1971 Tennessee State Tigers football team

☆ Save On Wikipedia ↗
1971 Tennessee State Tigers football
ConferenceIndependent
Record9–1
Head coach
Home stadiumHale Stadium
Dudley Field
1971 NCAA College Division independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Delaware – 10–1–0
No. 5 Tennessee State – 9–1–0
No. 2 McNeese State – 9–1–1
Samford – 8–1–0
Colorado College – 7–1–0
No. 8 Akron – 8–2–0
No. 3 Eastern Michigan – 7–1–2
Arkansas AM&N – 7–2–0
Indiana (PA) – 7–2–0
Kentucky State – 8–3–0
Appalachian State – 7–3–1
Northern Michigan – 7–3–0
Hawaii – 7–4–0
Illinois College – 5–3–0
Ashland – 6–4–0
Santa Clara – 6–4–0
Southern Illinois – 6–4–0
Tampa – 6–5–0
UNLV – 5–4–1
Bucknell – 5–5–0
Central Michigan – 5–5–0
Milwaukee – 5–5–0
Nevada – 5–5–0
St. Norbert – 5–5–0
Wayne State (MI) – 4–4–0
Hofstra – 5–6–0
Cortland – 4–5–0
Northeastern – 4–5–0
Portland State – 4–5–0
Ball State – 4–5–1
Chicago – 3–4–0
Northeast Louisiana – 4–6–1
Eastern Illinois – 4–6–0
Indiana State – 4–6–0
Saint Mary's – 3–5–0
Rose-Hulman – 3–6–0
Boston University – 3–7–0
Drexel – 2–6–0
Chattanooga – 2–9–0
Rankings from AP small college poll

The 1971 Tennessee State Tigers football team represented Tennessee State University as an independent during the 1971 NCAA College Division football season. In their ninth season under head coach John Merritt, the Tigers compiled a 9–1 record, defeated McNeese State in the Grantland Rice Bowl, and outscored all opponents by a total of 403 to 151. The team was also recognized as the 1971 black college national champion and was ranked No. 5 in the final small college rankings issued by the Associated Press and No. 14 in the final poll issued by the United Press International.[1]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 25vs. Alcorn A&M
W 18–717,006[2]
October 2at Texas SouthernNo. 10
L 23–2820,000[3]
October 9 No. 3 Grambling
W 41–3518,000–25,000[4][5]
October 16vs. Prairie ViewNo. 9
W 42–2015,000[6]
October 23Florida A&MNo. 9
W 50–832,000[7]
October 30at SouthernNo. 7
W 27–1619,451[8]
November 6at Morris BrownNo. 7
W 61–715,000[9]
November 13Wisconsin–SuperiorNo. 6
  • Hale Stadium
  • Nashville, TN
W 54–79,000[10]
November 20Central State (OH)No. 4
  • Hale Stadium
  • Nashville, TN
W 61–08,000[11]
December 11vs. No. 2 McNeese StateNo. 5
W 26–2315,271[12]
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[13]

References

  1. "Tennessee State Yearly Results (1970-1974)". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  2. "Big Blue splashes past Alcorn hurdle". The Commercial Appeal. September 26, 1971. Retrieved August 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Texas Southern Tops TSU". The Nashville Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. October 3, 1971. p. 3C. Retrieved December 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  4. "Big Blue tips Grambling". The Tennessean. October 10, 1971. Retrieved March 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Final 1971 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Grambling)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  6. "TSU rambles, 42–20". The Nashville Tennessean. October 17, 1971. Retrieved August 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Tennessee State shows force". The Commercial Appeal. October 24, 1971. Retrieved March 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Southern fifth TSU victim". The Nashville Tennessean. October 31, 1971. Retrieved August 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "M. Brown outclassed by Tenn. State". The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. November 7, 1971. Retrieved March 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Tigers ravage Jackets 54–7". The Nashville Tennessean. November 14, 1971. Retrieved March 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Tigers impressive for bowl boys". Dayton Daily News. November 21, 1971. Retrieved March 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. Brandt, Roger (December 12, 1971). "TSU Denies McNeese An Undefeated Season". Daily World. Opelousas, Louisiana. Retrieved February 12, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  13. "Final 1971 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Tennessee State)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 11, 2022.