The Rattler football team will look to make it two straight in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play as North Carolina Central comes to town for homecoming on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff against the Eagles is set for 2 p.m. at Bragg Memorial Stadium.
The Rattlers (3-1 overall, 1-0 MEAC) needed three field goals from Yahia Aly and two rushing touchdowns by Terrell Jennings last Saturday to defeat Norfolk State, 30-28, at William “Dick” Price Stadium. Florida A&M racked up 431 total yards of offense including 293 through the air, but it was the ground game that provided the biggest punch. The Rattlers got 109 yards on 20 carries from Bishop Bonnett and Jennings, who finished with 29 yards, punched in a pair of scores. Defensively, Elijah Richardson returned from an early-season injury to register a team-high 10 tackles.
North Carolina Central (2-3, 1-0) enters the game off a 27-17 road win against Morgan State to open conference play. The Eagles amassed 330 yards and four touchdowns on the ground against the Bears. In addition, NCCU registered three more interceptions to increase its takeaway total to 16. Quarterback Davius Richard threw for 86 yards and ran for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Isaiah Totten recorded 112 rushing yards and Jordan Freeman added 95. Defensive back Bryan Mills registered all three interceptions, two in the endzone to prevent Morgan State scores.
The Rattlers won the 2018 matchup, 55-14, in Durham, N.C., which ended a three-game losing streak