Tennessee_State_Tigers_football
Tennessee State Tigers football
College football team
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.
Quick Facts First season, Athletic director ...
| 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 | ||
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![[icon]](./File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2018) |
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
More information Year, Coach ...
| 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 |
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Conference championships
More information Year, Coach ...
| 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 |
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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]
More information Season, Bowl ...
| 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 |
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The Tigers have appeared in the NCAA Division I FCS Football Championship playoffs six times with a record of 3–6.
More information Year, Round ...
| 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 |
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College Football Hall of Fame
See also: College Football Hall of Fame
More information Name, Position ...
| Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Merritt | Coach | 1963–1983 | 1994 | [14] |
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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
- Tennessee State University Brand Guide (PDF). December 31, 2020. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
- "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, 41–39 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 34–7". 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.
