The 1973 Tennessee State Tigers football team represented Tennessee State University as an independent during the 1973 NCAA Division II football season . In their 11th season under head coach John Merritt , the Tigers compiled a 10–0 record and outscored all opponents by a total of 333 to 87. The team was also recognized as the 1973 black college national champion and was ranked No. 1 in the final 1973 NCAA College Division football rankings issued by both the Associated Press and the United Press International .[1]
Tennessee State did not compete in the playoffs "because five of its starters would not be eligible to play."[2] The players in question had sat out their freshmen year ("redshirt ") and then played four seasons;[2] under NCAA rules at the time, such players were not eligible for postseason play as fifth-year seniors.
Schedule
References
^ "Tennessee State Yearly Results (1970-1974)" . College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved December 8, 2019 .
^ a b Finocchiaro, Ray (November 15, 1973). "5 Ineligible So Tennessee State Quits Playoff" . The News Journal . Wilmington, Delaware . Retrieved February 28, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
^ Hanna, Jeff (September 9, 1973). "TSU Defenders Blank Blue Raiders" . The Tennessean . Nashville, Tennessee . p. 1D. Retrieved February 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ Hanna, Jeff (September 9, 1973). "TSU Defenders (continued)" . The Tennessean . Nashville, Tennessee . p. 7D. Retrieved February 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Bryant, TSU feast on UT–Chattanooga" . The Tennessean . November 4, 1973. Retrieved September 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold
Selectors
AP (1960–1974)
UPI (1958–1974)
Champions
Mississippi Southern (1958, UPI)
Bowling Green (1959, UPI)
Ohio (1960, AP/UPI)
Pittsburg State (1961, AP/UPI)
Florida A&M (1962, AP)
Southern Miss (1962, UPI)
Northern Illinois (1963, AP)
Delaware (1963, UPI)
Wittenberg (1964, AP)
Cal State Los Angeles (1964, UPI)
North Dakota State (1965, AP/UPI)
San Diego State (1966, AP/UPI)
San Diego State (1967, AP/UPI)
North Dakota State (1968, AP)
San Diego State (1968, UPI)
North Dakota State (1969, AP/UPI)
Arkansas State (1970, AP/UPI)
Delaware (1971, AP/UPI)
Delaware (1972, AP/UPI)
Tennessee State (1973, AP/UPI)
Central Michigan (1974, AP)
Louisiana Tech (1974, UPI)
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
2000 : Grambling State
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
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
2020 : Alabama A&M
2021 : Florida A&M , South Carolina State