Defense makes statement in Rattlers’ title-clinching win

By St. Clair Murraine
Outlook Staff Writer

When Tevin Griffey returned an interception 10 yards for FAMU’s final touchdown against Prairie View A&M University, it had the feeling of a defensive exclamation.

With the addition of Cameron Gillis’ PAT, the Rattlers took a 45-7 victory over the Panthers in a game unlike any they’d played all season. The defense, which has scored touchdowns in two previous games played as if it had something to tell the sellout homecoming crowd that watched them on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Stadium on Saturday.

Proof of the defensive dominance was in the 220 yard of total offense that the Rattlers allowed. By comparison, the offense also had a remarkable day with 453 yards.

Not long after Griffey gave the Rattlers their final touchdown, news that they’d clinched the East Division in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, flashed across the jumbo scoreboard. The clincher came for the Rattlers when Alabama State beat Alabama A&M 31-16 in the Magic City Classic.

It is the first divisional title for Simmons, who was hired away from Prairie View in 2017 to coach at FAMU. Clinching the title guarantees the Rattlers a berth in the conference championship game on Dec. 2.

Whatever the crowd of more than 18,000 took away after the dominating performance is something that coach Willie Simmons seemingly knew his team is capable of. Especially on defense.

“The ability to get after people but also be optimistic is the mark of a top-notched defense,” Simmons said. “There is no question that we are one of the very best in the country. The old adage that defense wins championship hopefully will hold true because with the guys playing at the level they are playing it certainly positions us to be right there in the thick of the race and give us a great chance to go out there and hoist the trophy in December.”

FAMU plays Alabama A&M on Saturday, in Huntsville where the Bulldogs are 3-0. They are 2-3 in conference and 4-4 overall and can’t affect the Rattlers position with a win.

After Saturday’s game, the last divisional game for the Rattlers is against Bethune-Cookman in the Florida Classic on Nov. 18. Defending champion Jackson state sits at 4-2 behind FAMU in the East standings.

Over in the West where the battle continues to determine who plays FAMU, Alcorn State and Southern are tied with identical 4-1 conference records and 5-3 overall. There will be some separation Saturday when the two teams meet in Lorman, Miss.

The challenge for Simmons now is to keep his team focused after having its best showing and now following that up against a team that is coming off a loss. It will be business as usual, he said.

“We are not going to change because we are divisional champs,” Simmons said. “We’re going to keep that same mindset that we’ve had all year because the work is not done.”