Grambling State Tigers football
2023 Grambling State Tigers football team
First season1928 95 years ago
Athletic directorDr. Trayvean D. Scott
Head coachMickey Joseph
1st season, 0–0 (–)
StadiumEddie Robinson Stadium
(capacity: 19,600)
Field surfaceArtificial Turf
LocationGrambling, Louisiana
ConferenceSWAC (since 1958)
DivisionWest
All-time record534–239–18 (.686)
Bowl record19–8 (.704)
Claimed national titles15 (Black College): 1955, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1992, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2016
Conference titles27
RivalriesSouthern
Jackson State
Prairie View A&M
ColorsBlack, gold, and red[1]
     
Websitegsutigers.com

The Grambling State Tigers are the college football team representing the Grambling State University. The Tigers play in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

The prominence of Grambling football is longstanding. The Tigers, under Hall of Fame coach Eddie Robinson, who guided them to 408 victories in 55 seasons from 1941 to 1942 and 1945 to 1997, were built as a small-school powerhouse with more than 200 players who played professional football.[2]

On September 24, 1976, Grambling State and Morgan State became the first collegiate football teams from the United States to play a game in the continent of Asia. Grambling State defeated Morgan State 42–16 in Tokyo, Japan. In fall 1977, the Grambling State Tigers were invited back to Tokyo where they defeated the Temple Owls 35–32 in the inaugural Mirage Bowl game.[3]

Among its accomplishments include: 15 Black college football national championships (tied for second most in HBCU history) and 27 Conference Championships (one Midwest Conference & 26 SWAC). The Tigers have won the most SWAC Championships to date.[4]

Football classifications

Conference affiliations

Annual Classics

Championships

Black college football national championship

Grambling State has won fifteen Black college football national championships.

Year Coach Coach Overall record
1955 Eddie Robinson Black College National Champions 10–0
1967 Black College National co-champions 9–1
1972 Black College National Champions 11–2
1974 Black College National co-champions 11–1
1975 Black College National co-champions 10–2
1977 Black College National co-champions 10–1
1980 Black College National Champions 10–2
1983 Black College National co-champions 8–1–2
1992 Black College National co-champions 10–2
2000 Doug Williams Black College National Champions 10–2
2001 Doug Williams Black College National co-champions 10–1
2002 Doug Williams Black College National co-champions 11–2
2005 Melvin Spears Black College National co-champions 11–1
2008 Rod Broadway Black College National co-champions 11–2
2016 Broderick Fobbs Black College National Champions 12–1

Conference championships

Grambling State has won 27 conference championships, 26 of them in the SWAC.[5][6][7]

Year Conference Coach Overall record Conference
1955 Midwestern Conference Eddie Robinson 10–0 2–0
1960 Southwestern Athletic Conference* 9–1 6–1
1965 Southwestern Athletic Conference 8–3 6–1
1966 Southwestern Athletic Conference* 6–2–1 4–2–1
1967 Southwestern Athletic Conference 9–1 6–1
1968 Southwestern Athletic Conference* 9–2 6–1
1971 Southwestern Athletic Conference 9–2 5–1
1972 Southwestern Athletic Conference (vacated) 11–2 5–1
1973 Southwestern Athletic Conference* 10–3 5–1
1974 Southwestern Athletic Conference* 11–1 5–1
1975 Southwestern Athletic Conference* (vacated) 10–2 4–2
1977 Southwestern Athletic Conference 10–1 6–0
1978 Southwestern Athletic Conference 9–1–1 5–0–1
1979 Southwestern Athletic Conference* 8–3 5–1
1980 Southwestern Athletic Conference* 10–2 5–1
1983 Southwestern Athletic Conference 10–2 6–0–1
1985 Southwestern Athletic Conference* 9–3 6–1
1989 Southwestern Athletic Conference 9–3 7–0
1994 Southwestern Athletic Conference* 9–3 6–1
2000 Southwestern Athletic Conference Doug Williams 10–2 6–1
2001 Southwestern Athletic Conference Doug Williams 11–0 6–1
2002 Southwestern Athletic Conference Doug Williams 11–2 6–1
2005 Southwestern Athletic Conference Melvin Spears 11–1 9–0
2008 Southwestern Athletic Conference Rod Broadway 11–2 7–0
2011 Southwestern Athletic Conference Doug Williams 8–4 6–3
2016 Southwestern Athletic Conference Broderick Fobbs 11–1 9–0
2017 Southwestern Athletic Conference Broderick Fobbs 11–2 7–0

Division championships

Since the division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference into two divisions in 1999, Grambling State has been in the West Division. They have won ten division titles and reached the SWAC Football Championship Game each time.

Year Coach Conference CG Result
2000 Doug Williams W 14–6 vs. Alabama A&M
2001 Doug Williams W 38–31 vs. Alabama State
2002 Doug Williams W 31–19 vs. Alabama A&M
2005 Melvin Spears W 45–5 vs. Alabama A&M
2007 Rod Broadway L 31–42 vs. Jackson State
2008 Rod Broadway W 41–9 vs. Jackson State
2011 Doug Williams W 16–15 vs. Alabama A&M
2015 Broderick Fobbs L 21–49 vs. Alcorn State
2016 Broderick Fobbs W 27–20 vs. Alcorn State
2017 Broderick Fobbs W 40–32 vs. Alcorn State

Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs results

The Tigers have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs three times with a record of 0–3.

Year Round Opponent Result
1980 Semifinals Boise State L 9–14
1985 First Round Arkansas State L 7–10
1989 First Round Stephen F. Austin L 56–59

Division II Playoffs results

The Tigers have appeared in the Division II playoffs one time with an overall record of 1–1.

Year Round Opponent Result
1973 Quarterfinals (Boardwalk Bowl)
Semifinals (Grantland Rice Bowl)		 Delaware
Western Kentucky		 W 17–8
L 20–28

College Football Hall of Fame members

Pro Football Hall of Fame members

Over 100 Grambling State alumni have played in the NFL,[8] including four Pro Football Hall of Famers:

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of June 17, 2023.[9]

2023 2024
vs Hampton at Louisiana
at LSU
Florida Memorial

See also

References

  1. ^ Grambling State University Logos and Marks (PDF). July 14, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  2. ^ "The 150 greatest coaches in college football's 150-year history". 10 December 2019.
  3. ^ "Back in the day: 40 years ago, Morgan State and Grambling played in Tokyo". 23 September 2016.
  4. ^ "Grambling's Eddie Robinson changed college football and his legacy still impacts the game".
  5. ^ "Conference Champions". Cfbdatawarehouse.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
  6. ^ "2015 SWAC Football Media Day by SWAC". issuu. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
  7. ^ "Log in to NewsBank".
  8. ^ "Grambling St. Players/Alumni". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-10-29.
  9. ^ "Grambling State Tigers Football Future Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved June 17, 2023.

External links

Grambling State Tigers football
Grambling State University
Southwestern Athletic Conference football
Categories