There’s been a simmering rivalry between Florida A&M and Alabama State, and it seems like it boiled over after the two HBCUs met on the football field last weekend. The Hornets got a win over the Rattlers on Saturday, and we were treated to some additional drama over an out-of-pocket remark by a stadium announcer that led to FAMU’s president issuing an apology.

There’s been a ton of attention paid to conference realignment at the P4 level over the past few years, but there has also been plenty of reshuffling in regard to college football programs that are never really part of the national conversation.

Florida A&M called the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Home (MEAC) for around 40 years starting in 1979, but the FCS team made the leap to the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in 2021.

That set the stage for some new rivalries based on geographic proximity (FAMU was the odd man out in the MEAC when you consider the rest of its members are spread between South Carolina and Delaware), and Alabama State emerged as a prime candidate thanks to the approximately four-hour drive between Tallahassee and Montgomery.

The two squads faced off for the very first time in 2021, and the Rattlers were riding a four-game winning streak heading into their showdown this year before the Hornets finally notched one with a 42-14 victory on the road. After the game, Alabama State coach Eddie Robinson, Jr. stated, “Now I think we have a rivalry,” and there was some extra fuel added to the fire thanks to a controversy involving the school’s dance team.

FAMU’s president apologized after the football stadium’s announcer referred to Alabama State’s Honey Beez dance team as “The new face of Ozempic”

The game itself is far from the only draw when two HBCUs face off on the gridiron, as those schools are also known for the marching bands and dance teams that have a reputation for delivering some absolutely electric performances.

Alabama State has a couple of groups that fall into that second category. The primary squad is known as the Stingettes, but it also boasts the Honey Beez, the squad that was founded in 2004 with the goal of allowing plus-sized dancers to show off their talents.

The Honey Beez took the field at FAMU during Saturday’s showdown, but their performance was marred when Joe Bullard, the announcer for the band known as the “Marching 100” at Bragg Memorial Stadium, made the bold decision to describe the squad as “the new face of Ozempic” after their performance.

His decision to invoke the weight-loss drug drew audible groans and boos from the home crowd. Alabama State’s president. rebuked Ballard while throwing his support behind the Honey Beez in a statement, and  FAMU’s called the remark “unacceptable” while apologizing on behalf of the university.

According to The Tallahassee Democrat, Ballard also owned up to the misstep while issuing a mea culpa in a Facebook post, saying:

“Friendly competition and playful jesting have long been a part of HBCU band culture, but I have come to understand that my words crossed a line,” Bullard wrote. “My intention was never to belittle or disrespect the incredible young people who represent our schools with such grace, talent and pride. They are the embodiment of our culture, and they deserve nothing less than our full respect.

As an elder who has been blessed to serve and witness the brilliance of our students for many years, I humbly ask for your forgiveness. It is my hope that we can continue to move forward together in the spirit of unity, excellence and mutual respect, regardless of the road ahead.”

It’s unclear if he’ll be facing any official discipline, but I guess we’ll see if he’s back in the booth when FAMU hosts NC Central on October 11th.