ORLANDO -- A huge college football rivalry returned to the Florida Citrus Bowl Saturday for the 30th anniversary of the Florida Classic.
The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats and Florida A&M Rattlers met again in what has become the nation’s largest football rivalry between two historically black colleges.
(AP) -- Philip Sylvester ran for 121 yards and two touchdowns as Florida A&M University beat Bethune-Cookman 42-6 in the 30th Florida Classic on Saturday in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Sylvester, who carried 19 times, scored on a 5-yard run in the first quarter and a 42-yard score in the third for the Rattlers (8-3, 6-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference).
Martin Ukpai, who went 8-for-11 for 151 yards passing, accounted for two Florida A&M touchdowns in the second quarter. He rushed for an 11-yard run and had a 1-yard passing score to Kevin Elliott. The Rattlers finished with 419 yards total on offense.
Androse Bell scored the only touchdown for Bethune-Cookman (5-6, 4-4), which had won three straight and five of its last six. Bell's score was a 1-yard run midway through the fourth quarter after the Rattlers had taken a 35-0 lead.
Though Daytona Beach-based B-CU is closer to home at the Citrus Bowl, Florida A&M now has the upper hand in the series at 20–10.
Since moving to the Citrus Bowl from Tampa in 1997, the Rattlers are 10–4 against the Wildcats.
Fans From Across The Country
Vendors hoped to cash in on the crowds already packing the Citrus Bowl parking lot for tailgating.
Merchandise for the two rival teams could be found at almost every booth, but some fans said they were there for the food, the bands and even the weather.
“I’m from south side of Chicago,” Kevin Riley told News 13. “I drove almost 20 hours to get here. It’s beautiful here.”
Though both schools have local support, as fellow historically black colleges, there was also support for one another. Some fans donned both teams’ colors, saying the game is about more than what happens on the field.
“We’re talking about the Florida Classic, and the Wildcats are going to win,” said Bethune-Cookman alum Jelly Jackson, “but we love each school until we get on the field.”
“It profiles two historically black colleges and universities, and it’s just a highlight of the community for us to come out and fellowship with each other and have fun,” said Lance Mills, a member of Phi Beta Sigma.
As for the vendors, they said they were simply rooting for the crowds to keep coming.
“I hear $2.8 million is going to be spent here today, said Jay Jackson, of Jay’s Barbecue, “and I’m looking to get some of it.”
That projection was based on an average attendance of 62,000 since the Florida Classic moved to Orlando.
Fans said the Florida Classic is not just a game, but a full-body cultural event -- but some have been wondering if this could be the last year of the Classic in Orlando.
The contract for the city to host the game is almost up, but fans said they don’t want to see the game leave the Citrus Bowl.
Officials will negotiate the Florida Classic contract immediately following Saturday night’s game.
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