TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Jan. 25) – Florida A&M University (FAMU) released their 2017 Football Schedule Wednesday, a lineup of games which features a season-opening home game for the first time since 2010.

The Rattlers, will open their third season under head coach Alex Wood on Saturday, Aug. 26 against an old rival from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), the Tigers of Texas Southern University, in the inaugural Jake Gaither Classic in Bragg Memorial Stadium.

A portion of proceeds from that game will go towards the Jake Gaither House, to assist in the preservation of the home of the Hall of Fame coach, located just off the FAMU campus.

Bragg Stadium will also be the scene for three other home games: against the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) champion Eagles of North Carolina Central (Sept. 30), the Aggies of North Carolina A&T for the 2017 Homecoming Game (Oct. 14), and the Bison of Howard University (Nov. 4), in the home finale.

Homecoming 2017 at FAMU will also feature the second annual Funkfest, the all-day music extravaganza, set for Homecoming Eve, Friday, Oct. 13 on the South campus.

The 2017 Rattler Road Tour features a seven-game slate opening Sept. 2 against the Razorbacks of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Other whistle stops on the Rattler Tour will feature face offs against the Tigers of Savannah (Ga.) State in the MEAC opener (Sept. 23) at Savannah, Ga.; the Spartans of Norfolk (Va.) State (Oct. 7, Norfolk, Va.); the Pirates of Hampton (Va.) University (Oct. 21) at Hampton, Va., and the Bears of Morgan State at Baltimore, Md. (Oct. 28).

The Tigers of Tennessee State make a return to the FAMU schedule on Sept. 16, at a site to be announced shortly.

FAMU closes out the regular season with the annual Florida Blue Florida Classic against archrival Bethune-Cookman University, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida on Nov. 18.

Start times for all games will be announced in the coming weeks.

2017 FAMU Football Schedule

AUG. 26 TEXAS SOUTHERN Jake Gaither Classic/HOME

Sept. 2 at University of Arkansas Fayetteville, Ark.

Sept. 16 Tennessee State Site TBD

Sept. 23 at Savannah State* Savannah, Ga.

Sept. 30 NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL* HOME

Oct. 7 at Norfolk State* ` Norfolk, Va.

OCT. 14 NORTH CAROLINA A&T* HOMECOMING

Oct. 21 at Hampton University* Hampton, Va.

Oct. 28 at Morgan State* Baltimore, Md.

NOV. 4 HOWARD UNIVERSITY* HOME

Nov. 18 Bethune-Cookman*# Orlando, Fla.

*MEAC Games. #Florida Blue Florida Classic/Orlando, Fla.

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