The 1971 Tennessee State Tigers football team represented

Tennessee State University Tennessee State University (Tennessee State, Tenn State, or TSU) is a public historically black land-grant university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1912, it is the only state-funded historically black university in Tenness ...

as an independent during the 1971 NCAA College Division football season. In their ninth season under head coach John Merritt, the Tigers compiled a 9–1 record, defeated McNeese State in the

Grantland Rice Bowl The Grantland Rice Bowl was an annual college football bowl game from 1964 through 1977, in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA's College Division, for smaller universities and colleges, and later NCAA Division II, Division II. The ...

, and outscored all opponents by a total of 403 to 151. The team was also recognized as the 1971 black college national champion and was ranked No. 5 in the final 1971 NCAA College Division football rankings issued by the

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and No. 14 in the final poll issued by the

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Schedule

References

{{Black college football national champion navbox

Tennessee State Tennessee State University (Tennessee State, Tenn State, or TSU) is a public historically black land-grant university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1912, it is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennes ...

Tennessee State Tigers football seasons Black college football national champions Grantland Rice Bowl champion seasons

Tennessee State Tigers football The Tennessee State Tigers football program represents Tennessee State University in the sport of American football. The Tigers compete in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as member of the Ohio Valley Conference. Hist ...