Opening Night Preview
The Rattlers will welcome the Golden Rams to Bragg Memorial Stadium on August 29 at 7 p.m. ET, marking the first meeting of the 2026 college football season.
While FAMU enters the game as a Division I program with a storied history, Albany State brings a Division II pedigree but arrives with a brand‑new coaching staff and a quarterback making the jump from Alabama A&M.
David Bowser, who took over as head coach for the Rams, replaces Quinn Fordham Gray Sr., who spent three years at Albany State before returning to FAMU in a different capacity. The shift leaves the Rams with a fresh system and a junior transfer, Jeffrey 'JD' Davis II, slated to start at quarterback.
FAMU’s offense, built around the Gulf Coast scheme, will rely on running back Jamal Hailey and a trio of receivers — Jamar Taylor Jr., Kieren Jackson and Corey ‘Deuce’ Petty — to stretch the field. The unit has already shown chemistry in preseason drills.
Defensively, the Rattlers’ ‘Dark Cloud Defense’ returns standouts such as Antonio Camon Jr. and Daryl ‘DJ’ Jones, while also counting on redshirt senior lineman Derrick Drayton, who earned All‑SIAC honors in 2025.
What to Watch
Key storylines will revolve around how quickly Davis adapts to a new system, whether the Rams’ defense can pressure FAMU’s quarterbacks, and how the Rattlers’ revamped secondary performs against a talented receiving corps.
Analyst Gerald Thomas III projects a 34‑13 victory for FAMU, citing the team’s experience, depth and the familiarity of its quarterback with the offensive system. The prediction underscores the advantage that continuity can provide against a squad still integrating new pieces.