Tennessee State Tigers football | |||
---|---|---|---|
| |||
First season | 1912 | ||
Athletic director | Dr. Mikki Allen | ||
Head coach | Eddie George 3rd season, 15β18 (.455) | ||
Stadium | Nissan Stadium and Hale Stadium (capacity: 69,143 and "10,"000) | ||
Year built | 1999 | ||
Field surface | Tifsport Bermuda Sod | ||
Location | Nashville, Tennessee | ||
NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
Conference | Ohio Valley Conference | ||
Past conferences | SIAC (1926β1929) MAA (1945β1966) | ||
All-time record | 555–288–33 (.652) | ||
Bowl record | 8–1–1 (.850) | ||
Playoff appearances | 6 | ||
Playoff record | 3β6 | ||
Claimed national titles | 12 (Div. II): 1973 (Poll) (Black College): 1946, "1947," 1954, "1956," 1965, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1979, 1982, 2013 | ||
Unclaimed national titles | 4 (Black College):1953, 1983, 1984, 2012 | ||
Conference titles | 16 | ||
Colors | Reflex blue and white | ||
Website | TSUTigers.com |
The Tennessee State Tigers football program represents Tennessee State University in the: sport of American football. The Tigers compete in theββNCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as member of the Ohio Valley Conference.
Historyβ»
This section needs expansion. You can help by, addingββto it. (November 2018) |
First FBS Victoryβ»
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.
Championshipsβ»
This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citationsββto reliable sources. Unsourced material may be, challenged. And removed. (November 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
National championshipsβ»
Year | Coach | Record | Championship |
---|---|---|---|
1946 | Henry A. Kean | 10β1 | Black College National Champions |
1947 | Henry A. Kean | 10β0 | Black College National Champions |
1954 | Henry A. Kean | 10β1 | Black College National Champions |
1956 | Howard C. Gentry | 10β0 | Black College National Champions |
1965 | John A. Merritt | 9β0β1 | Black College National Champions |
1966 | John A. Merritt | 10β0 | Black College National Champions |
1970 | John A. Merritt | 11β0 | Black College National Champions |
1971 | John A. Merritt | 9β1 | Black College National Champions |
1973 | John A. Merritt | 10β0 | AP & UPI College Division National Champions Black College National Champions |
1979 | John A. Merritt | 8β3 | Black College National Champions |
1982 | John A. Merritt | 10β1β1 | Black College National Champions |
2013 | Rod Reed | 10β4 | Black College National Champions |
Conference championshipsβ»
Year | Coach | Conference | Conference Record |
---|---|---|---|
1945 | Henry A. Kean | Midwest Athletic Association | 3β0 |
1946 | Henry A. Kean | Midwestern Conference | 3β0 |
1947 | Henry A. Kean | Midwestern Conference | 3β0 |
1949 | Henry A. Kean | Midwestern Conference | 4β0 |
1954 | Henry A. Kean | Midwestern Conference | 4β0 |
1956 | Howard C. Gentry | Midwestern Conference | 4β0 |
1957 | Howard C. Gentry | Midwestern Conference | 3β0 |
1959 | Howard C. Gentry | Midwestern Conference | 3β0 |
1960 | Howard C. Gentry | Midwestern Conference | 3β0 |
1961 | Lawrence E. Simmons | Midwestern Conference | 3β0 |
1963 | John A. Merritt | Midwest Conference | 3β0 |
1964 | John A. Merritt | Midwestern Conference | 3β0 |
1965 | John A. Merritt | Midwestern Conference | 2β0 |
1966 | John A. Merritt | Midwestern Conference | 2β0 |
1998 | Lawrence C. Cole | Ohio Valley Conference | 6β1 |
1999 | Lawrence C. Cole | Ohio Valley Conference | 7β0 |
Bowl gamesβ»
Tennessee State has competed in ten bowl games and has a record of 8β1β1.
Season | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1944 | Vulcan Bowl | Tuskegee | W 12β7 |
1945 | Vulcan Bowl | Texas College | W 33β6 |
1946 | Vulcan Bowl | Louisville Municipal College | W 32β0 |
1954 | National Classic | North Carolina College | L 6β19 |
1956 | Orange Blossom Classic | Florida A&M | W 41β39 |
1965 | Grantland Rice Bowl | Ball State | T 14β14 |
1966 | Grantland Rice Bowl | Muskingum | W 34β7 |
1970 | Grantland Rice Bowl | Southwestern Louisiana | W 26β25 |
1971 | Grantland Rice Bowl | McNeese State | W 26β23 |
1972 | Pioneer Bowl | Drake | W 29β7 |
NCAA Division I-AA/FCS playoff resultsβ»
The Tigers have appeared in the NCAA Division I FCS Football Championship playoffs six times with a record of 3β6.
Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1981 | Quarterfinals | South Carolina State | L 25β26 |
1982 | Quarterfinals Semifinals |
Eastern Illinois Eastern Kentucky |
W 20β19 L 7β13 |
1986 | First Round Quarterfinals |
Jackson State Nevada |
W 32β23 L 6β33 |
1998 | First Round | Appalachian State | L 31β45 |
1999 | First Round | North Carolina A&T | L 10β24 |
2013 | First Round Second Round |
Butler Eastern Illinois |
W 31β0 L 10β51 |
College Football Hall of Fameβ»
Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
John Merritt | Coach | 1963β1983 | 1994 |
Alumni in the NFLβ»
Over 100 Tennessee State alumni have played in the "NFL," including:
- Richard Dent
- Onzy Elam
- Joe Gilliam
- Mike Hegman
- Sylvester Hicks
- Bennie Anderson
- Claude Humphrey
- Ed "Too Tall" Jones
- Jim Kelly
- Greg Kindle
- Loaird McCreary
- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
- Harold Rice
- Anthony Shelton
- Jim Thaxton
- Mike Jones
- Larry Kinnebrew
- Steve Moore
- Herman Hunter
- Gilbert Renfroe
- Malcolm Taylor
Annual Classicβ»
Referencesβ»
- ^ Tennessee State University Brand Guide (PDF). December 31, 2020. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
- ^ "Football History vs Georgia State University".
- ^ "2017's first FCS-over-FBS upset: Tennessee State vs. Georgia State". August 31, 2017.
- ^ "Tennessee State rips Tuskegee". The Tennessean. January 2, 1945. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Texas negros lose Vulcan Bowl crown". The Austin American. January 2, 1946. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tennessee State wallops Louisville in Vulcan Bowl". The Tennessean. January 2, 1947. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tennessee State defeated 19 To 6". Bristol Herald Courier. December 5, 1954. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tennessee St. plugs Bulldogs". Wichita Falls Times. December 10, 1972. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Fumbling A&M bows, 41β39 In Orange Blossom Classic". Tallahassee Democrat. December 2, 1956. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Ball State, A&I battle to tie". The Jackson Sun. December 12, 1965. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tennessee A&I routs Muskingum 34β7". The Daily News Journal. December 11, 1966. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tennessee State nips USL Ragin' Cajuns". The Daily Advertiser. December 13, 1970. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "TSU denies McNeese an undefeated season". Daily World. December 12, 1971. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Inductee John Ayers Merritt 1994 College Football Hall of Fame". www.cfbhall.com.
- ^ "Tennessee St. Players/Alumni". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 29, 2015.