1958 Florida A&M Rattlers football team

The 1958 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1958 college football season. In their 14th season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled a 7–2 record, won the SIAC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 263 to 135. The team played its home games at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.

1958 Florida A&M Rattlers football
SIAC champion
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record7–2 (5–0 SIAC)
Head coach
Home stadiumBragg Memorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1957
1959 →
1958 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Florida A&M $ 5 0 0 7 2 0
South Carolina State 7 1 0 7 2 0
Alabama State 6 1 0 6 2 0
Tuskegee 5 2 1 6 3 1
Fort Valley State 3 2 1 5 2 1
Xavier (LA) 3 2 1 3 3 1
Clark (GA) 3 4 0 4 4 0
Benedict 3 3 0 5 5 0
Morehouse 3 3 0 3 4 1
Morris Brown 2 4 0 4 5 0
Alabama A&M 1 7 1 1 7 1
Knoxville 1 6 0 2 6 0
Fisk 1 7 0 1 7 0
Bethune–Cookman 1 6 0 1 7 0
Allen 4 2 0 5 3 0
Lane 3 1 0 4 4 1
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Conference standings were by Dickinson System; Allen was ineligible and Lane did not play a sufficient number of conference game to be rated.

The Rattlers lost to undefeated black college national champion Prairie View A&M in the Orange Blossom Classic.[1]

The team's statistical leaders included Leroy Hardee with 704 rushing yards, 99 receiving yards, and 52 points scored, and Lee Royster with 269 passing yards.[2]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 4Benedict
W 68–0
October 18at Morris BrownAtlanta, GAW 13–12
October 25vs. Bethune–CookmanW 29–0
November 1at South Carolina StateOrangeburg, SCW 28–8
November 8North Carolina A&T*
  • Bragg Memorial Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL
W 37–22
November 15Allen
  • Bragg Memorial Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL
W 52–14
November 22at Southern*L 6–35[3]
November 29Texas Southern*
  • Bragg Memorial Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL
W 22–18[4]
December 13vs. Prairie View A&M*L 8–2639,426[1]
  • *Non-conference game

[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Fast-Striking Prairie View Attack Trips Rattlers 26-8". The Miami News. December 14, 1958. pp. 1C, 5C – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Florida A&M Rattler Football Media Guide" (PDF). Florida A&M University. 2015. pp. 80–81.
  3. ^ "Southern shocks A&M 35–6". St. Petersburg Times. November 24, 1958. Retrieved September 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Rattlers beat Texans by 22 to 18". The Tampa Tribune. November 30, 1958. Retrieved July 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved June 18, 2023.