NASHVILLE — The Tennessee State football program has announced a home-and-home series with fellow HBCU institution Howard University for the 2024 and 2025 seasons and the opponent for the 2024 John Merritt Classic.
 
TSU will travel to our Nation's Capital to take on Howard in Washington, D.C., on October 19, 2024, and the Bison will journey to Roar City to face the Tigers at Nissan Stadium the following season on October 18, 2025.
 
These two historic HBCU teams have only met once on the gridiron. In that inaugural encounter, TSU emerged victorious with a 45-0 win over Howard in 2001.
 
TSU will kick off the 2024 campaign with the John Merritt Classic, hosting Mississippi Valley State University on August 31 at Nissan Stadium. In their last meeting, TSU defeated the Delta Devils 26-20 at the 21^st Annual John Merritt Classic.
 
TSU is coming off wins this season against fellow HBCU schools Arkansas-Pine Bluff, with a score of 24-14 in the 34th Annual Southern Heritage Classic, and a Homecoming victory over Norfolk State with a score of 24-17.