Where FAMU football stands a week before opener vs Albany State

Fall preseason training camp is a wrap on The Highest of Seven Hills.

On Saturday, Aug. 22, the Florida A&M football team held an open mock game on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

It wasn’t necessarily a live game, first-year head coach Quinn Fordham Gray Sr. told reporters. Instead, it focused on situational football and emphasized “reacting” over “thinking,” he added.

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It was the Rattlers’ final act before they host Albany State for the 2026 season opener next Saturday, Aug. 29.

“Getting in gametime situations and getting in live actions will really reveal what it is that you’ve got to work on moving further into the season,” Gray recapped the mock game. “But I think we’re in a good spot where we are, and our guys are in a good mindset, ready to go play somebody in a different color.”

The competition was evident on Saturday.

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The FAMU defense forced some turnovers, with defensive back Daylyn Ditson and others notching interceptions. Offensively, the Rattlers displayed explosiveness. Highlights were wide receiver Kieren Jackson’s breakaway speed as he got hit in stride for a touchdown catch, and Armand Burris making an impressive receiving score in a tight window.

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Special teams-wise, running back Jamal Hailey showcased his shiftiness returning kicks, too.

“Our trajectory is going up, offensively, defensively, and special teams as well,” said Isaiah Knowles, FAMU’s starting quarterback.

“I think as long as we’re improving every day, especially on the film side of things. Seeing the little mistakes we make, being able to correct them, and go out and execute the next day. If we keep doing that, I think we’ll be good.”

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Now it’s up to Gray and his assistants to decide who will be the Week 0 starters against the Albany State Golden Rams, whom the FAMU head coach led over the last three seasons. The coaching staff will meet on Sunday, Aug. 23, to start solidifying a two-deep depth chart.

“Position battles are pretty much settled,” Gray said. “We’ve already talked about it as it relates to guys in terms of positioning. But we took [Saturday] to make sure the decisions we made were the solid ones we wanted. And those guys that were sort of kind of head-to-head, this gave us an opportunity to make those decisions of who was going to get the nod over who.”

The Rattlers will begin game-week practice on Tuesday, Aug. 25. Next Saturday’s season opener against Albany State kicks off at 7 p.m. and will be streamed on SWAC TV.
football 2026 schedule

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• Saturday, Aug. 29: vs. Albany State, 7 p.m., SWAC TV

• Sunday, Sept. 6: vs. South Carolina State, Orange Blossom Classic at Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium, 3 p.m., ESPNU

• Thursday, Sept. 10: at Miami, 8 p.m., ACC Network

• Saturday, Sept. 19: vs. Tennessee State, 7 p.m., HBCU GO

• Saturday, Sept. 26: vs. Alabama A&M (SWAC), 7 p.m., SWAC TV

• Saturday, Oct. 3: BYE

• Saturday, Oct. 10: at Alabama State (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GO

• Saturday, Oct. 17: at Jackson State (SWAC), 3 p.m., ESPN Network

• Saturday, Oct. 24: vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC/Homecoming), 3 p.m., HBCU GO

• Saturday, Oct. 31: vs. Southern (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GO

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• Saturday, Nov. 7: at Alcorn State (SWAC), 3 p.m., SWAC TV

• Saturday, Nov. 14: vs. Mississippi Valley State (SWAC), 3 p.m., SWAC TV

• Saturday, Nov. 21: vs. Bethune-Cookman (SWAC/Florida Classic), 3:30 p.m., ESPN+

Saturday, Aug. 29: vs. Albany State, 7 p.m., SWAC TV

Sunday, Sept. 6: vs. South Carolina State, Orange Blossom Classic at Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium, 3 p.m., ESPNU

Thursday, Sept. 10: at Miami, 8 p.m., ACC Network

Saturday, Sept. 19: vs. Tennessee State, 7 p.m., HBCU GO

Saturday, Sept. 26: vs. Alabama A&M (SWAC), 7 p.m., SWAC TV

Saturday, Oct. 10: at Alabama State (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GO

Saturday, Oct. 17: at Jackson State (SWAC), 3 p.m., ESPN Network

Saturday, Oct. 24: vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC/Homecoming), 3 p.m., HBCU GO

Saturday, Oct. 31: vs. Southern (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GO

Saturday, Nov. 7: at Alcorn State (SWAC), 3 p.m., SWAC TV

Saturday, Nov. 14: vs. Mississippi Valley State (SWAC), 3 p.m., SWAC TV

Saturday, Nov. 21: vs. Bethune-Cookman (SWAC/Florida Classic), 3:30 p.m., ESPN+

Gerald Thomas, III, is a multi-time national award-winning reporter for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat under the USA TODAY Network.

Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Where FAMU football stands a week before opener vs Albany State