Former NFL player Eddie George pulled off a feat that hasn’t been done in 25 years. The head coach of the Tennessee State University football team has led them into the playoffs after capturing the title of Ohio Valley Conference champions. The Tigers have not won the conference title since 1999.
According to TSUTigers.com, the team won the conference after defe
ating No. 11-ranked Southeast Missouri, 28-21, on Nov. 23 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. The victory gives the Tigers a 9-3 record and 6-2 in their division. With the loss, it places Southeast Missouri with the same record.With the latest victory, Tennessee State is back in the NCAA FCS (NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision) Playoffs. This is their first time back in the FCS playoffs since 2013. This season marks the 25th anniversary of the school’s last championship season, as they went undefeated (7-0) in conference play.
This will be the first time that the teams will play each other. The winner will advance to play the No. 3 seed, South Dakota State.
The former Tennessee Titans running back has brought the team back to a winning formula since being named the head football coach at Tennessee State University when he replaced Rod Reed in 2021.
Two months ago, George spoke
about the progress the team was making despite the recent changes that not only affected the team but the university as well. The school experienced several changes since he was named to the head coaching position. A new school board was implemented this year after Tennessee State University was overwhelmed with underfunding from the state, multiple audits, housing, and scholarship mismanagement. In June, Ronald A. Johnson was named interim president.“It’s been a big challenge both on and off the football field,” George told The Tennessean. “Trying to impact the lives of young men while also trying to win games but also trying to change the narrative around Tennessee State as a whole.”
Now, the team is primed to advance further in the FCS Playoffs.
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