Tennessee State Tigers football
The Tennessee State Tigers are the college football team representing the Tennessee State University. The Tigers play in NCAA Division I Football Championship as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference.
| Tennessee State Tigers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1912 | ||
| Athletic director | Dr. Mikki Allen | ||
| Head coach | Rod Reed 10th season, 54–51 (.514) | ||
| 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 | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1926–1929), Midwestern Conference (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 | ||
History
Championships
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 19–6 | 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
| Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Merritt | Coach | 1963–1983 | 1994 | [2] |
Alumni in the NFL
Over 100 Tennessee State alumni have played in the NFL,[3] including:
Annual Classic
References
- Tennessee State University Brand Guide (PDF). December 31, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
- https://www.cfbhall.com/about/inductees/inductee/john-merritt-1994/
- "Tennessee St. Players/Alumni". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
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