FAMU was in right place for OU game

NORMAN, Oklahoma — When conference alignment caused the University of Oklahoma to scramble to fill a void on its schedule, FAMU just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Thus, the deal was done to bring the Rattlers to face the Sooners on Saturday. OU got its game and FAMU filled the date with a payday of $650,000 that it desperately needs.



But even more than that, FAMU came into the game hoping it would put on a showing good enough to have some weight in the postseason. It’s just what MEAC commissioner Dennis Thomas has been pleading with teams in the league to do figuring such a move would help the league in its push to get at least one at-large bid in the NCAA playoffs.

During the next few weeks, a few other MEAC programs will step out of their league as well. Savannah State was at FSU on Saturday and South Carolina State, which is running its athletic program in a $6 million deficit and faces the same need for cash as FAMU, will play Texas A&M in two weeks.

FAMU coach Joe Taylor came away from Saturday’s game feeling that he will see something on the game film that shows his team’s progress.

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OU runs away from Rattlers

NORMAN, OKLA. — It ended like this at Memorial Stadium: Oklahoma 69, FAMU 13.

No surprise there, but if anyone is looking to find positives about the expected beating that the Rattlers took, just look at the points they scored. None of the four FCS (formerly Division I-AA) programs that OU played in the last four seasons had scored more than a safety against the home team.

There were also some bright spots defensively for the Rattlers. Twice they silenced the crowd of 84,852 that came out for the Sooners’ first home game — once with an interception and again with a fumble recovery.

Then, there was Travis Harvey’s 75-yard touchdown catch late in the second quarter. That cut the lead to 28-10 after Chase Varnadore tacked on the extra point to keep the Sooners from making it a blowout in the first half.

The difference in class gradually became obvious in the second half, though, and FAMU was left with its first 0-2 start to a season since 2007.

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