After Florida A&M won the school’s first-ever SWAC football championship, the team received an outpouring of support from around the HBCU sports community and beyond.
Closer to home, the Rattlers’ title win grabbed the attention of Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, who acknowledged the win.
Congratulations to @FAMU_FB on winning its first Southwestern Athletic Conference championship.
Your success is well deserved and a testament to the hard work you’ve put in this season.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) December 5, 2023
“Congratulations to @FAMU_FB on winning its first Southwestern Athletic Conference championship,” DeSantis wrote on Twitter X. “Your success is well deserved and a testament to the hard work you’ve put in this season.”
FAMU is scheduled to play MEAC champion Howard in the Celebration Bowl on Dec. 16 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Despite DeSantis publicly congratulating the HBCU, it was not lost on Twitter X users that the Florida governor was three days late in his salute.
Keep your congratulations that is days later than your caping for Florida State 😂😂😂 Give them their money 😂 https://t.co/Li0dyW8sPL
— Randall Barnes (@AuthorRandallB) December 5, 2023
Damn Bruh. Ain’t you a few days late. Somebody must have elbowed him and reminded him he forgot to recognize the other championship school not only in the city but state https://t.co/L4lvaaxSqS
— Lawrence Steed (@lsteed08) December 5, 2023
Ron must’ve just now gotten the memo about the title game that was played Saturday https://t.co/1II6m5yS7b
— Charles T (@ChuckyT3) December 5, 2023
😂😂😂😂😂 today is Tuesday btw https://t.co/4MoNsXugfW
— FBW.Coby💰 (@BillionaireCoby) December 5, 2023
In the three days after Florida A&M won the SWAC, DeSantis expressed his displeasure that Florida State — the other Division I football program in Tallahassee — was not selected for the College Football Playoff even though the Seminoles went 13-0 and won the ACC championship.
“What we learned today is that you can go undefeated and win your conference championship game, but the College Football Playoff committee will ignore these results,” he wrote on Twitter X on Sunday. “Congratulations to @FSUFootball on an outstanding season and winning the ACC championship!”
Social media was not having it and let DeSantis know that FAMU, a program actually playing for a national title, should have long been recognized before Florida State.
