Tennessee State Tigers football
2023 Tennessee State Tigers football team
Tennessee State Tigers wordmark.svg
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

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.

History

See also: List of Tennessee State Tigers football seasons
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2018)

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

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National championships

Year Coach Record Championship
1946 Henry A. Kean 10–1 Black College National Champions
1947 Henry A. Kean 10–0 Black College National Champions
1954 Henry A. Kean 10–1 Black College National Champions
1956 Howard C. Gentry 10–0 Black College National Champions
1965 John A. Merritt 9–0–1 Black College National Champions
1966 John A. Merritt 10–0 Black College National Champions
1970 John A. Merritt 11–0 Black College National Champions
1971 John A. Merritt 9–1 Black College National Champions
1973 John A. Merritt 10–0 AP & UPI College Division National Champions
Black College National Champions
1979 John A. Merritt 8–3 Black College National Champions
1982 John A. Merritt 10–1–1 Black College National Champions
2013 Rod Reed 10–4 Black College National Champions

Conference championships

Year Coach Conference Conference Record
1945 Henry A. Kean Midwest Athletic Association 3–0
1946 Henry A. Kean Midwestern Conference 3–0
1947 Henry A. Kean Midwestern Conference 3–0
1949 Henry A. Kean Midwestern Conference 4–0
1954 Henry A. Kean Midwestern Conference 4–0
1956 Howard C. Gentry Midwestern Conference 4–0
1957 Howard C. Gentry Midwestern Conference 3–0
1959 Howard C. Gentry Midwestern Conference 3–0
1960 Howard C. Gentry Midwestern Conference 3–0
1961 Lawrence E. Simmons Midwestern Conference 3–0
1963 John A. Merritt Midwest Conference 3–0
1964 John A. Merritt Midwestern Conference 3–0
1965 John A. Merritt Midwestern Conference 2–0
1966 John A. Merritt Midwestern Conference 2–0
1998 Lawrence C. Cole Ohio Valley Conference 6–1
1999 Lawrence C. Cole Ohio Valley Conference 7–0

Bowl games

Season Date Bowl Opponent Result Stadium Location Head Coach
1944 January 1, 1945 Vulcan Bowl Tuskegee University W 12–7 Rickwood Field Birmingham, Alabama Henry Kean
1945 January 1, 1946 Vulcan Bowl Texas College W 33–6 Rickwood Field Birmingham, Alabama Henry Kean
1946 January 1, 1947 Vulcan Bowl Louisville Municipal College W 32–0 Rickwood Field Birmingham, Alabama Henry Kean
1954 December 4, 1954 National Classic North Carolina College L 6–19 War Memorial Stadium Greensboro, North Carolina Henry Kean
1956 December 1, 1956 Orange Blossom Classic Florida A&M W 41–39 Orange Bowl Miami, Florida Howard C. Gentry
1965 December 11, 1965 Grantland Rice Bowl Ball State T 14–14 Horace Jones Field Murfreesboro, Tennessee John Merritt
1966 December 10, 1966 Grantland Rice Bowl Muskingum W 34–7 Horace Jones Field Murfreesboro, Tennessee John Merritt
1970 December 12, 1970 Grantland Rice Bowl Southwestern Louisiana W 26–25 Memorial Stadium Baton Rouge, Louisiana John Merritt
1971 December 11, 1971 Grantland Rice Bowl McNeese State W 26–23 Memorial Stadium Baton Rouge, Louisiana John Merritt
1972 December 10, 1972 Pioneer Bowl Drake W 29–7 Memorial Stadium Wichita Falls, Texas John Merritt

Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs results

The Tigers have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs six times with a record of 3–6.

Year Round Opponent Result
1981 Quarterfinals South Carolina State L 25–26 OT
1982 Quarterfinals
Semifinals		 Eastern Illinois
Eastern Kentucky		 W 20–19
L 7–13
1986 First Round
Quarterfinals		 Jackson State
Nevada		 W 32–23
L 6–33
1998 First Round Appalachian State L 31–45
1999 First Round North Carolina A&T L 10–24
2013 First 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 Merritt Coach 1963–1983 1994 [4]

Alumni in the NFL

Over 100 Tennessee State alumni have played in the NFL,[5] 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. ^ "Inductee John Ayers Merritt 1994 College Football Hall of Fame". www.cfbhall.com.
  5. ^ "Tennessee St. Players/Alumni". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 29, 2015.

External links

Tennessee State Tigers football
Ohio Valley Conference football
Categories