Tigers Open Season With 33-7 Over Jaguars

The Tennessee State Tigers opened their 2011 football season with a resounding 33-7 win over the Jaguars of Southern University in the John Merritt Classic, played in front of 25,209 fans at Nashville’s LP Field.

TSU rolled up 512 yards of Total Offense (342 rushing, 170 passing), while limiting Southern to 300 yards of Total Offense (37 rushing, 263 passing). The 342 rushing is a JMC record eclipsing TSU’s 279 yards against Alabama State in 1999. The 512 yards of Total Offense ranks second (530 vs. Alabama State, 1999). Southern’s 37 yard rushing total was the second lowest by a team in the John Merritt Classic (13, Alabama A&M, 2009). The Tigers rolled up a JMC record 29 first downs (20 rushing, 8 passing, 1 penalty) while allowing just a record low 12 first downs by the Jaguars ( 1 rushing, 9 passing, 2 penalty). READ MORE.