# List of Tennessee State Tigers football seasons

The following is a list of Tennessee State Tigers football seasons for the football team that has represented Tennessee State University in NCAA competition.

## Seasons

| Year | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Rank$^#$ |
| Buck Hunt (Independent) (1916) |||||||
| 1916 | Buck Hunt | 0–0–1 | | | | | |
| Buck Hunt: | Buck Hunt: | 0–0–1 | | | | | |
| Joe Scruggs (Independent) (1922–1924) |||||||
| 1922 | Joe Scruggs | 1–1 | | | | | |
| 1923 | Joe Scruggs | 2–1 | | | | | |
| 1924 | Joe Scruggs | 4–1–1 | | | | | |
| Joe Scruggs: | Joe Scruggs: | 7–3–1 | | | | | |
| George Davenport (Independent) (1925) |||||||
| 1925 | George Davenport | 4–1–1 | | | | | |
| George Davenport (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1926) |||||||
| 1926 | George Davenport | 1–2–2 | | | | | |
| George Davenport: | George Davenport: | 5–3–3 | | | | | |
| Felton Gale (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1927) |||||||
| 1927 | Felton Gale | 1–2–3 | 1–1–2 | | | | |
| Felton Gale: | Felton Gale: | 1–2–3 | 1–1–2 | | | | |
| Harry Long (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1928) |||||||
| 1928 | Harry Long | 0–4–1 | 0–4–1 | | | | |
| Harry Long: | Harry Long: | 0–4–1 | 0–4–1 | | | | |
| Alton Jackson (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1929) |||||||
| 1929 | Alton Jackson | 3–2–1 | 2–1 | | | | |
| Alton Jackson: | Alton Jackson: | 3–2–1 | 2–1 | | | | |
| T.D. Upshaw (Independent) (1930–1931) |||||||
| 1930 | T.D. Upshaw | 2–3 | | | | | |
| 1931 | T.D. Upshaw | 1–1 | | | | | |
| T.D. Upshaw: | T.D. Upshaw: | 3–4 | | | | | |
| No Coach (Independent) (1932) |||||||
| 1932 | No Coach | 0–2 | | | | | |
| Walter S. Davis (Independent) (1933–1936) |||||||
| 1933 | Walter S. Davis | 5–0–1 | | | | | |
| 1934 | Walter S. Davis | 6–1 | | | | | |
| 1935 | Walter S. Davis | 5–3–1 | | | | | |
| 1936 | Walter S. Davis | 3–3–2 | | | | | |
| Walter S. Davis: | Walter S. Davis: | 19–7–4 | | | | | |
| Reubin A. Munday (Independent) (1937–1939) |||||||
| 1937 | Reubin A. Munday | 3–1–1 | | | | | |
| 1938 | Reubin A. Munday | 6–1 | | | | | |
| 1939 | Reubin A. Munday | 4–3–1 | | | | | |
| Reubin A. Munday: | Reubin A. Munday: | 13–5–2 | | | | | |
| Coach Unknown (Independent) (1940) |||||||
| 1940 | unknown | 1–0 | | | | | |
| Coach Unknown: | Coach Unknown: | 1–0 | | | | | |
| Henry A. Kean (Independent) (1944) |||||||
| 1944 | Henry A. Kean | 8–2–1 | | | | | |
| Henry A. Kean (Midwestern Conference) (1945–1954) |||||||
| 1945 | Henry A. Kean | 9–2 | 3–0 | 1st | W Tuskegee University Vulcan Bowl | | |
| 1946 | Henry A. Kean | 10–1 | 3–0 | 1st | W Texas College Vulcan Bowl | | |
| 1947 | Henry A. Kean | 10–0 | 3–0 | 1st | W Louisville Municipal Vulcan Bowl | | |
| 1948 | Henry A. Kean | 5–3–1 | | | | | |
| 1949 | Henry A. Kean | 9–1 | 4–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1950 | Henry A. Kean | 9–2 | | | | | |
| 1951 | Henry A. Kean | 8–2 | | | | | |
| 1952 | Henry A. Kean | 8–2 | | | | | |
| 1953 | Henry A. Kean | 8–0 | | | | | |
| 1954 | Henry A. Kean | 10–1 | 4–0 | 1st | L North Carolina Central National Classic | | |
| Henry A. Kean: | Henry A. Kean: | 94–16–2 | | | | | |
| Howard C. Gentry (Midwestern Conference) (1955–1960) |||||||
| 1955 | Howard C. Gentry | 7–2 | | | | | |
| 1956 | Howard C. Gentry | 10–0 | 4–0 | 1st | W Florida A&M Orange Blossom Classic | | |
| 1957 | Howard C. Gentry | 5–0–1 | 3–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1958 | Howard C. Gentry | 4–4 | | | | | |
| 1959 | Howard C. Gentry | 9–1 | 3–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1960 | Howard C. Gentry | 7–3 | 3–0 | 1st | | | |
| Howard C. Gentry: | Howard C. Gentry: | 42–10–1 | | | | | |
| Lawrence E. Simmons (Midwestern Conference) (1961–1962) |||||||
| 1961 | Lawrence E. Simmons | 4–4–1 | | | | |
| 1962 | Lawrence E. Simmons | 1–7–1 | | | | |
| Lawrence E. Simmons: | Lawrence E. Simmons: | 5–11–2 | | | | | |
| John Merritt (Midwestern Conference) (1963–1966) |||||||
| 1963 | John A. Merritt | 6–3 | 3–0 | 1st | | |
| 1964 | John A. Merritt | 8–2 | 3–0 | 1st | | |
| 1965 | John A. Merritt | 9–0–1 | 2–0 | 1st | T Ball State Grantland Rice Bowl | 5 | 12 |
| 1966 | John A. Merritt | 10–0 | 2–0 | 1st | W Muskingum University Grantland Rice Bowl | 2 | 3 |
| John A. Merritt (Independent) (1967–1972) |||||||
| 1967 | John A. Merritt | 6–3 | | | | |
| 1968 | John A. Merritt | 6–2–1 | | | | |
| 1969 | John A. Merritt | 7–1–1 | | | | |
| 1970 | John A. Merritt | 11–0 | | | W Southwestern Louisiana Grantland Rice Bowl | 5 | 5 |
| 1971 | John A. Merritt | 9–1 | | | W McNeese State Grantland Rice Bowl | 5 | 4 |
| 1972 | John A. Merritt | 11–1 | | | W Drake University Pioneer Bowl | 5 | 5 |
| John A. Merritt (Division II Independent) (1973–1976) |||||||
| 1973 | John A. Merritt | 10–0 | | | | 1 | 1 |
| 1974 | John A. Merritt | 8–2 | | | | 9 | 9 |
| 1975 | John A. Merritt | 5–4 | | | | |
| 1976 | John A. Merritt | 7–2–1 | | | | |
| John A. Merritt (Division I Independent) (1977) |||||||
| 1977 | John A. Merritt | 8–1–1 | | | | |
| John A. Merritt (Division I-A Independent) (1978–1980) |||||||
| 1978 | John A. Merritt | 8–3 | | | | |
| 1979 | John A. Merritt | 8–3 | | | | |
| 1980 | John A. Merritt | 9–1 | | | | |
| John A. Merritt (Division I-AA Independent) (1981–1983) |||||||
| 1981 | John A. Merritt | 9–3 | | | L South Carolina State NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal | 6 |
| 1982 | John A. Merritt | 10–1–1 | | | L Eastern Kentucky NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal | 4 |
| 1983 | John A. Merritt | 8–2–1 | | | | 17 |
| John A. Merritt: | John A. Merritt: | 173–35–7 | 10–0 | | | | |
| William A. Thomas (Division I-AA Independent) (1984–1987) |||||||
| 1984 | William A. Thomas | 11–0 | | | No postseason due to ineligible players | |
| 1985 | William A. Thomas | 7–4 | | | | |
| 1986 | William A. Thomas | 10–2–1 | | | L Nevada NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal | 14 |
| 1987 | William A. Thomas | 3–7–1 | | | | |
| William A. Thomas (Ohio Valley Conference) (1988) |||||||
| 1988 | William A. Thomas | 3–7–1 | 2–4 | T–4th | | |
| William A. Thomas: | William A. Thomas: | 34–20–3 | 2–4 | | | | |
| Joe Gilliam, Sr. (Ohio Valley Conference) (1989–1992) |||||||
| 1989 | Joe Gilliam, Sr. | 5–5–1 | 3–3 | T–3rd | | |
| 1990 | Joe Gilliam, Sr. | 7–4 | 4–2 | 3rd | | |
| 1991 | Joe Gilliam, Sr. | 3–8 | 2–5 | T–6th | | |
| 1992 | Joe Gilliam, Sr. | 5–6 | 5–3 | 4th | | |
| Joe Gilliam, Sr.: | Joe Gilliam, Sr.: | 20–23–1 | 14–13 | | | | |
| Bill Davis (Ohio Valley Conference) (1993–1995) |||||||
| 1993 | Bill Davis | 4–7 | 4–4 | T–4th | | |
| 1994 | Bill Davis | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–4th | | |
| 1995 | Bill Davis | 2–9 | 1–7 | T–8th | | |
| Bill Davis: | Bill Davis: | 11–22 | 9–15 | | | | |
| L. C. Cole (Ohio Valley Conference) (1996–1999) |||||||
| 1996 | L. C. Cole | 4–7 | 3–5 | T–6th | | |
| 1997 | L. C. Cole | 4–7 | 4–3 | T–4th | | |
| 1998 | L. C. Cole | 9–3 | 6–1 | 1st | L Appalachian State NCAA Division I-AA First Round | 12 |
| 1999 | L. C. Cole | 11–1 | 7–0 | 1st | L North Carolina A&T NCAA Division I-AA First Round | 11 |
| L. C. Cole: | L. C. Cole: | 28–18 | 20–9 | | | | |
| James Reese (Ohio Valley Conference) (2000–2004) |||||||
| 2000 | James Reese | 3–8 | 2–5 | 6th | | |
| 2001 | James Reese | 8–3 | 3–3 | 4th | | 25 |
| 2002 | James Reese | 2–10 | 1–5 | 6th | | |
| 2003 | James Reese | 7–5 | 5–3 | T–3rd | | |
| 2004 | James Reese | 4–7 | 2–5 | 8th | | |
| James Reese: | James Reese: | 24–33 | 13–21 | | | | |
| James Webster (Ohio Valley Conference) (2005–2009) |||||||
| 2005 | James Webster | 2–9 | 1–6 | 8th | | |
| 2006 | James Webster | 6–5 | 5–2 | 3rd | | |
| 2007 | James Webster | 5–6 | 4–3 | 5th | | |
| 2008 | James Webster | 8–4 | 5–3 | 4th | | |
| 2009 | James Webster | 4–7 | 3–4 | 5th | | |
| James Webster: | James Webster: | 25–31 | 18–18 | | | | |
| Rod Reed (Ohio Valley Conference) (2010–present) |||||||
| 2010 | Rod Reed | 3–8 | 0–7 | 9th | | |
| 2011 | Rod Reed | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–5th | | |
| 2012 | Rod Reed | 8–3 | 4–3 | 5th | | | 21 |
| 2013 | Rod Reed | 10–4 | 6–2 | 2nd | L Eastern Illinois NCAA FCS Second Round | 17 | 17 |
| 2014 | Rod Reed | 6–6 | 3–5 | 6th | | |
| 2015 | Rod Reed | 4–6 | 1–6 | 8th | | |
| 2016 | Rod Reed | 7–4 | 4–3 | 4th | | |
| 2017 | Rod Reed | 6–5 | 2–5 | 7th | | |
| 2018 | Rod Reed | 4–5 | 3–4 | 5th | | |
| 2019 | Rod Reed | 3–9 | 2–6 | 7th | | |
| 2020 | Rod Reed | 2–5 | 2–5 | 6th | | |
| Rod Reed: | Rod Reed: | 58–61 | 31–50 | | | | |
| Total: | Total: | 566–312–33 | | | | | |
| National championship  Conference title  Conference division title or championship game berth |||||||
| $^#$Post 1996 rankings from final Sports Network poll. |||||||