NASHVILLE — Tennessee State football opens its 2022 campaign on Saturday at Eastern Washington. Kickoff between the Tigers and Eagles is set for 1:00 p.m. PT from Roos Field. This trip to Cheney, Washington, marks the second time TSU has taken on a team from the West Coast to open the season. The Tigers opened with San Diego State in 1967.
 
The Tigers will be under the leadership of second-year head coach Eddie George, whose team was picked fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. TSU finished 5-6 (3-3 OVC) in George's first season a year ago. EWU is coming off a 10-3 campaign that saw a trip to the second round of the FCS playoffs. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools.

Tennessee State (0-0, 0-0) vs. Eastern Washington (0-0, 0-0)
Date: Sat., September 3
Time: 1:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 p.m. CT
Location: Cheney, Washington
Venue: Roos Field (8,700)

TV: ESPN+
Rob Jesselson (pxp) and Bill Ames (analyst)

Local Radio: Big Blue Sports Network (94.9 FM in Nashville) and (95.1 FM in Rutherford County)
Satelite Radio: Sirius XM 383, XM App 973
Greg Pogue (pxp) and Brad Hopkins (analyst)

Social: @TSU_Tigers | @TSUTigersFB
Game Notes: TSU | EWU
Game Day Information:  Watch | Live Stats 
 
SERIES INFORMATION: This is the first meeting between Tennessee State and Eastern Washington.
 
WHERE TO WATCH & LISTEN: TSU expanded its partnership with Cromwell Media naming 94.9 FM The Fan as the flagship station for TSU Football.  "The Voice of the Tigers" Greg Pogue returns for his 11th season behind the mic and will be joined by newcomer analysts to the booth former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Chris Sanders and left tackle, Brad Hopkins. The action can also be heard on the TSU Tigers app.

2022 CAPTAINS:  Head coach Eddie George announced the 2022 team captains on Thursday afternoon before the Tigers are set to depart Nashville for Spokane. Leading the Tigers will be Gleson Sprewell, Davoan Hawkins, JJ Holloman, and Kaleb Mosley. The captains were selected by the players.

TOP-HEAVY SCHEDULE: TSU will start the season against three teams that participated in either a bowl game or the FCS Playoffs when it meets Eastern Washington (FCS 2nd Round), Jackson State (Celebration Bowl), and MTSU (Bahamas Bowl). This is the first time TSU has started a season against teams that reached the postseason in the modern FCS era.
 
TSU IN SEASON OPENERS: TSU is 51-30-4 in season openers dating back to the 1933 season. The Tigers' largest margin of victory in a season opener came in the 1966 season when they took down North Carolina A&T 58-0 to open the season. John Merritt's team would finish that season 10-0 and take down Muskingum 34-7 in the Grantland Rice Bowl. TSU's 55-19 loss to Middle Tennessee to open 1987 is the worst opening day loss that the Tigers have suffered. TSU has posted 17 shutout wins in season openers since 1933, with the last one coming in the 2016 opener as the Tigers shutout Arkansas-Pine Bluff 44-0. 
 
LAST FIVE SEASON OPENERS: TSU is 3-2 in their last five season openers, and they have averaged 21.4 points per game in that span. The Eagles have posted a 2-3 record in their last five season openers while averaging 27.6 points per game. TSU dropped their season opener a year ago to Grambling, while EWU took down UNLV 35-33 in double overtime. 
 
OUT WEST: Tennessee State has played seven teams that are located west of the Central Time Zone. The Tigers are 2-4-1 all time when playing teams located in the Pacific Time Zone, which includes a 2-0 record at home, and an 0-4-1 record on the road. The last time the Tigers played a team from the Pacific was on September 24, 2011, on a trip to Colorado Springs to take on Air Force. TSU fell 63-24. Before that, the last time TSU played a team from the West was on December 6, 1986, in the Quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs, as the Tigers were taken down by Nevada 33-6. The last time a team from out west made a trip to Nashville was on October 4, 1980, when the Tigers sent the now defunct-Long Beach State 49ers football team back to the Ocean after a 35-18 victory. 
 
Sept. 15, 1967 // at San Diego State    L, 16-8
Nov. 23, 1968 // at San Diego State    T, 13-13
Nov. 9, 1979 // at UNLV                      L, 36-28
Nov. 22, 1979 // Cal Poly Pomona       W, 71-3 
Oct. 4, 1980 // Long Beach State      W, 35-18
Dec. 6, 1986 // at Nevada      L,33-6 —— Quarterfinals of Division I-AA Playoffs
Sept. 24, 2011 // at Air Force    L, 63-24
 
STARLING THE STAR: When you think of an all-purpose back, you think of someone that can run between the tackles, run to the outside, block, and catch passes out of the backfield. Devon Starling can do all those things and more. The third-year Tiger will look to have a strong junior year after finishing last season with over 1,100 all-purpose yards, which was the 4th most in the Ohio Valley Conference a year ago. The former Memphis Tiger led TSU in rushing yards last season with 800, while also leading the team in receptions with 37, to go along with 312 receiving yards, which was good for the second most on the team. Starling had three games of 100+ rushing yards and ran for a season-high 142 yards against Kentucky State. The Nashville native added three scores on the ground.
 
TSU BY THE NUMBERS
 
2,128: The number of miles from the campus of TSU to Roos Field on the campus of Eastern Washington. This game will be the farthest road trip for the Tigers, and the farthest they have ever traveled for a season opener. TSU will travel a combined 955 miles for their remaining five away games.
 
19: The number of FBS transfers on the 2022 roster. The Tigers will rely heavily on 18 FBS transfers, many of whom saw lots of playing time at their previous school, as well as any FCS transfers. Karate Brenson (Ball State), Jashon Watkins (Memphis), Gleson Sprewell (Houston), K'Vaughan Pope (Ohio State), JJ Holloman (Georgia), Cory Gross (Buffalo), and Rayonta Rose (East Carolina) are a few of the new FBS additions that will look to help the Tigers in 2022.
 
8: The number of TSU players selected to the 2022 All-OVC Preseason Team. Quarterback Draylen Ellis highlights the team, followed by running back Devon Starling. Wide receiver Zaire Thornton got the All-OVC preseason nod, while offensive lineman Robert Lacey joined his three teammates on the offensive side. The Tigers had three defensive players get the nod as defensive tackles Tadarrius Patterson and Terray Jones were both selected, along with James Green at outside linebacker. Dayron Johnson was selected to the team as a kick returner/punt returner. Ohio State transfer linebacker K'Vaughan Pope was selected as a newcomer to watch in the conference. 
 
26: Tennessee State needs 26 more wins to reach 600 all-time. The program has a record of 574-313-33.