Tennessee State Tigers football

The Tennessee State Tigers football program represents Tennessee State University in the sport of American football. The Tigers compete in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as member of the Ohio Valley Conference.

Tennessee State Tigers football
2023 Tennessee State Tigers football team
First season1912
Athletic directorDr. Mikki Allen
Head coachEddie George
2nd season, 9–13 (.409)
StadiumNissan Stadium and Hale Stadium
(capacity: 69,143 and 10,000)
Year built1999
Field surfaceTifsport Bermuda Sod
LocationNashville, Tennessee
NCAA divisionDivision I FCS
ConferenceOhio Valley Conference
Past conferencesSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1926–1929), Midwestern Conference (1945–1966)
All-time record555–288–33 (.652)
Bowl record8–1–1 (.850)
Playoff appearances6
Playoff record3–6
Claimed national titles12
(Div. II): 1973 (Poll)
(Black College): 1946, 1947, 1954, 1956, 1965, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1979, 1982, 2013
Unclaimed national titles4 (Black College):1953, 1983, 1984, 2012
Conference titles16
ColorsReflex blue and white[1]
   
WebsiteTSUTigers.com

History
See also: List of Tennessee State Tigers football seasons

First FBS Victory

Tennessee State Tigers first FBS victory came in 2017 when they defeated the Georgia State Panthers 17-10 for Georgia State's season home opener.[2][3]

Championships

National championships
Year Coach Record Championship
1946Henry A. Kean10–1Black College National Champions
1947Henry A. Kean10–0Black College National Champions
1954Henry A. Kean10–1Black College National Champions
1956Howard C. Gentry10–0Black College National Champions
1965John A. Merritt9–0–1Black College National Champions
1966John A. Merritt10–0Black College National Champions
1970John A. Merritt11–0Black College National Champions
1971John A. Merritt9–1Black College National Champions
1973John A. Merritt10–0AP & UPI College Division National Champions
Black College National Champions
1979John A. Merritt8–3Black College National Champions
1982John A. Merritt10–1–1Black College National Champions
2013Rod Reed10–4Black College National Champions

Conference championships
Year Coach Conference Conference Record
1945Henry A. KeanMidwest Athletic Association3–0
1946Henry A. KeanMidwestern Conference3–0
1947Henry A. KeanMidwestern Conference3–0
1949Henry A. KeanMidwestern Conference4–0
1954Henry A. KeanMidwestern Conference4–0
1956Howard C. GentryMidwestern Conference4–0
1957Howard C. GentryMidwestern Conference3–0
1959Howard C. GentryMidwestern Conference3–0
1960Howard C. GentryMidwestern Conference3–0
1961Lawrence E. SimmonsMidwestern Conference3–0
1963John A. MerrittMidwest Conference3–0
1964John A. MerrittMidwestern Conference3–0
1965John A. MerrittMidwestern Conference2–0
1966John A. MerrittMidwestern Conference2–0
1998Lawrence C. ColeOhio Valley Conference6–1
1999Lawrence C. ColeOhio Valley Conference7–0

Bowl games
Season Date Bowl Opponent Result Stadium Location Head coach Source
1944January 1, 1945Vulcan BowlTuskegeeW 12–7Rickwood FieldBirmingham, AlabamaHenry Kean[4]
1945January 1, 1946Vulcan BowlTexas CollegeW 33–6Rickwood FieldBirmingham, AlabamaHenry Kean[5]
1946January 1, 1947Vulcan BowlLouisville Municipal CollegeW 32–0Rickwood FieldBirmingham, AlabamaHenry Kean[6]
1954December 4, 1954National ClassicNorth Carolina CollegeL 6–19War Memorial StadiumGreensboro, North CarolinaHenry Kean[7]
1956December 1, 1956Orange Blossom ClassicFlorida A&MW 41–39Miami Orange BowlMiami, FloridaHoward C. Gentry[8]
1965December 11, 1965Grantland Rice BowlBall StateT 14–14Horace Jones FieldMurfreesboro, TennesseeJohn Merritt[9]
1966December 10, 1966Grantland Rice BowlMuskingumW 34–7Horace Jones FieldMurfreesboro, TennesseeJohn Merritt[10]
1970December 12, 1970Grantland Rice BowlSouthwestern LouisianaW 26–25Memorial StadiumBaton Rouge, LouisianaJohn Merritt[11]
1971December 11, 1971Grantland Rice BowlMcNeese StateW 26–23Memorial StadiumBaton Rouge, LouisianaJohn Merritt[12]
1972December 9, 1972Pioneer BowlDrakeW 29–7Memorial StadiumWichita Falls, TexasJohn Merritt[13]

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS playoff results

The Tigers have appeared in the NCAA Division I FCS Football Championship playoffs six times with a record of 3–6.

Year Round Opponent Result
1981QuarterfinalsSouth Carolina StateL 25–26 OT
1982Quarterfinals
Semifinals		Eastern Illinois
Eastern Kentucky		W 20–19
L 7–13
1986First Round
Quarterfinals		Jackson State
Nevada		W 32–23
L 6–33
1998First RoundAppalachian StateL 31–45
1999First RoundNorth Carolina A&TL 10–24
2013First Round
Second Round		Butler
Eastern Illinois		W 31–0
L 10–51

College Football Hall of Fame
See also: College Football Hall of Fame
Name Position Tenure Inducted Ref.
John MerrittCoach1963–19831994[14]

Alumni in the NFL

Over 100 Tennessee State alumni have played in the NFL,[15] including:

Annual Classic

References
  1. Tennessee State University Brand Guide (PDF). December 31, 2020. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  2. "Football History vs Georgia State University".
  3. "2017's first FCS-over-FBS upset: Tennessee State vs. Georgia State". August 31, 2017.
  4. "Tennessee State rips Tuskegee". The Tennessean. January 2, 1945. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Texas negros lose Vulcan Bowl crown". The Austin American. January 2, 1946. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Tennessee State wallops Louisville in Vulcan Bowl". The Tennessean. January 2, 1947. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Tennessee State defeated 19 To 6". Bristol Herald Courier. December 5, 1954. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Fumbling A&M bows, 41–39 In Orange Blossom Classic". Tallahassee Democrat. December 2, 1956. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Ball State, A&I battle to tie". The Jackson Sun. December 12, 1965. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Tennessee A&I routs Muskingum 34–7". The Daily News Journal. December 11, 1966. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Tennessee State nips USL Ragin' Cajuns". The Daily Advertiser. December 13, 1970. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "TSU denies McNeese an undefeated season". Daily World. December 12, 1971. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Tennessee St. plugs Bulldogs". Wichita Falls Times. December 10, 1972. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Inductee John Ayers Merritt 1994 College Football Hall of Fame". www.cfbhall.com.
  15. "Tennessee St. Players/Alumni". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
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