Tennessee State Tigers football
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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 Big South–OVC Football Association.
| Tennessee State Tigers football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1912 | ||
| Athletic director | Dr. Mikki Allen | ||
| Head coach | Eddie George 4th season, 24–22 (.522) | ||
| 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 | Big South–OVC | ||
| Past conferences | SIAC (1926–1929) MAA (1945–1966) | ||
| All-time record | 555–288–33 (.652) | ||
| Bowl record | 8–1–1 (.850) | ||
| Playoff appearances | 7 | ||
| Playoff record | 3–6 | ||
| 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 | 17 | ||
| Colors | Reflex blue and white[1] | ||
| Website | TSUTigers.com | ||
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![[icon]](#/media/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2018) |
NCAA Relegation
In 1981, the Tennessee State Tigers were relegated from Division I-A to Division I-AA.
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]
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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 |
| 2024 | Eddie George | Big South–OVC Football Association | 6–2 |
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Bowl games
Tennessee State has competed in ten bowl games and has a record of 8–1–1.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]
| Season | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Vulcan Bowl | Tuskegee | W 12–7 |
| 1945 | Vulcan Bowl | Texas College | W 33–6 |
| 1946 | Vulcan Bowl | Louisville Municipal College | W 32–0 |
| 1954 | National Classic | North Carolina College | L 6–19 |
| 1956 | Orange Blossom Classic | Florida A&M | W 41–39 |
| 1965 | Grantland Rice Bowl | Ball State | T 14–14 |
| 1966 | Grantland Rice Bowl | Muskingum | W 34–7 |
| 1970 | Grantland Rice Bowl | Southwestern Louisiana | W 26–25 |
| 1971 | Grantland Rice Bowl | McNeese State | W 26–23 |
| 1972 | Pioneer Bowl | Drake | W 29–7 |
NCAA Division I-AA/FCS playoffs
The Tigers have made seven appearances in the NCAA Division I FCS Football Championship playoffs, with a combined record of 3–7.
| 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 |
| 2024 | First Round | Montana | L 27–41 |
| Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Merritt | Coach | 1963–1983 | 1994 | [14] |
Over 100 Tennessee State alumni have played in the NFL,[15] 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
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