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2021 TSU Fall Schedule

Tennessee State, Ohio Valley Conference Announces 2021 Fall Football Schedule

3/22/2021 10:00:00 AM

NASHVILLE --- The Ohio Valley Conference has announced its league football schedule for the 2021 season.

In 2021, Tennessee State will play six conference games in a round-robin format as part of the official OVC schedule. The schedule will allow for the Tigers to play five out of conference matchups.
 
The Big Blue will open the season with the Black College Hall of Fame Classic against Grambling State at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio on Sunday, Sept. 5. The game will be followed with the annual Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis, Tenn. versus Jackson State on Sept. 11.
 
TSU will play its first home game of the season against Kentucky State on Sept. 18 before starting OVC play at Southeast Missouri on Sept. 25.
 
As part of the conference schedule, the OVC Directors of Athletics agreed to schedule additional games against OVC opponents outside the structure of the Conference schedule as a way to play competitive games within the region.
 
"This scheduling effort epitomized the spirit of cooperation and collaboration that exists among the OVC members," said OVC Commissioner Beth DeBauche. "As a by-product of this effort, we believe we will enhance the sense of rivalry in the Conference and provide us with opportunities to showcase our outstanding level of competition."

The Tigers will square off with Austin Peay for this contest in Clarksville on Oct. 2.
 
Tennessee State will host its first conference home game on Oct. 16 against Tennessee Tech and will also host Murray State (Oct. 30) and APSU (Nov. 13).
 
The Big Blue will fill out its OVC schedule with road games at Eastern Illinois (Oct. 23) and at UT Martin (Nov. 6).
 
TSU will close out the regular season with a trip to Starkville, Miss., for a matchup with SEC opponent Mississippi State on Nov. 20.
 
The 2021 campaign will mark the 74th football season for the OVC. Over the previous 73 years, 15 of 18 teams that have competed have claimed at least one league championship.

Other notable OVC football facts:
  • Every current OVC team has been ranked in the Top 25 polls over the past five years.
  • The OVC has placed multiple teams in the FCS Playoffs seven times in the past 10 years.
  • OVC teams have 11 playoff wins since 2013, including four Quarterfinal appearances and one National Championship game appearance.
  • Since 2013, the OVC has produced one Deacon Jones Award Winner, a Walter Payton Award Winner, two Buck Buchanan Award Winners and an Eddie Robinson Award Winner. In addition, the league has had two Doris Robinson Award Winners, as the National Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
  • The OVC has produced at least NFL Draft Pick in 10 of the past 13 years.
  • In January 2020, OVC alum Jimmy Garoppolo became just the eighth former FCS quarterback to start a Super Bowl, doing so with the San Francisco 49ers.
 
2021 Tennessee State Schedule
 Sept. 5   Grambling State 
 Sept.11   Jackson State
 Sept. 18   Kentucky State
 Sept. 25   at Southeast Missouri * 
 Oct. 2  at Austin Peay
 Oct. 16  Tennessee Tech *
 Oct. 23  at Eastern Illinois *
 Oct. 30  Murray State *
 Nov. 6  at UT Martin *
 Nov. 13  Austin Peay *
 Nov. 20  at Mississippi State
 
Game times and locations will be announced at a later date.
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