| 1952 Florida A&M Rattlers football | |
|---|---|
| Black college national champion SIAC champion | |
| Orange Blossom Classic, W 29–7 vs. Virginia State | |
| Conference | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| Record | 8–2 (4–1 SIAC) |
| Head coach |
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| Home stadium | Bragg Stadium |
| Seasons← 19511953 → | |
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. 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).
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 20 | vs. Texas College* | W 41–13 | |||||
| October 4 | at Benedict | Columbia, SC | W 34–7 | ||||
| October 11 | Fort Valley State | W 51–0 | |||||
| October 18 | at Morris Brown | Atlanta, GA | W 27–7 | ||||
| October 25 | Prairie View A&M* |
| W 10–7 | ||||
| November 1 | at Bethune–Cookman | Daytona Beach, FL | L 7–8 | ||||
| November 8 | North Carolina A&T* |
| W 19–12 | ||||
| November 15 | Allen |
| W 45–7 | ||||
| November 27 | at Southern* |
| L 13–25 | 10,000 | |||
| December 6 | vs. Virginia State* | W 29–7 | 35,064 | ||||
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References
- "Pigskin Huddle". The Afro American. December 20, 1952. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Florida A. & M. Declared 1952 Nat'l Grid Champs". The Pittsburgh Courier. December 20, 1952. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Florida A&M edges Texas team, 10–7". The Miami Herald. October 26, 1952. Retrieved September 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Florida A.&M. Wins Easily". The Pittsburgh Courier. November 22, 1952. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Southern Whips Famcee, 25-13, in Biggest Upset". The Pittsburgh Courier. November 29, 1952. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Rattlers Win, 29-7, To Gain Negro Title". Miami Daily News. December 7, 1952. p. 31 – via Newspapers.com.
| Florida A&M Rattlers football | |
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| National championship seasons in bold | |