Some of Tennessee State football's biggest wins came at Vanderbilt. A look back – The Tennessean

Some of Tennessee State football’s biggest games were played at Vanderbilt before Nissan Stadium was built and the Tigers started sharing it with the Tennessee Titans in 1999.
Before that, TSU would play some of its fiercest rivalries at Vanderbilt’s Dudley Stadium, now FirstBank Stadium. Vanderbilt’s stadium was larger and could accommodate the big crowds that wouldn’t fit into Hale Stadium, TSU’s on-campus facility.
TSU will return to Vanderbilt to play Jackson State in the season opener for both schools at 7:30 p.m., on Aug. 29, (ESPN+)
TSU would often fill Vanderbilt’s stadium for games against Jackson State, Grambling, Florida A&M, MTSU and others. The Tigers compiled a 23-15-1 record at Vanderbilt when playing opponents other than the Commodores.
Here is a look at some of those games:
On a rare occasion, TSU pulled out its red uniforms in the 1980 season opener on Sept. 13 against Jackson State at Vanderbilt. The series had been put on hold for 12 years due to ill will between the rivals.
TSU was No. 1 ranked in the FCS (then Division I-AA), and Jackson State was No. 4. TSU had won the national black college championship in 1979.
Nearly 30,000 fans were surprised to see TSU backup quarterback Mike Jolly start the game. He replaced the Tigers’ high-profile quarterback Joe “747” Adams, who had suffered a shoulder injury earlier in the week.
After a scoreless first quarter, Jolly was forced out of the game with an injury, and Adams entered.
Adams wasted no time teaming with wide receiver Mike Jones and running backs Joe Foster and Larry Kinnebrew to get the TSU offense in gear while the defense kept Jackson State pinned up in a 20-0 victory.
Legendary TSU coach John Merritt posted a 14-4-1 record at Vanderbilt’s Dudley Field. His first game there came on Oct. 23, 1965, when TSU stunned Florida A&M, 50-8.
Florida A&M was unbeaten and No. 2 in the Associated Press small college ratings. TSU was not ranked.
It was homecoming, and Eldridge Dickey, one of TSU’s greatest quarterbacks ever, pleased the crowd with a solid performance matched by the Big Blue’s sweltering defense. Dickey, a sophomore at the time, completed 19-of-30 passes for 244 yards. His second touchdown pass, 20 yards to Elbert Drungo, put the Tigers up 25-0 in the second quarter.
TSU held Florida A&M to 120 total yards.
“This ought to show somebody we belong in the ratings,” Merritt said after the game.
Middle Tennessee State was riding high as the No. 4-ranked team in I-AA and enjoying a 15-game win streak over TSU on Sept. 6, 1986.
This was the first meeting between the two schools in eight years, and 28,284 fans showed up at Vanderbilt to see it.
In Bill Thomas’ third season as TSU’s coach, the Tigers’ defense did a remarkable job shutting down MTSU quarterback Marvin Collier, the reigning Ohio Valley Conference offensive player of the year, en route to a 7-6 upset win.
The Tennessean described it as perhaps TSU’s best defensive performance since Ed “Too Tall” Jones’ days with the Tigers in the 1970s. Collier completed just 4-of-18 passes for 104 yards with an interception.
Meanwhile, TSU quarterback Stacy Grear scored the game’s only touchdown on a 1-yard keeper in the second quarter. Grear outdueled Collier, completing 21-of-35 passes for 196 yards.
A sold-out homecoming crowd of 34,694 watched little-known TSU running back Aaron Jones stun the No. 1-ranked Rattlers by rushing for 123 yards and two TDs on Oct. 21, 1979. Jones had rushed for only 155 total yards in the previous five games.
With Jones running through Florida A&M’s defense, the Tigers did not have to rely as much on quarterback Joe “747” Adams. He completed only eight passes for 141 yards.
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
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