| Tennessee State Tigers football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1912 | ||
| Athletic director | Dr. Mikki Allen | ||
| Head coach | Eddie George 3rd season, 15–18 (.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 (1926–1929) MAA (1945–1966) | ||
| All-time record | 555–288–33 (.652) | ||
| Bowl record | 8–1–1 (.850) | ||
| Playoff appearances | 6 | ||
| 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 | 16 | ||
| Colors | Reflex blue and white[1] | ||
| Website | TSUTigers.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.
![[icon]](https://akarinohon.com/text/taketori.cgi/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} |
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2018)
|
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]
 |
This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this sectionbyadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
| 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 |
| 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 |
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 |
The Tigers have appeared in the NCAA Division I FCS Football Championship 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 |
| Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Merritt | Coach | 1963–1983 | 1994 | [14] |
Over 100 Tennessee State alumni have played in the NFL,[15] including:
|
| |
|---|---|
| Venues |
|
| Bowls & rivalries |
|
| Culture & lore |
|
| People |
|
| Seasons |
|
National championship seasons in bold | |
|
Ohio Valley Conference football
| |
|---|---|
| Teams |
|
| Championships & awards |
|
| Related links |
|
