Jump to content

1952 Florida A&M Rattlers football team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1952 Florida A&M Rattlers football
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record8–2 (4–1 SIAC)
Head coach
Home stadiumBragg Stadium
Seasons
← 1951
1953 →

The 1952 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1952 college football season. In their eighth season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled an 8–2 record, including a victory over Virginia State in the Orange Blossom Classic. The team played its home games at Bragg Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.

Despite its two losses, the Associated Negro Press rated Florida A&M as the black college football national championship by virtue of having played "the nation's most rugged schedule." Lincoln (MO) and Texas Southern were rated second and third, respectively.[1] The Pittsburgh Courier also selected Florida A&M as the national champion under its "Courier DoubleR" rating system, ahead of second-place Virginia State and third-place Lincoln (MO).[2]

Schedule

[edit]
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 20vs. Texas College*W 41–13
October 4at BenedictColumbia, SCW 34–7
October 11Fort Valley StateW 51–0
October 18at Morris BrownAtlanta, GAW 27–7
October 25Prairie View A&M*
  • Bragg Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL
W 10–7[3]
November 1at Bethune–CookmanDaytona Beach, FLL 7–8
November 8North Carolina A&T*
  • Bragg Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL
W 19–12
November 15Allen
  • Bragg Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL
W 45–7[4]
November 27at Southern*
L 13–2510,000[5]
December 6vs. Virginia State*W 29–735,064[6]
  • *Non-conference game

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Pigskin Huddle". The Afro American. December 20, 1952. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Florida A. & M. Declared 1952 Nat'l Grid Champs". The Pittsburgh Courier. December 20, 1952. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Florida A&M edges Texas team, 10–7". The Miami Herald. October 26, 1952. Retrieved September 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Florida A.&M. Wins Easily". The Pittsburgh Courier. November 22, 1952. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Southern Whips Famcee, 25-13, in Biggest Upset". The Pittsburgh Courier. November 29, 1952. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Rattlers Win, 29-7, To Gain Negro Title". Miami Daily News. December 7, 1952. p. 31 – via Newspapers.com.