FAMU gets new opponent, Bethune-Cookman leaving MEAC for the SWAC
Special to the Outlook
A day after FAMU filled an opening on its football schedule with Jackson State from the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Bethune –Cookman University announced that will be joining the SWAC next year.
Two weeks earlier, FAMU announced that it was also leaving the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for the SWAC, also joining next year.
The FAMU match up with Jackson State comes after Southern University pulled out of the game because of concerns over the coronavirus. FAMU and Jackson State will meet on Sept. 12.
The Rattlers will make the trip to Jackson, Miss. to face the Tigers at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
FAMU and Jackson State have agreed to meet on Sept. 12 at the Veterans Memorial Stadium in Mississippi.
Photo special to the Outlook
“We are excited that we were able to replace the game quickly once the game with Southern was cancelled,” FAMU Director of Athletics Kortne Gosha said. “This will be a nice trip for our fans to still make a trip into SWAC Country.”
FAMU and Jackson State have met 19 times previously, with the Tigers holding a 10-7-2 lead in the series, including a thrilling 18-16 victory at Bragg Memorial Stadium in 2018. The Rattlers’ last win the series came in 2003, a 28-14 victory.
“We are very excited about the decision to replace the Southern game with Jackson State,” Rattler head football coach Willie Simmons said. “Obviously the last time we played them left a bad taste in all of our mouths and I’m anxious to go into their backyard with an opportunity for some redemption against my former boss.”
Meanwhile, Bethune-Cookman is leaving the MEAC after 40 years in the conference. They will begin play in the SWAC on July 1, 2021. The will remain members of the MEAC for the 2020 season.
“Bethune-Cookman’s move to the Southwestern Athletic Conference is one that is clearly in the best interest of the University, particularly during this major shift in higher education and intercollegiate athletics,” said B-CU President E. LaBrent Chrite. “We believe this is a logical next step in the evolution of our University. Moreover, it reflects our commitment to strengthening the University’s long-term competitiveness and viability, while providing the best possible experience for our student-athletes.
The addition of B-CU and the Wildcat Nation to the SWAC also opens up the very lucrative central and south Florida media and tourist market to the fanbase of the historic conference and its member institutions.
“We’re extremely excited to welcome Bethune-Cookman University to the Southwestern Athletic Conference,” said SWAC Commissioner Charles McClelland. “The Wildcats undoubtedly align with our core principles and strategic plan; and they also align with our overall vision and forward movement within our strategic plan. The addition also brings to our league an institution with academic prowess, a world-renowned marching band, along with an enthusiastic base of alumni, fans and supporters.
“Bethune-Cookman’s alliance with the Southwestern Athletic Conference from a competitive standpoint strengthens us in all of the sports in which the Wildcats compete. Many of our member institutions have competed against B-CU for decades and will now have the opportunity to do so on a yearly basis. Bethune-Cookman’s addition to the Southwestern Athletic Conference ultimately puts us in a great position to expand our brand in a manner that will bring a high level of value to our league and membership.”
