1970 Tennessee State Tigers football team

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]

1970 Tennessee State Tigers football
ConferenceIndependent
Record10–0
Head coach
Home stadiumHale Stadium
1970 NCAA College Division independents football records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW 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

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

Schedule
DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 11vs. Alcorn A&M
W 24–1443,772[3]
September 19vs. Kentucky State
W 62–715,000[4]
September 26vs. Albany StateNo. 10
  • Porter Stadium
  • Macon, GA (Central City Classic)
W 54–78,000[5]
October 3Texas SouthernNo. 10
W 41–911,000[6]
October 10at GramblingNo. 6
W 34–2712,000[7]
October 24at Florida A&MNo. 5
W 21–1013,500-14,000[8]
October 31SouthernNo. 5
  • Hale Stadium
  • Nashville, TN
W 38–711,000–14,000[9][10]
November 7Morris BrownNo. 6
  • Hale Stadium
  • Nashville, TN
W 36–149,000[11]
November 21vs. ParsonsNo. 5
W 21–37,000[12]
November 26BishopNo. 4
  • Hale Stadium
  • Nashville, TN
W 39–2112,000[13]
December 12at No. 10 Southwestern LouisianaNo. 5
W 26–2517,000[14]
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[15]

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. "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.
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