In a significant shake-up to the 2025 HBCU football calendar, a SWAC football matchup will be played in an NFL stadium.
The Florida A&M-Mississippi Valley State game, initially scheduled for Oct. 4 in Itta Bena, Mississippi, will now be played in the heart of Atlanta at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The announcement was made official during the recent FAMU National Alumni Association Convention in Frisco, Texas.
Angela Suggs, FAMU’s Vice President and Athletic Director, confirmed the move, stating, “They opted to come to FAMU, Georgia—commonly referred to as Atlanta. So, on October 4, we won’t be in Itta Bena, Mississippi. Instead, we will face Mississippi Valley State University at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.”
“It’s their own game. It was their choice. You know, we, you know, we were set to go out to it,” she said. “I don’t know where we were going to stay — Jackson, I guess. I know we were going to bring some people, because we travel well.”
The relocation marks the third consecutive year the Rattlers will play in Atlanta, a city boasting one of the largest FAMU alumni chapters in the nation. The move is expected to draw a sizable crowd of Rattler supporters, further cementing Atlanta’s status as a second home for the university’s football program.
FAMU’s recent history in Atlanta has been marked by memorable victories. In 2023, the Rattlers claimed their first Celebration Bowl title at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, edging out Howard 30-26 to secure their 16th Black College National Championship. Last season, FAMU narrowly defeated Norfolk State 24-23 at Center Parc Stadium during the MEAC/SWAC Challenge.
A Rematch With Added Stakes
This year’s matchup carries extra weight for the Rattlers, who are looking to avenge a stunning 24-21 defeat to the Delta Devils last season—a loss that snapped FAMU’s 23-game home winning streak at Bragg Memorial Stadium, a run that had lasted more than five years.
That win was MVSU’s lone victory in an otherwise difficult season, as the Delta Devils finished 1-11.
Both teams enter the 2025 contest with new leadership and renewed ambitions. FAMU, under second-year head coach James Colzie III, is coming off a 7-5 campaign. Mississippi Valley State, meanwhile, will be led by new head coach Terrell Buckley. Notably, both Colzie and Buckley are former Florida State cornerbacks, adding an intriguing subplot to the coaching matchup.
