1954 Florida A&M Rattlers football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1954
| team = Florida A&M Rattlers
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
| short_conf = SIAC
| record = 8–1
| conf_record = 4–0
| head_coach = Jake Gaither
| hc_year = 10th
| captain =
| stadium = Bragg Stadium
| champion = Black college national co-champion
SIAC champion
| bowl = Orange Blossom Classic
| bowl_result = W 67–19 vs. {{cfb link|year=1954|team=Maryland State Hawks|title=Maryland State}}
}}
File:1954-FloridaA&M-teamphoto.jpg
The 1954 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1954 college football season. In their 10th season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled an 8–1 record, including a victory over {{cfb link|year=1954|team=Maryland State Hawks|title=Maryland State}} in the Orange Blossom Classic. The team played its home games at Bragg Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
The Pittsburgh Courier selected Florida A&M as Black college national co-champion in a five-way tie with four other teams.{{cite news|title=Five Teams Claim Nat'l Grid Crown After Gala Season|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Courier|date=December 25, 1954|page=13|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40010785/five_teams_claim_natl_grid_crown_after/|via=Newspapers.com}} The "Pigskin Huddle" rated Florida A&M No. 2 with Tennessee A&I as the national champion.{{cite web|author=Luix Virgil Overbea|date=December 25, 1954|title=Pigskin Huddle|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oJwlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pfUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3028%2C3421943|newspaper=The Afro-American|page=16}}
Key players included three-time All-American and future National Football League star, left halfback Willie Galimore.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 25||Texas College
|October 2|at|{{cfb link|year=1954|team=Benedict Tigers|title=Benedict}}||Columbia, SC|W 26-6||
|October 16|at|{{cfb link|year=1954|team=Morris Brown Wolverines|title=Morris Brown}}||Atlanta, GA|W 27-7||
|October 23|at|Prairie View A&M
|October 30|vs|{{cfb link|year=1954|team=Xavier Gold Rush|title=Xavier (LA)}}|Gator Bowl Stadium|Jacksonville, FL|W 25-6|13,000|
|November 6||{{cfb link|year=1954|team=North Carolina A&T Aggies|title=North Carolina A&T}}
|November 13||{{cfb link|year=1954|team=Allen Yellow Jackets|title=Allen}}|Bragg Stadium|Tallahassee, FL|W 68-13||
|November 20|at|Southern
|December 4|vs|{{cfb link|year=1954|team=Maryland State Hawks|title=Maryland State}}
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Florida A&M Rattlers football navbox}}
{{Black college football national champion navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1954 Florida AandM Rattlers football team}}
Category:Florida A&M Rattlers football seasons
Category:Black college football national champions
Category:Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football champion seasons