1983 Tennessee State Tigers football team

1983 Tennessee State Tigers football
1983 Tennessee State Tigers football
Black college national champion
Conference	Independent
Record	8–2–1
Head coach	John Merritt (21st season);
Home stadium	Hale Stadium; Vanderbilt Stadium
	Seasons ← 1982 1984 →

The 1983 Tennessee State Tigers football team represented Tennessee State University as an independent during the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 21st-year head coach John Merritt, the Tigers compiled an overall record of 8–2–1. At the conclusion of the season, the Tigers were also recognized as black college national champion.

1983 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings
v t e	Conf			Overall
Team	W	L	T	W		L		T
No. 3 Holy Cross ^		–		9	–	1	–	1
No. 17 Tennessee State		–		8	–	2	–	1
No. 7 Colgate ^		–		8	–	3	–	0
Lehigh		–		8	–	3	–	0
Lafayette		–		6	–	4	–	0
Northeastern		–		6	–	4	–	1
Southeastern Louisiana		–		6	–	5	–	0
William & Mary		–		6	–	5	–	0
Nicholls State		–		5	–	6	–	0
Bucknell		–		4	–	5	–	1
Delaware		–		4	–	7	–	0
Northwestern State		–		4	–	7	–	0
James Madison		–		3	–	8	–	0
Richmond		–		3	–	8	–	0
Western Kentucky		–		2	–	8	–	1

^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 3	Hampton		Hale Stadium Nashville, TN	W 20–14	14,000	^[1]
September 10	at Jackson State		Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS	L 31–35		^[2]
September 17	at Alabama A&M		Milton Frank Stadium Huntsville, AL	W 40–28	10,000	^[3]
September 24	at Florida A&M	No. 16	Bragg Memorial Stadium Tallahassee, FL	W 23–13		^[4]
October 1	Alabama State	No. 13	Hale Stadium Nashville, TN	W 52–19		^[5]
October 8	No. T–14 Grambling State	No. 8	Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN	T 7–7	40,000	^[6]
October 22	at Bethune–Cookman	No. 12	Florida Citrus Bowl Orlando, FL	W 21–19	6,500	^[7]
October 29	at Southern	No. 13	A. W. Mumford Stadium Baton Rouge, LA	W 49–24		^[8]
November 5	District of Columbia	No. 8	Hale Stadium Nashville, TN	W 55–6	4,000	^[9]
November 12	vs. Mississippi Valley State	No. 12	Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN (Bluff City Classic)	L 38–51	15,000	^[10]
November 19	at North Carolina A&T	No. 18	Aggie Stadium Greensboro, NC	W 57–0	7,625	^[11]
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Poll released prior to the game

^ "HI defeated 20–14". Daily Press. September 4, 1983. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Jackson State takes wild 35–31 victory". The Clarion-Ledger. September 11, 1983. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Late Tennessee State surge nets 40–28 victory". The Tennessean. September 18, 1983. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "FAMU bows 23–13". Press Journel. September 25, 1983. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Tennessee State routs Hornets, 52–19". The Montgomery Advertiser. October 2, 1983. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Grambling scores, TSU fit to be tied". The Tennessean. October 9, 1983. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Fumbles foil B–CC's upset bid". The Orlando Sentinel. October 23, 1983. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Tennessee State downs Southern". The Tennessean. October 30, 1983. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Big Blue overwhelms District of Columbia". The Commercial Appeal. November 6, 1983. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Early turnovers help MVSU clobber TSU". The Greenwood Commonwealth. November 13, 1983. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Tennessee State rips N.C. A&T". The Charlotte Observer. November 20, 1983. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.

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