The N. C. A&T Aggies (4-4, 3-2) will travel to Tallahassee,

Fla., to take on the Florida A&M Rattlers (5-3, 3-2) in their

sixth conference game of the season.

The N. C. A&T Aggies (4-4, 3-2) will travel to Tallahassee, Fla., to take on the Florida A&M Rattlers (5-3, 3-2) in their sixth conference game of the season.

After starting conference play with three straight wins, the Aggies have suffered losses against their last two Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) opponents.

The Rattlers are led by third year head coach Joe Taylor.

After 16 seasons at Hampton University, Taylor joined the Florida A&M family in 2008, inheriting a team that went 3-8 in 2007. Taylor saw instant success as FAMU went 9-3 in 2008 and 8-3 in 2009 in his first two seasons as head coach of the Rattlers. Taylor has the seventh most career victories in Historically Black Colleges and Universities amongst head coaches.

In their last game, the Rattlers squeaked out a close win against the South Carolina State Bulldogs (5-4, 4-2) in Orangeburg, S.C. on Saturday. A late fourth quarter touchdown sealed the victory for the Rattlers, giving them a two game win streak.

FAMU’s pass-first offense was extremely efficient against the Bulldogs as Rattler quarterback Damien Fleming completed 34 of 40 pass attempts for 297 yards and a touchdown. Freshman wide receiver Lenworth Lennon finished the game with 13 receptions for 70 yards.

The Rattler’s offense dominated time of possession against SCSU, using 43 minutes and 43 seconds of the 60 minute game.

The Rattlers offense keeps defenses off balanced, using screen passes and draw plays to utilize their versatility at the running back position. The Rattlers running backs finished their game against SCSU with a total of 142 rushing yards. A&T linebacker D’vonte Grant, who compiled 17 tackles in A&T’s last game, will play an important role in stopping the running game of the Rattlers.

FAMU’s defense has allowed an average of 26.9 points per game, giving up 12 rushing and 12 passing touchdowns this season. A&T running back Mike Mayhew will look to bounce back after he was held under 100 rushing yards for the first time this season against the Norfolk State Spartans.

The A&T offense should be able to produce good yardage in the air and on the ground, the Rattlers have allowed an average of 377.4 yards per game.

The Rattler’s defensive unit has been consistently effective at creating turnovers against the pass. The Rattlers have 18 interceptions on the season, which were returned for a total of 179 yards.

Expect to see a game dominated by defensive play. A&T defense has played well all season, allowing an average of only 283.5 yards per game.

Quarterback Kindle and the A&T offense will be under the microscope after posting a mere ten points against the Spartans last Saturday. The pressure will be on the Aggies as they attempt to stay afloat in the MEAC standings and end their current losing streak against a Rattlers team that seems to be gaining momentum as the season progresses.

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• Kalyn Hoyle, Register Reporter