NASHVILLE, TN (Sept. 1) - In hours, the curtain will come down on the 2012 football season.  The Rattlers will take on the Tennessee State University Tigers in the 14th Annual John Merritt Classic at LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee.  

Taylor is very well aware of the history between the two schools, as captured in his interview for the John merritt Classic.  "This game has featured some of the NFL's greatest players such as Richard Dent and Ed "Too Tall" Jones of Tennessee State and Bob Hayes and Willie Galimore of FAMU. It is truly an honor for me and FAMU to renew such a historic rivalry," Taylor said.

TSU currently leads the series 24-26 with the Tigers winning the 2010 meeting 29-18 in the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic in Atlanta, Ga. FAMU has won the last nine of the 11 meetings with the Rattlers winning eight straight in the AFC (2002-2009).

In 1978, FAMU won the NCAA FCS Division I-AA National Championship with the Rattlers finishing the season 12-1, with FAMU's only loss of the season resulting in a 24-21 defeat to TSU snapping the Rattlers' 17-game win streak, which at the time was the longest in DI football.

The game will be broadcast on the Rattler Sports Network (radio), via WHBX 96.1 JAMZ in Tallahassee.  To listen online, go to www.961jamz.com and click on <Listen Live>.  Brand new to the station is the iPhone and Android app, where you can carry the Rattlers with you.  WHBX 96.1-FM is now a part of the iHeart radio network.  To listen on your smart phone or tablet device, downlod the app and take the Rattlers with you.  The game will be streamed (video) via the Ohio Valley Conference.  To get the stream, click here.