After more than three decades, Florida A&M University (FAMU) and Florida State University will once again face off on the basketball court. FSU announced today that it will host the Rattlers on October 26, in an exhibition game, marking the first meeting between the two programs since a fiery contest in December 1991.
A Rivalry Stopped in Its Tracks
The last matchup between the Rattlers and Seminoles ended abruptly when a heated altercation between the teams escalated into a full-scale melee. At the center of the fray were both squads’ marquee players—Doug Edwards for Florida State and Reginald Finney for FAMU. What began as an on-court disagreement spilled into the stands, where even fans became involved. The incident between two schools literally separated by train tracks, brought an abrupt end to the series.
The game itself had been arranged by then-State Representative Al Lawson Jr., a standout Rattler basketball player in the 1960s. Lawson later served as an assistant coach at FSU during its historic 1972 Final Four run, before a loss to John Wooden’s UCLA dynasty. Ironically, FAMU’s 9,000-seat arena now bears Lawson’s name, making his legacy a symbolic bridge between the two programs.
Florida State star to return to alma mater
The timing of this renewal carries added significance with Charlie Ward stepping in as FAMU’s new head coach. Ward, a Tallahassee native with deep family ties to FAMU, was a two-sport star at FSU. He quarterbacked Bobby Bowden’s 1993 national championship team, won the Heisman Trophy, and was also a four-year letterman in basketball.
Though undrafted by the NFL, Ward was selected in the first round of the 1994 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks, where he enjoyed a decade-long career before finishing with stints at Houston and San Antonio. After retiring, Ward turned to coaching, guiding Florida State University School (K-12) to a 2022 state basketball championship and another state final appearance. His name was even floated as a potential successor to longtime FSU head coach Leonard Hamilton upon his retirement.
Ward also has a personal connection to the rivalry’s stormy past. He was a member of the 1991 Seminoles team involved in the brawl that halted the series. Now, more than 30 years later, his steady presence is viewed as a unifying factor in helping restart the long-dormant matchup.
Looking Ahead
With Ward leading FAMU and Luke Loucks recently appointed as FSU’s head coach, both sides see this as the right moment to restore the cross-town rivalry. For the city of Tallahassee, the game represents not just a renewal of competition, but also an opportunity to mend history and showcase the region’s rich basketball tradition.
