Since they lost 49-7, I doubt it made much difference, but last night, Florida A&M was penalized a time out at the start of every quarter in its game against Arkansas for wearing these jerseys:
(Photo: Nelson Chenault, Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports)
According to the NCAA, “By rule each team must wear a jersey that has numbers that clearly contrast with the body of the jersey.”
Extra guidelines on jersey numbers include:
- The number itself must clearly contrast, even if it has an outline or border.
- The number should be clearly visible from a significant distance.
- If there is any question as to whether the number and the jersey contrast, the jersey may not be worn.
Okay, fine. Except for one thing.
FAMU wore the same white jersey during every away game last season, including its season opener against ACC foe Miami.
The team wasn’t penalized for illegal jerseys last season.
It’s good to know the NCAA is already in mid-season form.
I guess the Rattlers will have to use some of that guarantee money to buy new road jerseys.
Get The Picture 
Speaking of crash dummy football programs, HOW ABOUT THEM GEORGIA STATE PANTHERS!!! Lost at home to FCS powerhouse Tennessee State. If you build it, they will come…BEAT YOUR ASS IN YOUR HOME STADIUM! BWA HA HA
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I can see that just fine. NOw those grey UT jerseys a few years ago should have earned a penalty.
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No doubt Mike Leach would have immediately known to argue “estoppel”!
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I dunno..I didn’t have any trouble reading them on my TV screen, and I am several hundred miles away from the field. 🙂
Seriously, what’s not to read? Plus, a whole year without comment and no prior issue: who brought that to the officials attention? I’d like to know a little back story just because I’d like to know if Bielma is that much of an asshat. I will aslo say I never heard of the rule before, and like waterloo said why not the UT jerseys?
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Sort of how I am frustrated with our congress/fed gubmit.
“Yeah, we haven’t enforced those laws in the past but there’s always a possibility that we will enforce any law.”
Stuff like this makes me crazy. I hate that “we used these uniforms last season and nothing was deemed illegal” isn’t an acceptable defense.
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If only they would take away TV timeouts.
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I have a (sort-of) serious question. I didn’t watch much of the game last night, so I don’t know how this all played out. If they are penalized a timeout at the beginning of each quarter, that assumes they still have timeouts left at the beginning of the second and fourth quarters, right? If I was coaching, I would have been tempted to call two timeouts in the first and third quarters just to see what the consequences would be.
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I think that would be smart. Kind of exposes the rule for the stupidity it is. The home team could just go change jerseys but a road team?
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Gravidy: Yeah I wondered the same. Maybe penalize you two timeouts in your next game against a SEC team?
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Damn, that’s some Penn Wagers level bullshit right there.
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Why was it deemed not clearly contrasted? If you can’t read those numbers from the press box, you shouldn’t wear flesh-colored underclothes when you grab for your dick in the bathroom or, ultimately, leave the urine stains in for contrast.
Don’t know why they didn’t argue the point or, at least, threaten to challenge the game outcome if they stole their timeouts that way. “Strike Rattlers, Strike! Put the Venom In’em!”
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Clearly visible. Who decided that sh!t? He should be suspended immediately.
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I hope the Rattlers don’t just let this pass. The FAMU AD needs to follow through with the NCAA about this. They wore those jerseys all last year without penalty. Plus, the jerseys pass the eyeball test. Some incompetent asshole needs to be fired.
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Where is Nike in all this?
It is part of their job to provide legal uniforms to their schools.
I’ve run into a couple of soccer Refs like this, who caused a problem all on their own, then, instead of just writing it up and letting administrators sort it out over the next week, forced the issue at game time for no logical reason.
Still, I also want to know the backstory. This is a very strange approach for a Ref to take unless someone brought it to his attention and he felt like he had to do something per the rule book. Mind, it could just be a nut-job that saw A&M on TV last season, checked the rule book, and spent the intervening time praying to the football gods that he would be assigned to one of their road games just so he could say “Gotcha!” and feel good about something in life.
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#WHITENUMBERSMATTER
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