1963 Florida A&M Rattlers football team

1963 Florida A&M Rattlers football
1963 Florida A&M Rattlers football
SIAC champion
Orange Blossom Classic, W 30–7 vs. Morgan State
Conference	Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record	8–2 (3–0 SIAC)
Head coach	Jake Gaither (19th season);
Home stadium	Bragg Memorial Stadium
	Seasons ← 1962 1964 →

The 1963 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 1963 NCAA College Division football season. In their 19th season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled an 8–2 record, including a victory over Morgan State in the Orange Blossom Classic. The team played its home games at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.

The team's statistical leaders included Bobby Felts with 657 rushing yards and 68 points scored, Jim Tullis with 1,172 passing yards, and Al Denson with 564 receiving yards. Bobby Felts and Bob Hayes tied for the team lead with 11 touchdowns each.^[1]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 28	Lincoln (MO)*		Bragg Memorial Stadium Tallahassee, FL	W 44–6
October 5	at Benedict		Columbia, SC	W 52–0
October 19	Morris Brown	No. 2	Bragg Memorial Stadium Tallahassee, FL	W 66–0
October 26	at Tennessee A&I*	No. 2	Nashville, TN	L 12–14
November 2	vs. Central State (OH)*	No. 3	Tampa, FL	W 54–0
November 9	at North Carolina A&T*	No. 3	Greensboro, NC	W 32–0
November 16	Southern*	No. 7	Bragg Memorial Stadium Tallahassee, FL	W 37–0		^[2]
November 23	Bethune–Cookman	No. 6	Bragg Memorial Stadium Tallahassee, FL	W 38–14
November 30	Texas Southern*	No. 7	Gator Bowl Stadium Jacksonville, FL	L 14–20	21,000	^[3]^[4]
December 14	vs. Morgan State*	No. 7	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL (Orange Blossom Classic)	W 30–7
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

References

^ "Florida A&M Rattler Football Media Guide" (PDF). Florida A&M University. 2015.
^ "Rattlers romp, 37–0". The Orlando Sentinel. November 17, 1963. Retrieved September 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Douglas passes Texas Southern to upset win over Rattlers". Panama City News-Herald. December 1, 1963. Retrieved July 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved July 8, 2023.

[1] "Florida A&M Rattler Football Media Guide" (PDF). Florida A&M University. 2015.

[2] "Rattlers romp, 37–0". The Orlando Sentinel. November 17, 1963. Retrieved September 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.

[3] "Douglas passes Texas Southern to upset win over Rattlers". Panama City News-Herald. December 1, 1963. Retrieved July 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.

[4] "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved July 8, 2023.

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