1984 Tennessee State Tigers football team

1984 Tennessee State Tigers football
1984 Tennessee State Tigers football
Black college national champion
Conference	Independent
Record	11–0
Head coach	William A. Thomas (1st season);
Home stadium	Hale Stadium; Vanderbilt Stadium
	Seasons ← 1983 1985 →

The 1984 Tennessee State Tigers football team represented Tennessee State University as an independent during the 1984 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by first-year head coach William A. Thomas, the Tigers compiled an overall record of 11–0. At the conclusion of the season, the Tigers were also recognized as black college national champion.

1984 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings
v t e	Conf			Overall
Team	W	L	T	W		L		T
Tennessee State		–		11	–	0	–	0
Georgia Southern		–		8	–	3	–	0
No. 15 Holy Cross		–		8	–	3	–	0
No. 19 Delaware		–		8	–	3	–	0
No. 12 Richmond ^		–		8	–	4	–	0
Eastern Washington		–		7	–	2	–	1
James Madison		–		6	–	5	–	0
William & Mary		–		6	–	5	–	0
Bucknell		–		5	–	5	–	0
Colgate		–		5	–	5	–	0
Lafayette		–		5	–	5	–	0
Lehigh		–		5	–	6	–	0
Florida A&M		–		3	–	6	–	1
Northeastern		–		3	–	7	–	0
Western Kentucky		–		2	–	9	–	0

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

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 1	at Hampton		Armstrong Stadium Hampton, VA	W 44–0	7,104	^[1]
September 8	vs. Jackson State		Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN (Bluff City Classic)	W 34–14	40,000	^[2]
September 15	Alabama A&M		Hale Stadium Nashville, TN	W 42–21	13,000	^[3]
September 21	Florida A&M	No. 10	Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN	W 41–20	25,000	^[4]
October 6	at Grambling State	No. 9	Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium Grambling, LA	W 34–24		^[5]
October 13	at Tennessee Tech	No. 7	Tucker Stadium Cookeville, TN	W 33–3	14,623	^[6]
October 20	vs. Kentucky State	No. 3	Cardinal Stadium Louisville, KY	W 71–0	7,500	^[7]
October 27	Southern	No. 3	Vanderbilt Stadium Nashville, TN	W 42–7	38,500	^[8]
November 3	vs. Bethune–Cookman	No. 3	Tampa Stadium Tampa, FL	W 41–8	9,200	^[9]
November 10	at Louisville	No. 2	Cardinal Stadium Louisville, KY	W 24–15	23,821	^[10]
November 17	North Carolina A&T	No. 1	Hale Stadium Nashville, TN	W 44–14	9,000	^[11]
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Poll released prior to the game

^ "Tenn. State wrecks debut of HI coach". Daily Press. September 2, 1984. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Tenn. St. blitzes J-State 34–14". The Clarion-Ledger. September 9, 1984. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "TSU bombs A&M 42–21". The Tennessean. September 16, 1984. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "FAMU loses 4th straight". Tallahassee Democrat. September 22, 1984. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "TSU stops Grambling". The Commercial Appeal. October 7, 1984. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Patience pays as Big Blue whips Tech". The Tennessean. October 14, 1984. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Tennessee State's Jug music numbs Kentucky State 71–0". The Courier-Journal. October 21, 1984. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Tennessee State rips Southern". The Tennessean. October 28, 1984. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "B–CC embarrassed by Tennessee State". The Orlando Sentinel. November 4, 1984. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Tenn. State stops Cards with defense". The Park City Daily News. November 11, 1984. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "History-making TSU rolls 44–14". The Tennessean. November 18, 1984. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.

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