Florida A&M head coach James Colzie III drove home a familiar refrain after the Rattlers secured their first win of the 2025 season—a hard-fought 33-25 home opener victory over Albany State.
“It was a good win for us. We really needed it,” Colzie told reporters after his team rallied from an early deficit at Bragg Memorial Stadium, stressing that focus and fundamentals will be paramount as the team shifts toward conference play.
Trailing 14-10 at halftime, FAMU turned the tide with a third-quarter outburst, powered by quarterback RJ Johnson III’s pair of touchdown passes and Thad Franklin Jr.’s two scores on the ground. The Rattlers amassed 462 total yards, with Johnson spreading the ball to Kenari Wilcher (121 receiving yards, 1 TD) and Armand Burris (78 receiving yards).
Defensive standouts included Jameel Sanders, who totaled six tackles, two for loss, and a sack. Yet the win was not without its flaws: FAMU committed 11 penalties for 102 yards, including a blindside block that wiped out a big gain.
RATTLERS WIN !#FAMU | #Rattlers | #FangsUp 🐍 pic.twitter.com/C4SSYBorfR
— Florida A&M Football 🏈 (@FAMU_FB) September 14, 2025
Colzie’s priorities: Discipline and consistency
“We cannot fall back into the bad habits from last year,” Colzie cautioned, emphasizing the need to address penalties and mental mistakes before the heart of the schedule arrives.
The coach credited his defense for tightening after halftime—limiting Albany State to just 123 yards in the second half—and highlighted a crucial interception by Jonovan Carr. “We have to give credit to Knowles; he performed exceptionally well,” Colzie said about the Albany State offense.
As the Rattlers move forward, Colzie stressed that the focus must remain internal. “We need to address these issues during our bye week,” he said, pointing to the importance of fundamentals before conference games begin.
Saturday’s victory provided much-needed positive momentum, but Colzie’s postgame remarks made clear that FAMU will be guided by refinement—not relief.
