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FAMU football vs Mississippi Valley's 2025 game moved to Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Florida A&M football will play a game in Atlanta for the third consecutive season.
Over the weekend at the FAMU National Alumni Association Convention in Frisco, Texas, FAMU's Vice President and Director of Athletics Angela Suggs announced that the Rattlers will face the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons, on Saturday, Oct. 4.
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The Week 6 Southwestern Athletic Conference football game between the Rattlers and the Delta Devils was initially scheduled to be played at MVSU's Rice-Totten Stadium in Itta Bena, Mississippi.
'They decided they were coming to FAMU, Georgia ― also known as Atlanta,' Suggs said at the FAMU NAA Convention's AD's Breakfast on Friday, May 30.
'So once October 4, we won't be in Itta Bena, Mississippi. We will play Mississippi Valley State University in the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.'
FAMU has a large contingent of graduates in Atlanta and holds one of the largest alumni chapters for the HBCU.
FAMU Athletics Director Angela Suggs speaks at FAMU Day at the Capitol Wednesday, April 9, 2025.
The Rattlers played in Atlanta in 2024 for the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, squeaking a 24-23 victory over the Norfolk State Spartans at Center Parc Stadium, formerly the Atlanta Braves' Turner Field. In 2023, FAMU football won its first-ever Celebration Bowl 30-26 over the Howard Bison to secure its 16th Black College National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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The Rattlers will look to avenge last season's 24-21 loss versus the Delta Devils, a shortfall that ended its 23-game home winning streak at Bragg Memorial Stadium, which spanned over five years. It was MVSU's lone victory last year.
FAMU, led by second-year head coach James Colzie III, returns from a 7-5 season in 2024. MVSU, fresh off a 1-11 showing, has a first-year head coach in Terrell Buckley. Both coaches played college football as cornerbacks for Florida State University, with Buckley being there from 1989 to 1991 and Colzie spending his spending 1993 to 1996 on the Seminoles roster.
Florida A&M coach James Colzie III leads his team onto the field during the Cricket MEAC-SWAC Challenge NCAA college football game against Norfolk State in Atlanta on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024.
FAMU football will play a 12-game regular season schedule this season, opening versus the Howard Bison in the Orange Blossom Classic at Miami Gardens' Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 30.
Florida A&M Football 2025 Schedule
Week 1: Saturday, Aug. 30 ― vs. Howard (Orange Blossom Classic at Miami Gardens' Hard Rock Stadium), 4 p.m., ESPNU
Week 2: Saturday, Sept. 6 ― at Florida Atlantic, 6 p.m., ESPN Plus
Week 3: Saturday, Sept. 13 ― vs. Albany State, 6 p.m.
Week 4: BYE/OPEN WEEK
Week 5: Saturday, Sept. 27 ― vs. Alabama State (SWAC)
Week 6: Saturday, Oct. 4 ― at Mississippi Valley State (SWAC/at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
Week 7: Saturday, Oct. 11 ― vs. North Carolina Central
Week 8: Saturday, Oct. 18 ― vs. Alcorn State (SWAC/Homecoming)
Week 9: Saturday, Oct. 25 ― at Southern (SWAC)
Week 10: Saturday, Nov. 1 ― vs. Jackson State (SWAC)
Week 11: Saturday, Nov. 8 ― at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC), 3 p.m
Week 12: Saturday, Nov. 15 ― at Alabama A&M (SWAC)
Week 13: Saturday, Nov. 22 ― vs. Bethune-Cookman (SWAC/Florida Classic at Orlando's Camping World Stadium)
Saturday, Nov. 29 ― NCAA FCS Playoffs Begin (If Necessary)
Saturday, Dec. 6 ― SWAC Championship Game (If Necessary)
Saturday, Dec. 13 ― Celebration Bowl at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium (If Necessary)
Monday, Jan. 5, 2026 ― NCAA FCS National Championship Game at Nashville's FirstBank Stadium (If Necessary)
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All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time.
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
Follow his award-winning coverage on and contact him via email at GDThomas@ or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU football 2025 schedule: Rattlers vs MVSU moved to Atlanta
