Tennessee State Tigers football explained

Teamname:	Tennessee State Tigers football
Currentseason:	2024 Tennessee State Tigers football team
Firstyear:	1912
Athleticdirector:	Dr. Mikki Allen
Head Coach:	Eddie George
Hcwins:	15
Hclosses:	18
Headcoachyear:	3rd
Stadium:	Nissan Stadium and Hale Stadium
Stadiumbuilt:	1999
Stadcapacity:	69,143 and 10,000
Stadsurface:	Tifsport Bermuda Sod
Location:	Nashville, Tennessee
Ncaadivision:	I FCS
Conference:	Big South–OVC
Pastaffiliations:	SIAC (1926–1929) MAA (1945–1966)
Atwins:	555
Atlosses:	288
Atties:	33
Bowlwins:	8
Bowllosses:	1
Bowlties:	1
Playoffapps:	6
Playoffs:	3–6
Natltitles:	12 (Div. II): 1973 (Poll) (Black College): 1946, 1947, 1954, 1956, 1965, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1979, 1982, 2013
Unnatltitles:	4 (Black College):1953, 1983, 1984, 2012
Conftitles:	16
Websitename:	TSUTigers.com
Websiteurl:	https://tsutigers.com/sports/football?path=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.

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.^{[1] [2]}

Championships

National championships

1946		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		10–0	Black College National Champions
1965		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		10–4	Black College National Champions

Conference championships

1945			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		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		Midwestern Conference	3–0
1963			3–0
1964	John A. Merritt		3–0
1965	John A. Merritt	Midwestern Conference	2–0
1966	John A. Merritt	Midwestern Conference	2–0
1998			6–1
1999	Lawrence C. Cole	Ohio Valley Conference	7–0

Bowl games

Tennessee State has competed in ten bowl games and has a record of 8–1–1.^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]}

			W 12–7
	Vulcan Bowl		W 33–6
	Vulcan Bowl	Louisville Municipal College	W 32–0
	National Classic	North Carolina College	L 6–19
			W 41–39
		Ball State	T 14–14
			W 34–7
		Southwestern Louisiana	W 26–25
			W 26–23
			W 29–7

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.

	Quarterfinals	South Carolina State	L 25–26 ^OT
	Quarterfinals Semifinals	Eastern Illinois Eastern Kentucky	W 20–19 L 7–13
	First Round Quarterfinals	Jackson State Nevada	W 32–23 L 6–33
	First Round	Appalachian State	L 31–45
	First Round	North Carolina A&T	L 10–24
	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.

Coach

1963–1983

1994

^[13]

Alumni in the NFL

Over 100 Tennessee State alumni have played in the NFL,^[14] 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 Classic

• Southern Heritage Classic

Notes and References

1. Web site: Football History vs Georgia State University .
2. Web site: 2017's first FCS-over-FBS upset: Tennessee State vs. Georgia State . August 31, 2017 .
3. News: Tennessee State rips Tuskegee. The Tennessean. January 2, 1945. September 1, 2023. Newspapers.com.
4. News: Texas negros lose Vulcan Bowl crown. The Austin American. January 2, 1946. September 1, 2023. Newspapers.com.
5. News: Tennessee State wallops Louisville in Vulcan Bowl. The Tennessean. January 2, 1947. September 1, 2023. Newspapers.com.
6. News: Tennessee State defeated 19 To 6. Bristol Herald Courier. December 5, 1954. September 1, 2023. Newspapers.com.
7. News: Tennessee St. plugs Bulldogs. Wichita Falls Times. December 10, 1972. September 1, 2023. Newspapers.com.
8. News: Fumbling A&M bows, 41–39 In Orange Blossom Classic. Tallahassee Democrat. December 2, 1956. September 1, 2023. Newspapers.com.
9. News: Ball State, A&I battle to tie. The Jackson Sun. December 12, 1965. September 1, 2023. Newspapers.com.
10. News: Tennessee A&I routs Muskingum 34–7. The Daily News Journal. December 11, 1966. September 1, 2023. Newspapers.com.
11. News: Tennessee State nips USL Ragin' Cajuns. The Daily Advertiser. December 13, 1970. September 1, 2023. Newspapers.com.
12. News: TSU denies McNeese an undefeated season. Daily World. December 12, 1971. September 1, 2023. Newspapers.com.
13. Web site: Inductee John Ayers Merritt 1994 College Football Hall of Fame . www.cfbhall.com.
14. Web site: Tennessee St. Players/Alumni . Pro-Football-Reference.com. 2015-09-29.