The TSU Football Tigers are gearing up for their 2026 campaign and it begins this Spring with practice sessions culminating in the annual Blue and White Game. This free event brings together students, faculty, staff, alumni, fans and the community to listen to the world-famous Aristocrat of Bands, watch the TSU Cheerleaders and Dance teams, and mingle and eat, drink, and buy season tickets and paraphernalia.
The 2026 Tennessee State University Football Spring Game is set for Saturday, April 11 at Hale Stadium. The game is part of a Tiger Spring Event Week for student, alumni and friends that begins on Monday, April 6. All are invited to come out on that Saturday for a fun-filled day of fandom and football.
Here’s the schedule for the week of events: Monday, April 6 — Fashion Show in Jane E. Elliott Hall at 7:00 p.m.; Tuesday, April 7 — Players v. Coaches Basketball Game on The Pavillion at 6:30 p.m..; Thursday, April 9 — Ice Cream Social at the Floyd – Payne Student Center from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.; Friday, April 10 — Football Players Social on The Pavillion at 6:30 p.m.; and on Saturday, April 11 at 1:00, the Blue & White Game kicks off during Big Blue Family & Fan Day at Hale Stadium.
Looking ahead, the Tigers have an action-packed schedule of games this Fall, starting with The 2026 John A. Merritt Classic, an HBCU weekend experience with signature events celebrating alumni, culture, music, and community. Plan now for the Tennessee State University Hall of Fame event on August 26, 2026 — nominations are currently being accepted through May 1, 2026; follow the link on the John A. Merritt Classic website: https://www.johnmerrittclassic.com/events/ to participate and sign up for the Insider List to get updates on the other Classic events.
This year’s Merritt Classic is a true John Merritt Classic, featuring the two teams the legendary coach led to fame. John Ayers Merritt served as head football coach at Jackson State University from 1952 to 1962 and Tennessee State University from 1963 to 1983, compiling a career coaching record of 235–70–12, multiple championships and sending many players to the National Football League.
TSU will host the Jackson State University Tigers in Nissan Stadium on Saturday, August 29, one of TSU’s four major HBCU games, along with a challenging slate of OVC – Big South Conference games, marquee home matchups and key road tests as the Tigers look to build momentum under second-year head coach Reggie Barlow.
The matchup marks the first-ever meeting between TSU and Jackson State at the John A. Merritt Classic, part of a series that dates back more than seven decades. Tennessee State holds a 30-23-2 all-time advantage in the series, which began with the teams’ first meeting in 1949. As part of a home-and-home series agreement, the rivalry will continue in 2027 when Tennessee State travels to Jackson, Mississippi, to face Jackson State.
The remainder of the TSU Fall Football schedule is as follows: at the University of Georgia, Sept 5; at Alabama A&M, Sept 12; at Florida A&M, Sept 19; BYE Week Sept 26; at Western Illinois Oct 3; vs UT Martin Oct 10; vs Morgan Oct 17 vs Charleston Southern Oct 24; at Lindenwood Oct 31; vs SEMO Nov 7; vs Eastern Illinois Nov 14; at Gardner-Webb Nov 21.
