52 
35 In the first Florida Classic ever played in Orlando, Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman delivered an offensive showcase, but the Rattlers’ firepower proved too much as FAMU rolled to a 52–35 victory at the Florida Citrus Bowl.
Florida A&M piled up 583 total yards behind a brilliant performance from quarterback Oteman Sampson, who threw for 375 yards and four touchdowns while adding a rushing score. The Rattlers struck quickly, opening the game with a 60-yard touchdown pass from Sampson to Tariq Qaiyam to set the tone for a high-scoring afternoon.
FAMU jumped out to a 14–0 first-quarter lead after Greg Buchanan’s 3-yard touchdown run, but Bethune-Cookman responded in the second quarter on a 1-yard run from Lawrence Goss. Juan Toro added a 36-yard field goal, and Sampson connected with Jacquay Nunnally for a 19-yard touchdown to extend the Rattlers’ lead to 24–7. Goss added another short touchdown before halftime, bringing B-CC within 10 at 24–14.
The Rattlers stretched the lead early in the third quarter when Sampson found Nunnally again, this time from 33 yards out. But the Wildcats answered with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Todd Walker to Crayton Sanders, making it 31–21 heading into the fourth.
The final quarter turned into a scoring frenzy. Qaiyam hauled in his second long touchdown of the day—a 42-yard strike—to begin the fourth, only for B-CC to answer with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Walker to James Adderley.
FAMU continued to apply pressure with a 4-yard touchdown run from Kenneth Williams, and Sampson capped the scoring with a 4-yard keeper followed by a successful two-point conversion.
The Wildcats posted 427 total yards and 387 passing yards from Walker, who threw three touchdowns without an interception. Sanders was nearly unstoppable, finishing with 161 receiving yards and two touchdowns on eight catches.
But the day belonged to FAMU’s offensive stars. Qaiyam led all receivers with 147 yards and two touchdowns, while Buchanan powered the ground game with 125 yards on 16 carries.
In the rivalry’s first Orlando chapter, Florida A&M’s balance and explosiveness secured a statement win in a high-octane Classic.