Three Key Takeaways
- FAMU faces its biggest early-season test against No. 1 South Carolina State in the Orange Blossom Classic.
- A new era begins under Quinn Fordham Gray Sr., with FAMU entering 1-0 and holding a 34-26-2 series edge.
- The Classic celebrates HBCU culture beyond football, featuring bands, music, entertainment and community impact.
The FAMU Rattlers and South Carolina State University Bulldogs will meet Sunday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium in the latest edition of the Orange Blossom Classic, a matchup that carries both competitive stakes and deep cultural resonance for historically Black colleges and universities.
The game, scheduled for 3 p.m. and televised on ESPN, pits the defending HBCU national champions against a Rattlers team under new leadership. South Carolina State, the consensus No. 1 team in the NCAA Division I Black College Football Poll and USA TODAY HBCU rankings and ranked 22nd in the Football Championship Subdivision Coaches Poll, opened its season with an 87-0 victory over Savannah State. Florida A&M, ranked ninth and eighth in those respective polls, began the year with a 20-7 win over Albany State in the debut of head coach Quinn Fordham Gray Sr.
The Rattlers hold the overall series lead, 34-26-2, according to College Football Results. The teams last met in 2024, when Florida A&M staged a late comeback for a 22-18 home victory. Florida A&M has appeared in 49 of the first 51 Orange Blossom Classics and owns a 27-21-1 record in the event.
For supporters of the Rattlers, the afternoon offers an early chance to back a new coaching staff as it faces its most formidable test of the young season. The setting at Hard Rock Stadium, with its scale and energy, tends to amplify the occasion for those present.
First played in 1933, the Orange Blossom Classic originally provided Black college athletes a prominent stage during segregation. After a long hiatus that began following the 1978 contest, the event returned in 2021 and has since grown into a multifaceted celebration of HBCU culture, community and education.
“This is the one event where I say it is entertainment, sports, culture, music, everything just all wrapped up into one,” said Kendra Bulluck-Major, executive director of the Orange Blossom Classic.
Sunday’s program at Hard Rock Stadium will include a fan fest featuring Miami artists Trina and Trick Daddy, along with an appearance by actor Lorenz Tate. Halftime will feature performances by FAMU’s storied Marching 100 and South Carolina State’s Marching 101. Organizers are also introducing a new in-stadium day party after the intermission.
Those who attend in person will encounter more than the game itself. The combination of live performances, band showcases and the collective energy of the crowd creates an immersion into HBCU culture that is difficult to capture from afar. Tickets begin at $25.
Since its revival, the Classic has generated more than $100 million in economic impact for South Florida and more than $500,000 in scholarships, organizers said. Bulluck-Major has described ticket purchases as a form of community support.
For Bulluck-Major, the event’s renewed presence bridges generations of fans.
“I have people who remember the original classic from 1933 to ‘78 and they say, I’m so glad you brought it back because it meant so much to our community,” she said. “And then I have the new generation who may not be familiar with the original classic, but they’re still excited about it.”
In South Florida this weekend, the Orange Blossom Classic stands as both a competitive measuring stick and a living tradition best experienced inside the stadium.