Florida A&M’s football season opener is expected to be played in North Carolina on Saturday despite reports that as many as 20 Rattlers players may be ineligible or not clear their cards on the move.
A FAMU spokesperson confirmed to ESPN Friday that the team expects to play.
North Carolina coach Mac Brown and Tar Hills school officials told ESPN they expect Saturday’s game to continue. The match is scheduled for 8:15 PM EST (ACC Network).
As of 2:15 p.m. ET, the FAMU team had not taken a flight to Chapel Hill for the game.
Florida A&M coach Willie Simmons told ABC27 in Tallahassee that 20 players are ineligible due to academics or eligibility after the transfer. He said that only seven of the offensive navigators were qualified.
Playing is up to the players, ABC27 quoted him as saying.
Florida A&M is set to take a $450,000 guarantee to play the game, part of a celebration of historic black colleges and universities this week at the United Nations University campus.
“They have some eligibility issues,” a UNC source told ESPN. “You can’t get on a plane if you’re not certified. They’re meeting up now.
“I think they’re still coming. We weren’t told they weren’t coming. AD and the president told us they were still coming.”
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