Less than 48 hours before Florida A&M was scheduled to face North Carolina for their 2022 season opener, it seemed as though the game might be in jeopardy. Head coach Willie Simmons and his team were informed late Thursday night that 20 of their players, including seven offensive lineman, were ruled as ineligible to play against the Tar Heels. The eligibility issues stemmed largely from academic and transfer rules.
In light of the news, the initial decision on FAMU’s side was to forfeit the game.
“The players didn’t feel comfortable playing under those conditions and they are all understandably frustrated with many of our internal processes in the certification process, so they decided not to play,” Simmons said in a statement on Friday.