Orange Blossom Classic: A Preview of Florida A&M vs Jackson State

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The 2021 Orange Blossom Classic will have Florida A&M Rattlers facing the Jackson State Tigers at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. This game will be featured on ESPN 2 at 5 pm est.

Jackson State and FAMU are heading into a big opening matchup for HBCU football, with FAMU joining the SWAC. NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders is heading into his second year as Jackson State’s head coach and looks to finish what he started last season. Sanders started off the 2020 spring season 3-0 before losing the next three finishing with a win over Alcorn State. As they head into a normal schedule again, the Jackson State Tigers have added some pieces. FAMU didn’t even have a season as it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The previous year, the Rattlers were still in the MEAC finishing 9-2 with a 6-1 conference record. The orange and green look to continue the high level of play in this upcoming season. Even though FAMU has not had a regular season since Fall 2019, the team looks to bounce back with some new competition.

Jackson State has landed 4-star recruits De’jahn Warren and Shedeur Sanders. Warren, coming out of Lackawanna C.C. in Scranton, Pennsylvania, was ranked top-5 in the nation and had a high ranking from numerous scouts. Sanders, son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, coming out of Trinity Christian HS in Cedar Hill, Texas, ranked in the top-30 for quarterbacks. He shows great potential for an offense that can add depth to it while raising the competitiveness of the team.

FAMU has transfers Savion Williams and Jay Williams, no relation. Defensive Lineman Savion Williams, a transfer from Tennessee, looks to add some experience and knowledge from an SEC level. Offensive Tackle Jay Williams looks to do the same transferring from the school across the street, Florida State, where he also looks to add some knowledge to this FAMU locker room.

This matchup features the most talked about team in the SWAC with Deion Sanders at the helm. The 2x Super Bowl champion looks to bring more attention to HBCU players and their talents. With FAMU becoming a newly added opponent to the SWAC from the MEAC, they are going to have their hands full. The 2021 Orange Blossom Classic will be a chance for them to prove that they can play, if not beat the best HBCU football has to offer.