14 
16 A fourth-quarter surge helped Bethune-Cookman edge Florida A&M, 16–14, in a tight, physical Florida Classic at Tampa Stadium.
Both teams leaned heavily on their ground games, combining for more than 400 rushing yards, but timely scoring and key defensive stops allowed the Wildcats to come out on top.
After a scoreless first quarter, Bethune-Cookman broke through in the second. Rufus Wilson powered in from 1 yard out, though the extra point was missed. Later in the quarter, Wilford Morgan connected on a 32-yard field goal, sending B-CC into halftime with a 9–0 lead.
Florida A&M began its rally in the third quarter when quarterback Sammy Knight scored on a 7-yard run, but the Rattlers’ momentum was blunted when the extra point was blocked, keeping the Wildcats ahead 9–6.
In the fourth quarter, Bethune-Cookman extended the lead when Ronald McGahee sprinted 27 yards for a touchdown, putting the Wildcats up 16–6 after the Morgan kick.
FAMU answered quickly. Greg Fashaw broke free for a 41-yard touchdown run, and Nathaniel Koonce converted the two-point try to bring the Rattlers within 16–14. Despite outgaining B-CC 338–305 and earning 20 first downs to the Wildcats’ 15, FAMU could not complete the comeback.
Fashaw led the Rattlers with 89 rushing yards on seven carries, while Koonce threw for 81 yards on 7-of-14 passing. Wyman Daniels was FAMU’s top receiver, hauling in four passes for 51 yards.
Bethune-Cookman relied on the steady running of Al Young, who finished with 71 yards on 20 attempts. Quarterback Kenny McMillian added 104 passing yards on seven completions.
The Wildcats’ balanced attack and timely defensive stands helped secure the narrow win, adding another dramatic finish to the long-running rivalry.