1981 Tennessee State Tigers football team

The 1981 Tennessee State Tigers football team were an American college football team. They represented Tennessee State University as an independent during the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 19th-year head coach John Merritt, the Tigers compiled a record of 9–3 and were defeated by South Carolina State in the NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal.

1981 Tennessee State Tigers football
ConferenceIndependent
Record9–3
Head coach
Home stadiumHale Stadium
Dudley Field
Seasons
← 1980
1982 →
1981 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 8 Lafayette     9 2 0
No. 7 Delaware ^     9 3 0
No. 6 Tennessee State ^     9 3 0
Southeastern Louisiana     8 3 0
Lehigh     8 3 0
Nicholls State     5 5 1
Northwestern State     4 6 0
Bucknell     4 6 0
Northeastern     3 7 0
James Madison     3 8 0
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

Schedule

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DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 12at Jackson StateL 23–31[1]
September 19at Southern IllinoisW 17–1412,500[2]
September 26Texas SouthernW 48–25[3]
October 3vs. Alabama StateW 21–20[4]
October 10Grambling State
W 14–1034,386[5]
October 17at LouisvilleW 42–3028,136[6]
October 24Nicholls State
  • Dudley Field
  • Nashville, TN
W 49–117,500[7]
October 31at SouthernNo. T–7W 28–18[8]
November 7Central State (OH)No. 5
  • Hale Stadium
  • Nashville, TN
W 43–06,000[9]
November 14at ChattanoogaNo. 5L 9–2812,003[10]
November 21at North Carolina A&TNo. 7W 27–18[11]
December 5at No. 3 South Carolina StateNo. 6L 25–26 OT12,000[12]

References

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  1. ^ "Taylor leads JSU past Tenn. State". The Clarion-Ledger. September 13, 1981. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Last-second kick beats Southern Illinois, 17–14". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. September 20, 1981. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Tigers crush Texans". The Tennessean. September 27, 1981. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Alabama St. loses first". The Dothan Eagle. October 4, 1981. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "TSU wins defensive struggle". The Tennessean. October 11, 1981. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "It comes to pass: Tennessee State strafes U of L 42–30". The Courier-Journal. October 18, 1981. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "TSU 'plugs' Nicholls St". The Tennessean. October 25, 1981. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Tennessee State downs Southern". The Commercial Appeal. November 1, 1981. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "TSU torpedoes Central State". The Tennessean. November 8, 1981. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "UTC topples Tennessee State". The Tennessean. November 15, 1981. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Aggies fall despite late rally". Greensboro News and Record. November 22, 1981. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "TSU loses 26–25 in overtime". The Tennessean. December 6, 1981. Retrieved February 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.