TSU football to play Jackson State at Vanderbilt's FirstBank Stadium – The Tennessean

Tennessee State football will open the 2026 season against Jackson State at Vanderbilt’s FirstBank Stadium.
The longtime rivals will meet in the 2026 John A. Merritt Classic, presented by the Tennessee Titans and ONE Community, on Aug. 29, at 7:30 p.m. CT.
The game will be played at FirstBank Stadium due to NFL scheduling, which has the Tennessee Titans hosting the Chicago Bears in their preseason finale at Nissan Stadium on Aug. 29. Vanderbilt officials agreed to host the John Merritt Classic, ensuring the game could remain in Nashville. Capacity at FirstBank Stadium is 35,000.
The Tennessee Titans agreed to continue to serve as a presenting sponsor alongside ONE Community.
TSU 2026 single-game tickets, including the John A. Merritt Classic, will go on sale on June 15, at 9 a.m. CT.
“We are excited to bring the John A. Merritt Classic to FirstBank Stadium and honor Coach John Merritt’s legacy at a venue where he enjoyed tremendous success,” TSU athletic director Mikki Allen said in a release. “We appreciate the partnership of Vanderbilt University and the Tennessee Titans in helping make this special event possible for our student-athletes, alumni and fans.”
The move returns TSU to the venue where John Merritt coached many times during his career. The Tigers often moved bigger games from Hale Stadium on campus to Vanderbilt, which had a larger capacity, during Merritt’s tenure (1963-83).
“We are honored to partner with Tennessee State University to host the 2026 John A. Merritt Classic at FirstBank Stadium,” Vanderbilt athletic director Candice Lee said. “Coach Merritt led many memorable victories at Dudley Field, making it especially meaningful to welcome this game and TSU back to campus. We are proud to support an event that celebrates Coach Merritt’s legacy and the rich tradition of HBCU football, and we look forward to welcoming Tennessee State and Jackson State fans for what promises to be a special evening.”
Merritt posted a 14-4-1 record at Vanderbilt’s Dudley Field, including a 2-1 mark against Jackson State. His first game at the facility came on Oct. 23, 1965, when Tennessee State defeated Florida A&M, 50-8. Among the most memorable victories was a 20-3 triumph over top-ranked Florida A&M on Oct. 20, 1979.
TSU has compiled a 23-15-1 record at Vanderbilt when playing opponents other than the Commodores. Under Merritt, the Tigers earned victories against Florida A&M (3-2), Middle Tennessee State (5-1), Grambling State (1-0-1), Southern (2-0) and Nicholls State (1-0) at the historic venue.
TSU and Jackson State met three times at Dudley Field during Merritt’s tenure, with the Tigers posting a 2-1 record. Following a 35-24 loss in 1978, TSU responded with consecutive shutout victories, defeating Jackson State 20-0 in 1980 and 21-0 in 1982.
The matchup renews a rivalry that has largely been played in Memphis in recent years. Each of the last 19 meetings between TSU and Jackson State was played as part of the Southern Heritage Classic.
TSU holds a 30-23-2 advantage in the all-time series. The most recent meeting came in 2022, when Jackson State earned a 16-3 victory. The last matchup played in Nashville was Nov. 17, 2001, when TSU defeated Jackson State, 64-33.
The last time TSU played at Vanderbilt was on Sept. 29, 2018, against the Commodores. Vanderbilt rallied to win the game 31-27.
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.

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