The 2024 Florida Blue Florida Classic is set for Saturday, Nov. 23 at 3:30 p.m. inside Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
Florida Blue is the title sponsor of this year’s 44th annual classic, marking the 14th consecutive year Florida Blue has sponsored the historic rivalry between the Florida A&M Rattlers and the BethuneCookman University Wildcats.
FanFest kicks off four hours prior to the game at 11:30 a.m. at Tinker Field (just outside the West Side of Camping World Stadium). Admission to FanFest is free and a game ticket is not required. To learn more visit floridaclassic.org.
The Florida Classic is highly regarded as the nation’s largest football game between two Historically Black College/University (HBCU) schools since its inception in 1978.
Nearly 1.5 million fans have attended the classic in Orlando since the game settled in Central Florida in 1997. In addition to an average of close to 60,000 spectators in the stadium for the contest, thousands more fans fill Tampa Avenue, Lake Lorna Doone Park, FanFest at Tinker Field, and the surrounding community on game day.
The Florida Blue Florida Classic also 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 alike and something we can all truly be proud of!”
Aside from the big game, events throughout the week include a VIP “Night of Distinction” reception, a massive kickoff luncheon featuring both head coaches, a Friday night “Battle of the Bands” at the Kia Center, and the state’s largest diversity job fair.
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 setCamping 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.
● Bethune-Cookman’s longest winning streak is nine games, from 2011-2019.
● 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 99yard 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 BethuneCookman.
● 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 325member unit known as the Pride of BCU. 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.”
Additional Fun Facts
● The teams met in Orlando one time before the formation of the official “Florida Classic,” a Bethune-Cookman win in the first game at a newly renovated Tangerine Bowl on Nov. 20, 1976.
● Other host sites before 1978 included
Doak Campbell Stadium (1975 and 1977) in Tallahassee, Daytona International Speedway (1974), the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville (1955-59), the former Welch Stadium (now Memorial Stadium) in Daytona Beach, and Bragg Stadium on the FAMU campus.
● The most recent two-point conversion in a Florida Classic came in 2014 when B-CU quarterback Larry Brihm scored on the ground to close out an 18-17 overtime victory over Florida A&M.
● Since 1978, the Classic has featured 13 one-score games.
● Margins of victory have ranged from one point (18-17 Bethune-Cookman, 2014) to 49 points (63-14 FAMU, 1999). The average margin of victory has been 16 points per game.
● FAMU has scored 2,283 total points (30 per game) in the overall series, while Bethune-Cookman has scored 1,283 (17 per game).
To learn more, visit floridaclassic.org
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