FAMU Rattlers penalized in Arkansas game for illegal jerseys

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas -- Florida A&M’s football team played Arkansas at a disadvantage Thursday that had nothing to do with the number of scholarships FAMU has compared to the Razorbacks.

The Rattlers were penalized at the start of each quarter due to illegal jerseys in their 49-7 defeat.

FAMU’s away jersey has white numbers with an orange outline on a white background.

The numbers on FAMU’s jerseys were tough to see from the press box here at War Memorial Stadium. The penalty meant FAMU lost a time out at the start of each quarter.

Milton Overton, FAMU’s athletics director, took responsibility for the jersey error.

“It’s a rule we probably should have known, frankly,” Overton said.

“However the rule changed two years ago around the same time we purchased the jerseys. We played all last year -- the official (Thursday) brought it to our attention.

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