With a 23-18 win over No. 23 ranked Coastal Carolina Saturday, Delaware State now turns their attention to FAMU.“They have such a great tradition over the years,” DSU coach Al Lavan said. “The band is playing all over the place. It’s just an atmosphere you have to prepare your team for.”
The game is both teams’ MEAC openers as it has been for the past two seasons.
In 2005, Lavan's Hornets came to Tallahassee, Fla. with a very green, red-shirt quarterback Vashon Winton who helped DSU escape with a 21-17 win in his first start.
Last season, the Hornets forfeited a home game to face FAMU in the Ford Football Classic in Detroit. DSU overpowered the Rattlers 34-14 in that game.
“I expect Coach Lavan and DSU to be as good as they have been the last two years,” FAMU coach Rubin Carter said. “They have been the thorn in our side. They have key players that we have to stop.
“Winton is very active. Then, Kareem Jones, he is a pretty good player. He has cutback abilty. And of course with (Shaheer) McBride, they have a triple threat.”
“Anytime you play a Florida A&M you have to be ready for skill people,” Lavan said. “They’ve got good players with tremendous speed. Our challenge is to go into the Rattlers’ nest and come out alive."
The Rattlers fell to Southern in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge last weekend while DSU was knocking off nationally ranked Coastal Carolina.
Early season losses can severely hamper a MEAC team's post season prospects so this weekend's results will help and/or hinder conference title hopes.