A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| Jackson State Tigers football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1911 | ||
| Athletic director | Ashley Robinson | ||
| Head coach | T. C. Taylor 2nd season, 7–4 (.636) | ||
| Stadium | Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium (capacity: 60,000) | ||
| Field surface | Natural grass | ||
| Location | Jackson, Mississippi | ||
| Conference | SWAC (Since 1958) | ||
| Division | East | ||
| All-time record | 494–336–22 (.593) | ||
| Bowl record | 3–2 (.600) | ||
| Claimed national titles | 3 (black college national championships: 1962, 1985, 1996)[1] | ||
| Conference titles | 19 (SWAC: Championships 1961, 1962, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1996, 2007, 2021, 2022) | ||
| Division titles | 8 (SWAC East: 1999, 2007, 2008, 2010*, 2011*, 2012, 2013, 2021, 2022) | ||
| Colors | Navy blue, white, and light blue[2] | ||
| Fight song | Cheer Boys | ||
| Marching band | Sonic Boom of the South | ||
| Website | www.gojsutigers.com | ||
The Jackson State Tigers football team represents Jackson State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
After joining the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in 1958, the program exploded into national prominence. In the 1980s, the program enjoyed its greatest success. Under head coach W. C. Gorden, the Tigers won eight conference championships between 1980 and 1990, including four straight from 1985 to 1988.[3]
Since 1958, Jackson State has won about 25 percent of the conference's football championships (19) and is a perennial powerhouse program among HBCUs. The Tigers have produced 93 professional football players and four Pro Football Hall of Famers: Lem Barney, Walter Payton, Robert Brazile, and Jackie Slater. Only 13 college football teams at any level have produced more Pro Football Hall of Famers than Jackson State.
In 2023 Tigers placekicker Leilani Armenta became the first woman to score in an HBCU game, scoring three extra points in an October 29, 2023 game against the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.[4]
Classifications
- 1958–1969: NAIA
- 1970–1982: NAIA Division I
- 1956–1972: NCAA College Division
- 1973–1976: NCAA Division II
- 1977: NCAA Division I
- 1978–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS
Conference memberships
- 1911–1912: Independent
- 1913: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
- 1914-1934 Independent
- 1935-1940 South Central Athletic Conference
- 1941-1946 Independent
- 1947–1950: South Central Athletic Conference
- 1951: Independent
- 1952–1957: Midwest Athletic Association
- 1958–present: Southwestern Athletic Conference
JSU fanbase
Jackson State is widely noted for its strong football support and culture.[5][6][7] Jackson State fans have led the Division I FCS in attendance for multiple seasons.[8][9][10]
Championships
National championships
Jackson State has been named a recipient of the black college football national championship three times.
| Year | Championship | Coach | Overall record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Black college national co-champions | John Merritt | 10–1 |
| 1985 | Black college national co-champions | W. C. Gorden | 8–3 |
| 1996 | Black college national co-champions | James Carson | 10–2 |
Conference championships
Jackson State has earned a total of 20 conference championships and has won the SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) title 18 times since joining in 1958. Conference championships include:
| Year | Coach | Conference | Overall record | Conference record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | Earnest Richards | Mississippi-Louisiana Conference[11] | ||
| 1957 | John Merritt | Midwest Athletic Association | 6–2 | 2–0 |
| 1961 | John Merritt | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 9–2 | 6–1 |
| 1962 | John Merritt | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 10–1 | 6–1 |
| 1972 | Robert Hill | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 8–3 | 5–1 |
| 1973 | Robert Hill | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 9–2 | 5–1 |
| 1975 | Robert Hill | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 7–3 | 4–2 |
| 1980 | W. C. Gorden | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 8–3 | 5–1 |
| 1981 | W. C. Gorden | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 9–2–1 | 5–1 |
| 1982 | W. C. Gorden | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 9–3 | 6–0 |
| 1985 | W. C. Gorden | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 8–3 | 6–1 |
| 1986 | W. C. Gorden | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 9–3 | 7–0 |
| 1987 | W. C. Gorden | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 8–3–1 | 7–0 |
| 1988 | W. C. Gorden | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 8–1–2 | 7–0 |
| 1990 | W. C. Gorden | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 8–4 | 5–1 |
| 1995 | James Carson | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 9–3 | 7–0 |
| 1996 | James Carson | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 10–2 | 6–1 |
| 2007 | Rick Comegy | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 8–4 | 8–2 |
| 2021 | Deion Sanders | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 11-2 | 8-0 |
| 2022 | Deion Sanders | Southwestern Athletic Conference | 12-1 | 8-0 |
Division championships
The Southwestern Athletic Conference instituted a divisional system for football in 1999. Jackson State plays in the Eastern Division of the conference along with Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Alcorn State, and Mississippi Valley. The SWAC Western Division includes the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Grambling, Prairie View A&M, Southern U, and Texas Southern. Each season, the SWAC East and SWAC West divisional champions face off in the SWAC Championship Game. Jackson State University claims seven SWAC Eastern Division championships: 1999, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 and has won five outright to advance to the title game.
| Year | Coach | Division | Overall record | Conference record |
Opponent | Championship Game result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Judge Hughes | SWAC East | 8–4 | 8–2 | Southern | L 30–31 |
| 2007 | Rick Comegy | SWAC East | 8–4 | 8–2 | Grambling State | W 42–31 |
| 2008 | Rick Comegy | SWAC East | 7–5 | 6–1 | Grambling State | L 9–41 |
| 2010† | Rick Comegy | SWAC East | 8–3 | 6–3 | N/A lost tiebreaker to Alabama State ‡ | |
| 2011† | Rick Comegy | SWAC East | 9–2 | 7–2 | N/A lost tiebreaker to Alabama A&M ^ | |
| 2012 | Rick Comegy | SWAC East | 7–5 | 7–2 | Arkansas–Pine Bluff | L 21–24OT |
| 2013 | Rick Comegy | SWAC East | 8–4 | 8–1 | Southern | L 27–342OT (win vacated by Southern^) |
| 2021 | Deion Sanders | SWAC East | 11–2 | 8–0 | Prairie View A&M | W 27-10 |
| 2022 | Deion Sanders | SWAC East | 12-1 | 8–0 | Southern | W 43-24 |
† Co–champions
^ win vacated by Southern University due to NCAA violations[12]
NCAA I-AA/FCS playoff results
The Tigers have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs 12 times with a record of 0–12.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Semifinals | Florida A&M | L 10–15 |
| 1981 | Quarterfinals | Boise State | L 7–19 |
| 1982 | First Round | Eastern Illinois | L 13–16 |
| 1985 | First Round | Georgia Southern | L 0–27 |
| 1986 | First Round | Tennessee State | L 23–32 |
| 1987 | First Round | Arkansas State | L 32–35 |
| 1988 | First Round | Stephen F. Austin | L 0–24 |
| 1989 | First Round | Montana | L 7–48 |
| 1990 | First Round | Middle Tennessee | L 7–28 |
| 1995 | First Round | Marshall | L 8–38 |
| 1996 | First Round | William & Mary | L 6–45 |
| 1997 | First Round | Western Illinois | L 24–31 |
Bowl games
| Season | Bowl | Location | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Azalea Bowl | Mobile, AL | Alabama A&M | W 40–21 |
| 2021 | Celebration Bowl | Atlanta, GA | South Carolina State | L 10–31 |
| 2022 | Celebration Bowl | Atlanta, GA | North Carolina Central | L 34–41 OT |