1970 Tennessee State Tigers football team

American college football season

1970 Tennessee State Tigers football

Black college football national champion

Grantland Rice Bowl, W 26–25 vs. Southwestern Louisiana

Conference| Independent
Record| 10–0
Head coach|

* John Merritt (8th season)

Home stadium| Hale Stadium

Seasons

<- 1969

1971 ->

1970 NCAA College Division independents football records

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

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Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 4 Tampa |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 10  | - | 1  | - | 0
No. 5 Tennessee State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 10  | - | 0  | - | 0
No. 11 Delaware |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 9  | - | 2  | - | 0
Hawaii |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 9  | - | 2  | - | 0
Northern Michigan |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 19 Eastern Michigan |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 7  | - | 2  | - | 1
Akron |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
Central Michigan |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
Temple |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
Drake |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
Wayne State (MI) |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 2  | - | 0
Arkansas AM&N |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
Southern Illinois |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
St. Norbert |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
Nevada |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 1
Portland State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
UNLV |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Boston University |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 0
Cortland |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 0
Indiana (PA) |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 0
Santa Clara |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 1
Lafayette |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Colorado College |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 4  | - | 0
Drexel |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 4  | - | 0
Hofstra |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Indiana State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Samford |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Wabash |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 3  | - | 2
Saint Mary's |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 4  | - | 0
Ashland |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Bucknell |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Lehigh |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Rose Poly |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 5  | - | 1
Northeastern |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 5  | - | 0
Indiana Central |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 6  | - | 0
Lake Forest |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 6  | - | 0
Kentucky State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 6  | - | 0
Chicago |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 2  | - | 5  | - | 0
Chattanooga |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Parsons |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 2  | - | 7  | - | 0
Eastern Illinois |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 0
Milwaukee |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 1  | - | 9  | - | 0
Rankings from AP small college poll

The 1970 Tennessee State Tigers football team represented Tennessee State University as an independent during the 1970 NCAA College Division football season. In their eighth season under head coach John Merritt, the Tigers compiled a perfect 10–0 record, defeated Southwestern Louisiana in the 1970 Grantland Rice Bowl, and outscored all opponents by a total of 396 to 144. The team was also recognized as the 1970 black college national champion and was ranked No. 5 in the final small college rankings issued by both the Associated Press and United Press International.[1]

Tackle Vernon Holland received first-team honors on the 1970 Little All-America college football team.[2]

## Schedule[edit]

Date| Opponent| Rank| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

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September 11| vs. Alcorn A&M| |

* Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
* Los Angeles, CA (Freedom Classic)

| W 24–14| 43,772| [3]
September 19| vs. Kentucky State| |

* Crump Stadium
* Memphis, TN

| W 62–7| 15,000| [4]
September 26| vs. Albany State| No. 10|

* Porter Stadium
* Macon, GA (Central City Classic)

| W 54–7| 8,000| [5]
October 3| Texas Southern| No. 10|

* Hale Stadium
* Nashville, TN

| W 41–9| 11,000| [6]
October 10| at Grambling| No. 6|

* Grambling Stadium
* Grambling, LA

| W 34–27| 12,000| [7]
October 24| at Florida A&M| No. 5|

* Bragg Memorial Stadium
* Tallahassee, FL

| W 21–10| 13,500-14,000| [8]
October 31| Southern| No. 5|

* Hale Stadium
* Nashville, TN

| W 38–7| 11,000–14,000| [9][10]
November 7| Morris Brown| No. 6|

* Hale Stadium
* Nashville, TN

| W 36–14| 9,000| [11]
November 21| vs. Parsons| No. 5|

* Busch Memorial Stadium
* St. Louis, MO (Gateway Classic)

| W 21–3| 7,000| [12]
November 26| Bishop| No. 4|

* Hale Stadium
* Nashville, TN

| W 39–21| 12,000| [13]
December 12| at No. 10 Southwestern Louisiana| No. 5|

* Memorial Stadium
* Baton Rouge, LA (Grantland Rice Bowl)

| W 26–25| 17,000| [14]

* Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[15]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Tennessee State Yearly Results (1970-1974)". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
2. ^ "A.P.'s Little All-American". The Morning News. December 10, 1970. p. 42 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ Mal Florence (September 12, 1970). "Tennessee's Early Thrusts Too Much for Alcorn, 24-14". Los Angeles Times. pp. III-1, III-6 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "The Big Blue drinks again from the Jug". The Commercial Appeal. September 20, 1970. Retrieved March 6, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Rams lose Classic, 54–7". The Macon Telegraph & News. September 27, 1970. Retrieved March 6, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Big Blue routs Southern by 41–9 count, now 4–0". The Nashville Tennessean. October 4, 1970. Retrieved June 26, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Tigers nudge Grambling on Sims' pass interception". The Tennessean. October 11, 1970. Retrieved March 28, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Tennessee State strikes late to overtake Rattlers 21–10". St. Petersburg Times. October 25, 1970. Retrieved March 6, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ "TSU rambles to 38–7 win". The Nashville Tennessean. November 1, 1970. Retrieved August 14, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ "Final 1970 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
11. ^ "Gilliam too much for Morris Brown". The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. November 8, 1970. Retrieved March 6, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ "Tennessee State rips Parsons in Gateway". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. November 22, 1970. Retrieved March 6, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
13. ^ "Tennessee State topples Bishop". The Nashville Tennessean. November 27, 1970. Retrieved March 6, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
14. ^ "Tennessee State Nips USL Ragin' Cajuns". The Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, Louisiana). December 13, 1970. p. 57 - via Newspapers.com.
15. ^ "Final 1970 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 11, 2022.

* v
* t
* e

Tennessee State Tigers football

Venues|

* Sulphur Dell
* Hale Stadium (1953–1998, 2012–2020)
* Nissan Stadium (1999–2019, 2021–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Austin Peay, Tennessee Tech, UT Martin: Sgt. York Trophy
* Jackson State: Southern Heritage Classic

Culture & lore|

* Tigre

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees

Seasons|

* 1916
* 1917–1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941–1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

National championship seasons in bold

* v
* t
* e

Black college football national champions

1920s|

* 1920: Howard / Talladega
* 1921: Talladega / Wiley
* 1922: Hampton
* 1923: Howard / Lincoln (PA) / Virginia Union
* 1924: Lincoln (PA) / Paul Quinn / Tuskegee
* 1925: Howard / Tuskegee
* 1926: Howard / Tuskegee
* 1927: Bluefield / Tuskegee
* 1928: Bluefield / Wiley
* 1929: Tuskegee

1920s|

* 1930: Tuskegee
* 1931: Wilberforce
* 1932: Wiley
* 1933: Morgan
* 1934: Kentucky State
* 1935: Kentucky State / Texas College
* 1936: Virginia State / West Virginia State
* 1937: Morgan
* 1938: Florida A&M
* 1939: Langston

1940s|

* 1940: Morris Brown
* 1941: Langston / Morris Brown
* 1942: Florida A&M
* 1943: Morgan State
* 1944: Morgan State
* 1945: Wiley
* 1946: Morgan State / Tennessee A&I
* 1947: Shaw / Tennessee A&I
* 1948: Wilberforce State / Southern
* 1949: Morgan State / Southern

1950s|

* 1950: Florida A&M / Southern
* 1951: Morris Brown / North Carolina A&T
* 1952: Florida A&M
* 1953: Florida A&M / Prairie View A&M / Tennessee A&I
* 1954: Florida A&M / North Carolina College / Prairie View A&M / Southern / Tennessee A&I
* 1955: Grambling
* 1956: Tennessee A&I
* 1957: Florida A&M
* 1958: Prairie View A&M
* 1959: Florida A&M

1960s|

* 1960: Southern
* 1961: Florida A&M
* 1962: Florida A&M / Jackson State
* 1963: Prairie View A&M
* 1964: Prairie View A&M
* 1965: Tennessee A&I
* 1966: Tennessee A&I
* 1967: Grambling / Morgan State
* 1968: Alcorn A&M / North Carolina A&T
* 1969: Alcorn A&M

1970s|

* 1970: Tennessee State
* 1971: Tennessee State
* 1972: Grambling
* 1973: Tennessee State
* 1974: Alcorn State / Grambling State
* 1975: Grambling State
* 1976: South Carolina State
* 1977: Florida A&M / Grambling State / South Carolina State
* 1978: Florida A&M
* 1979: Tennessee State

1980s|

* 1980: Grambling State
* 1981: South Carolina State / Virginia Union
* 1982: South Carolina State / Tennessee State
* 1983: Central State / Grambling State / Tennessee State
* 1984: Alcorn State / Tennessee State
* 1985: Hampton / Jackson State
* 1986: Central State
* 1987: Central State / Howard
* 1988: Central State
* 1989: Central State

1990s|

* 1990: Central State / North Carolina A&T
* 1991: Alabama State
* 1992: Central State / Grambling State
* 1993: Howard / Southern
* 1994: Hampton / South Carolina State
* 1995: Southern
* 1996: Howard / Jackson State
* 1997: Hampton / Southern
* 1998: Florida A&M / Southern
* 1999: North Carolina A&T

2000s|

* 2000: Grambling State / Tuskegee
* 2001: Florida A&M / Grambling State / Tuskegee
* 2002: Bethune–Cookman / Fayetteville State / Grambling State
* 2003: Albany State / Southern
* 2004: Albany State / Hampton
* 2005: Grambling State / Hampton / North Carolina Central
* 2006: Hampton / North Carolina Central
* 2007: Delaware State / Tuskegee
* 2008: Grambling State
* 2009: South Carolina State

2010s|

* 2010: Bethune–Cookman
* 2011: Norfolk State / Winston-Salem State
* 2012: Arkansas–Pine Bluff / Winston-Salem State
* 2013: Bethune–Cookman / Tennessee State
* 2014: Alcorn State
* 2015: North Carolina A&T
* 2016: Grambling State
* 2017: North Carolina A&T
* 2018: North Carolina A&T
* 2019: North Carolina A&T

2020s|

* 2020: Alabama A&M
* 2021: Bowie State / Florida A&M / South Carolina State
* 2022: North Carolina Central
* 2023: Florida A&M

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[No.]: Number