NASHVILLE —The Tennessee State football team aims to secure its first opening-day victory since 2019 when the Tigers host Mississippi Valley State in the 25th edition of the John Merritt Classic at Nissan Stadium on Saturday at 5 p.m. TSU hopes to recreate the success of their last meeting on August 31, 2019, when they defeated Mississippi Valley State 26-20.
 
Tennessee State (0-0) vs. Mississippi Valley State (0-0)
Date: Sat., August 31, 2024
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Venue: Nissan Stadium (69,143)
 
TV: ESPN+
Dain Laing (PxP)
Chris Sanders (Color)
 
Radio: WNSR — 560 AM, 95.9 FM (Nashville), 107.9 FM (Smyrna)
Stream: TSU Tigers App, WNSR.com, Alexa (Play WNSR)
Greg Pogue (pxp)
Dean Cokinos (analyst)
 
Social: @TSU_Tigers | @TSUTigersFB
Game Notes: TSU | MVSU
Game Day Information:  Watch | Live Stats
 
SERIES INFORMATION: This will be the ninth meeting between the Tigers and the Delta Devils. TSU leads the series 5-3, with seven of the eight previous games played in a classic event. TSU has never visited Itta Bena, Mississippi, with seven of the eight games held in Tennessee. The only game outside of the Volunteer State took place in 1988 at the Circle City Classic at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, a classic celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024. 

WHERE TO WATCH & LISTEN: TSU Football can be heard on WNSR's flagship stations: 560 AM, 95.9 FM (Nashville), and 107.9 FM (Smyrna), and streamed online at WNSR.com. The broadcast is also available globally on Sirius XM. WNSR will provide comprehensive pregame and postgame analysis, exclusive interviews with coaches and players, and behind-the-scenes content for enhanced fan engagement. "The Voice of the Tigers," Greg Pogue, returns for his 13th season behind the mic and will be joined by Dean Cokinos, head coach of the Nashville Kats of the Arena Football League, for home games and former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Chris Sanders for road games. The action can also be streamed on the TSU Tigers app.

GEORGE RETURNS FOR YEAR FOUR: Entering his fourth season as head coach, Eddie George starts the season with a 15-18 overall record and a 7-10 record in OVC-Big South play. Last season, TSU finished with a 6-5 record, the most wins since 2017 when former head coach Rod Reed also finished 6-5.
 
RUNNIN' (THROUGH) THE DEVIL: The TSU running back duo of Jordan Gant and Jalen Rouse returns after combining for nearly 1,000 yards in 2023. Gant, named to the Black College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List by the Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF), earned second-team All-Big South-OVC and Freshman All-American honors last year after starting seven games. He rushed for 553 yards and 10 touchdowns on 144 carries, becoming the first TSU player to record double-digit rushing touchdowns in a season since 2012. Rouse added 90 carries for 388 yards and two scores while averaging 4.1 yards per carry.
 
TSU will also look to transfer backups CJ Evans from Austin Peay and Kaderris Roberts from Stetson. Evans, a three-year starter, finished with 1,309 yards and 12 touchdowns but was sidelined in 2023 after three games due to injury. Evans was a teammate of TSU QB Draylen Ellis during the 2021 (spring and fall) seasons. Roberts appeared in 22 games for the Hatters, rushing for 785 yards and six touchdowns.
 
DJ'S LAST HURRAH: Quarterback Draylen Ellis enters his final year at TSU after being named the 2021 OVC Rookie of the Year with 19 touchdowns and 2,626 yards for Austin Peay. Ellis transferred to TSU in 2022 and has since thrown for 14 touchdowns and 2,882 yards.
 
NEW SLOT MACHINES AT NISSAN: The wide receiver lineup will look different this year with the additions of Tennessee Tech transfer Jalal Dean, along with backups Bryant Williams from El Camino CC and Roshawn Lacy from Riverside CC. Dean played three seasons with OVC rival Tennessee Tech, where he caught 48 passes for 656 yards and two touchdowns.
 
GEORGE SEEKS TO D-LINE LEADER: On defense, Eriq George, the head coach's son, returns after being named the 2023 Big South-OVC Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year. He played in nine games as a true freshman, finishing with 25 tackles (13 solo, 12 assists), 6.0 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.
 
THREE-STAR COLEMAN READY TO PERFORM:  During the early 2023 signing period, TSU added three-star cornerback Jayden Coleman, who committed to Tennessee State over offers from Auburn, Tennessee, North Carolina, Penn State, and Texas A&M. The 6-foot-1, 178-pound cornerback is from Liberty-Eylau High School in Texarkana, Texas, and transferred this offseason from Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama. Coleman is the No. 867 overall prospect and No. 83 cornerback in the class of 2024, according to the On3 industry rankings. He is the highest-ranked commit in Tennessee State history, surpassing three-star defensive tackle Terray Jones. Coleman joins three-star defensive lineman Tyler Moore in the class of 2024 for the Tigers.
 
ANOTHA *** STAR DEFENDER: Joining Coleman in the impressive defensive rookie class is Tyler Moore, who played for Luella High School in Georgia. Moore earned GACA All-State honors as a senior, collecting 191 tackles and 81.5 tackles for loss over 35 career games. In his senior season, he recorded 73 tackles and 43.0 tackles for loss. Moore was rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports, ranking as the 221st defensive lineman in his class and the 204th best player in Georgia. He received FBS offers from Eastern Michigan, Oklahoma, and Pittsburgh.
 
JIMMAYYYYYYY: Senior kicker James Lowery is back after a stellar 2023 season with the Tigers, where he made 12 of 15 field goal attempts for an 80% success rate. Lowery's longest kick was the game-winner over Gardner-Webb last season. He was named to the Black College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List by the Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF).
 
THE JOHN MERRITT CLASSIC: The John Merritt Classic is an annual event that brings out barbecue grills, fish fries, and fellowship—a community revival and a North Nashville family reunion rolled into one. Thousands from across the city and region gather to celebrate Tennessee State University, all in honor of John Merritt, the coach who led Tennessee State to its highest level of football success. Affectionately known as "Big John," Merritt dominated and revolutionized the game of football during his coaching career, compiling a record of 172-33-7 at TSU and 232-65-11 overall. His former players and the Big Blue Nation still remember Merritt's signature cigar smoke after victories.

TSU IN THE JMC: The Tigers have played in the John Merritt Classic 24 times since the first event in 1999, with a record of 17-7. TSU won the first six John Merritt Classics from 1999-2004, defeating Alabama A&M three times, followed by wins over Prairie View A&M, South Carolina State, and Alabama A&M again. TSU's first loss in the classic came in 2005 to Alabama A&M, who defeated the Tigers three years in a row from 2005-2007.
 
BLACK COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD WATCH LIST: Senior kicker James Lowery and sophomore running back Jordan Gant have been named to the Black College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List by the Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF). The Award is presented annually to the most outstanding football player from a Historically Black College & University (HBCU). The award was first bestowed in 2016 and was won by TSU wide receiver Chris Rowland in 2019. Four finalists will be unveiled after the season. The winner of the 2024 Black College Football Player of the Year Award, which will be announced during halftime of the 2025 Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl, will be presented with the Deacon Jones Trophy. The bowl takes place on Saturday, February 22, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The game will be broadcast live on NFL Network. The Watch List candidates have been selected based on past performance and future potential. Additions to the list will be made as the 2024 season progresses. The finalists and the winner will be chosen by a Selection Committee.