This year’s 2024 Florida Blue Florida Classic is set for Saturday, Nov. 23. The event begins at 11:30 a.m. with FanFest, Tinker Field (just outside the West Side of Camping World Stadium).
The game begins at 3:30 p.m., at Camping World Stadium. Admission to FanFest is free and a game ticket is not required.
The Florida Blue Florida Classic is the nation’s largest football game between two historically Black college/university (HBCU) schools. Since its inception in 1978, more than 2 million spectators have attended.
The Classic is the only HBCU rivalry owned and operated by its participating teams, with ticket sales and corporate support of the event befitting both universities directly.
“The Florida Blue Florida Classic is more than just a game. It’s a celebration of events bringing together students, alumni, and our entire Central Florida community,” said Tony Jenkins, Central Florida Market president, Florida Blue. “Not only does this historic rivalry generate an estimated $30 million annually into our local economy, but much of the proceeds go directly towards scholarships for deserving students at both schools as well. Regardless of the final score, that’s a win for both Rattlers and Wildcats.”
The records:
- FAMU leads the all-time series with Bethune-Cookman 52-24-1 and holds a 24-19 edge since the modern-day “Florida Classic” was born in 1978.
- Bethune-Cookman is 13-13 against Florida A&M since the series made Orlando its permanent home in 1997, a narrow lead bolstered by nine straight Wildcats victories from 2011-19.
- The game set a new Classic attendance record in four consecutive years from 1997-2000 and set Camping World Stadium’s all-time football attendance record (73,358) at the 2003 contest, a 39- 35 Bethune-Cookman victory.
- Florida A&M’s longest winning streak since the inception of the official Florida Classic is seven games, from 1995-2001. The Rattlers also won 19 straight contests from 1953-72.
- During the 2000 game, B-CU’s Rashean Mathis returned a missed FAMU field goal 100 yards for the only “kick six” in Classic history. Mathis went on to play 13 NFL seasons with the Jaguars and Colts.
- Additional Classic alumni with notable NFL careers include Earl Holmes (’96), Eric Weems (’07), Nick Collins (’05), Lee Williams (’84), Gene Atkins (’87), Wally Williams (’93), Jamie Nails (’97), Ryan Davis (’12) and Damion Cook (’02), among others.
- Ben Dougherty holds the Classic record for touchdown passes in a game with six in FAMU’s 58- 52 overtime loss in 2004. Dougherty also set the game record for passing yards that day with 462.
- The 2004 game also includes the most recent kickoff return touchdown in a Florida Classic — a 94-yard return by Kyle Herbert of B-CU.
- Tupac Isme recorded the longest carry in Florida Classic history, a 99-yard touchdown run in Bethune-Cookman’s 2018 win.
- The highest-scoring game in a Classic game was a 58-52 overtime by Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 20, 2011. The lowest-scoring modern-day contest between the Rattlers and Wildcats came on Nov. 28, 1981, when FAMU won 20-0 in Tampa.
The bands:
- The world-famous halftime show on Classic gameday highlights Florida Blue Florida Classic weekend, featuring highly anticipated performances from the Marching 100 of Florida A&M and Marching Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman.
- On June 1, 1946, William P. Foster became Director of Bands at Florida A&M University with 16 members. By 1950, the marching band had grown to 110 members and became widely known as “The Marching 100.” Today, it features more than 400 members.
- The Marching 100 has performed at the Olympics, the Super Bowl, a presidential inauguration, and most recently in Paris for a Louis Vuitton Fashion Show.
- The Marching Wildcats are a 325-member unit known as the Pride of B-CU. The band has been featured on the Ellen Show, performed at the Super Bowl and various NFL games, and was featured on the Netflix special Marching Orders.
To learn more, visit floridaclassic.org
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