# Tennessee State Tigers 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 OVC–Big South Football Association.

## History
### NCAA Relegation

In 1981, the Tennessee State Tigers were relegated from Division I-A to Division I-AA.

### 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.

## 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 |
| 2024 | Eddie George | Big South–OVC Football Association | 6–2 |

## Postseason appearances
### Bowl games

Tennessee State has competed in ten bowl games and has a record of 8–1–1.
| 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 |

### NCAA Division I-AA/FCS playoffs

The Tigers have made seven appearances in the NCAA Division I FCS Football Championship playoffs, with a combined record of 3–7.
| 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 |
| 2024 | First Round | Montana | L 27–41 |

## College Football Hall of Fame members

| Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted | Ref. |
| John Merritt | Coach | 1963–1983 | 1994 | |

## Alumni in the NFL

Over 100 Tennessee State alumni have played in the NFL, 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

## Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of February 17, 2025.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
| North Carolina A&T | at Alabama A&M | Alabama A&M | at North Carolina A&T |
| North Dakota State | | | at Alabama A&M |
| Alabama A&M | | | |
| Howard | | | |