Power schools to get every athlete they want. I will be pulling for A&M. Really like the possibilities and excitement!! Just my take for WIW.
 
Ahso, here's a very good link to FAMU. It appears they are a 99% black Univ, but everyone can decide for themselves. Fla A&M

Million, that makes 6 Div1a teams in Fla now. I believe Fla Atlantic is supposed to come on in '05, unless it's been backed up, to make the 7th Fla Div1a school. Fla Atl's recruiting pitch is that they'll be 1a in '05.
The good part is that the Fla players have been used to going out of state for decades. The bad part is CenFla & SoFla are playing much better football now & just need to break through by beating a 'big name' team to really take off. A&M can offer some high profile road games in the next few yrs. Here's another good article on A&M's move to 1a;

Rattlers hope to be successful early on in Div 1a
 
Thanks Ace, I looked up the enrollment figures. I was surprised to find they listed 21 aliens as attending FAMU.

I guess we are not alone in the universe!

Father Time
 
has GSU ever been considered for 1A they always seem to be a top team in 1AA
 
My condolences to them on their future ass whipping at Oklahoma.
 
Originally posted by GT Ace:
Will the 5 other Div1a teams in Fla give them a home&home?
Click to expand...
<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">I'll be elected President of the United States before Miami, FSU or Florida steps foot in the Rattlers' stadium for a football game. Or maybe I should make it something even tougher to attain, like you guys will elect me AD of Tech.
 
101, Ga Southern will not go div1a while Sam Baker is the AD. GaSou will have to make a move at AD before any other moves. Here is an excerp found in the A&M article linked again here: Rattlers hope to be successful early on in which Baker gives his opinion of Ga Sou making a move:

Georgia Southern athletics director Sam Baker opposes the sentiment that a school must have a Division I-A football program in order for its athletics program to be financially successful.

Despite the Eagles winning six Division I-AA national championships since 1985, Baker insists his program won't follow FAMU to Division I-A.

"Why would you want to move from a level that you can be very successful at to a level that the track record is not very good for the schools that made that move?" Baker said. "... I don't understand that thinking."

Baker said his school's athletics program operates on a $6.5-million budget, which matches FAMU's but is far lower than the $25 million he believes it takes to be competitive in Division I-A football.
 
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