Savannah State Tigers football

The Savannah State Tigers football team represents Savannah State University in college football. The Tigers are members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).[2] The football team is traditionally the most popular sport at Savannah State and home games are played at Ted A. Wright Stadium in Savannah, Georgia.

Savannah State Tigers
First season	1902
Athletic director	Opio Mashariki
Head coach	Shawn Quinn 1st season, 7–3 (.700)
Stadium	Ted Wright Stadium (Capacity: 13,500)
Year built	1967
Field surface	FieldTurf
Location	Savannah, Georgia
NCAA division	Division II
Conference	Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)
All-time record	491–567–18 (.465)
Claimed nat'l titles	1 (1989 Division II)
Conference titles	12 (Since 1940)
Consensus All-Americans	10
Colors	Burnt Orange and Reflex Blue[1]
Marching band	Savannah State Marching Tiger Band
Website	SSU Tigers Football

After moving to the NCAA Division I FCS in 2000, the Tigers compiled a record of 80–137.[3] While in the FCS, the team competed in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. In 2019, the Tigers moved back to NCAA Division II and rejoined the SIAC. Savannah State has played football since 1902, though they did not field a team in 1943 to 1945. Through the 2018 season, the Tigers have compiled an all-time record of 491–567–18 (.465).[3]

The program's largest margin of victory was 87 points in a 87–0 victory over Miles College in 1992. The largest margin of defeat was 98 points against Bethune-Cookman College in 1953 (Bethune-Cookman 98, Savannah State 0).[4] Prior to a game against the Florida State Seminoles in 2012, the Seminoles were installed as 70.5 point favorites, reportedly making Savannah State the biggest underdogs in any college football game ever.[5]

The team regularly participates in one or more black football classics each season including the CSRA Football Classic and the Joe Turner Classic. The team has previously participated in the Gateway Classic, the Miami Classic, the Palmetto Capital City Classic, and the Circle City Classic.

Conference affiliations

Conference	Joined	Left
Independent	1915	1928
Southeastern Athletic Conference	1929	1961
Independent	1962	1968
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)	1969	1999
NCAA Division I-AA/FCS independent	2000	2009
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)	2010	2018
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)	2019

No team: 1916–1922, 1924, 1943–1945

On September 8, 2010, Savannah State University was confirmed as a full member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), making the Tigers eligible to participate in all conference championships and earn the conference's automatic berth to NCAA postseason competition in all sponsored sports.[6]

Conference championships and NCAA playoff appearances

The Tigers were Southeastern Athletic Conference champions in 1938, 1948, 1950 and 1956.[7][8] The team's only NCAA playoff appearance occurred in 1992. The Tigers, led by Head Coach Bill Davis, were defeated by Jacksonville State University in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, 41-16.

Season-by-season records

     NCAA I-AA MEAC      NCAA I-AA Independent      SIAC (NCAA Division II)      NCAA Division III      NAIA Southeastern

Season	Wins	Losses	Ties	Conference record	Head coach	Notes	References
2019	7	3	0		Shawn Quinn
2013	4	8	0	3-5	Steve Davenport, Corey Barlow (Interim)
2012	2	9	0	1-7	Steve Davenport
2011	1	10	0	1-7	Steve Davenport
2010	1	10	0		Julius Dixon (interim)
2009	2	8	0		Robert Wells		[9]
2008	5	7	0		Robert Wells		[9]
2007	1	9	0		Theo Lemon		[10]
2006	2	9	0		Theo Lemon	Savannah State University football program was placed on probation for three years by the NCAA in 2006. Prior to moving to Division I - FCS the team compiled a 97-108-4 record in NCAA Division II (1981–2000), a 15-20-0 record in NCAA Division III (1973–1980) and a 1-1-0 record as a member of the NAIA.	[11][12]
2005	0	11	0		Richard Basil		[13]
2004	2	8	0		Richard Basil		[13]
2003	0	12	0		Kenneth Pettiford Richard Basil		[13]
2002	1	9	0		Kenneth Pettiford		[13]
2001	2	7	0		Bill Davis		[13][14]
2000	2	8	0		Bill Davis		[13][14]
1999	5	6	0	3-4	Steven Wilks		[15]
1998	7	4	0	7-2	Daryl McNeill	Savannah State placed on four years probation and scholarships reduced in six sports	[16][17]
1997	3	8	0	2-6	Daryl McNeill		[16]
1996	6	5	0	5-4	Wendell Avery		[18]
1995	8	3	0	4-4	Wendell Avery		[18]
1994	8	3	0	5-3	Joseph Crosby		[19]
1993	7	3	0	6-2-0	Joseph Crosby		[19]
1992	10	2	0	6-2	Bill Davis	Lost in first round of NCAA Division II playoffs	[14]
1991	8	3	0	4-3	Bill Davis		[14]
1990	7	4	0	5-2	Bill Davis		[14]
1989	10	1	0		Bill Davis		[14][20]
1988	8	3	0	6-1	Bill Davis		[14][20]
1987	5	6	0	4-3	Bill Davis		[14]
1986	7	4	0	5-3	Bill Davis		[14]
1985	5	6	0	3-4	Frank Ellis		[21]
1984	4	7	1	2-5-0	Frank Ellis		[22]
1983	4	7	0		Frank Ellis		[22]
1982	4	6	0	2-4	Frank Ellis		[22]
1981	5	5	0	2-3	Frank Ellis		[22]
1980	5	5	0		Frank Ellis		[22]
1979	7	3	0	4-1-0	Frank Ellis		[23]
1978	4	6	0	4-3	Frank Ellis		[23]
1977	7	3	0	4-2	Frank Ellis		[23]
1976	1	9	0	0-6	John H. Myles		[23]
1975	3	7	0	2-3	John H. Myles		[23]
1974	6	4	0	3-2	John H. Myles		[24]
1973	4	6	0	2-4	John H. Myles		[24]
1972	7	3	0	4-1	John H. Myles		[24]
1971	6	4	0	4-1	John H. Myles		[24]
1970	5	5	0	4-1	John H. Myles		[24]
1969	5	5	0	3-2	John H. Myles		[25]
1968	5	5	0		Leo Richardson		[25]
1967	8	2	0		Leo Richardson		[25]
1966	5	5	0		Leo Richardson		[25]
1965	4	6	0		Leo Richardson		[25]
1964	4	6	0		Leo Richardson		[26]
1963	1	9	0		Leo Richardson		[26]
1962	5	5	0	2-3	Richard K. Washington		[26]
1961	6	4	0	3-2-0	Richard K. Washington		[26]
1960	5	5	0	3-2	Richard K. Washington		[26]
1959	7	3	0	4-1-0	Richard K. Washington		[27]
1958	9	1	0	5-0	Richard K. Washington		[27]
1957	7	3	0	3-2-0	Richard K. Washington		[27]
1956	8	2	0	4-1	Ross F. Pearly	Southeastern Athletic Conference Co-Champions	[7][8][27]
1955	6	4	0	3-2-0	Ross F. Pearly		[27]
1954	3	7	0	1-5	Ross F. Pearly		[28]
1953	5	5	0	2-3	Albert Frazier		[28]
1952	2	8	0	1-4	John H. Martin		[28]
1951	6	4	0	3-2-0	John H. Martin		[28]
1950	5	3	0	4-0-0	John H. Martin	Southeastern Athletic Conference Champions	[7][8][28]
1949	3	5	0	3-1	Theodore A. "Ted" Wright		[29]
1948	5	3	0	4-1	Theodore A. "Ted" Wright	Southeastern Athletic Conference Champions	[7][8][29]
1947	2	5	0	2-3-0	Theodore A. "Ted" Wright		[29]
1946	6	1	0	6-1-0	John W. Myles		[29]
1942	5	2	0		John W. Myles		[29]
1941	4	3	0		W. McKinley King		[29]
1940	4	3	0		W. McKinley King		[29]
1939	6	0	0		Arthur Dwight		[30]
1938	5	1	0		Arthur Dwight	Southeastern Athletic Conference Champions	[8][30]
1937	3	2	1		Arthur Dwight		[30]
1936	3	3	0		Arthur Dwight		[30]
1935	3	3	0		Arthur Dwight		[30]
1934	2	4	0		Richard Richardson		[31]
1933	5	1	0		Richard Richardson		[31]
1932	4	2	0		Richard Richardson		[31]
1931	3	3	0		Richard Richardson		[31]
1930	3	2	1		Richard Richardson		[31]
1929	4	2	0		Richard Richardson		[32]
1928	3	3	0		W.P. Tucker		[32]
1927	3	3	0		W.P. Tucker		[32]
1926	2	4	0		W.P. Tucker		[32]
1925	6	0	0		W.P. Tucker		[32]
1923	6	0	0		W.P. Tucker		[33]
1915	3	3	0		W.P. Tucker		[34]
Totals	11	74	0	NCAA Division I-AA Independent results [13]
				NCAA Division II results
				NCAA Division III results
	44	72	11	NAIA results
	253	381	28	Regular season results
	0	1	0	Playoff results
	253	383	28	All games including playoffs

Notable players and coaches

Some notable Savannah State football players and coaches include:

Name	Class year	Position	Notability	Reference(s)
Steven Aycock	1993	Offensive lineman	Head football coach at Johnson C. Smith University	[35]
Eric Brown	1989	Cornerback/Safety	former NFL player with the Dallas Cowboys	[36]
Chadrick Cone	2006	Running Back	Signed by the Georgia Force of the Arena Football League in 2006 and the Columbus Lions of the American Indoor Football Association in 2009	[37][38]
Bobby Curtis	1987	Linebacker	former NFL player with the Washington Redskins and New York Jets	[37]
Ken Dawson	1981	Running Back	10th round pick by the Seattle Seahawks; #252 overall pick	[39][40][41]
Roy Ellison	1987	Guard/Center	NFL official and umpire during Super Bowl XLIII	[42]
Aaron Fields	2000	Defensive End	former NFL player with the Dallas Cowboys	[39]
Troy Hambrick	2000	Running Back	former NFL player who averaged 4.1 yards per carry in his 5 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys (2000–2003) and the Arizona Cardinals (2004).	[39][37]
Britt Henderson	1996	Defensive Back	1996 First Team All American	[13]
Patrick Jackson		unknown	former United Indoor Football player who played with the Rock River Raptors	[37]
Jonathan Johnson		unknown	former United Indoor Football player who played with the Rock River Raptors	[37]
Lemuel Ligdon		unknown	former NFL Europe player who played with the Rhein Fire	[37]
Wesley McGriff	1990	Outside Linebacker	current defensive backs coach and defensive recruiting coordinator for the Vanderbilt Commodores. Former defensive backs coach for the Miami Hurricanes and former interim coach and defensive coordinator at Savannah State University.	[43][44]
Ernest "The Cat" Miller		Linebacker	All-American linebacker and former professional wrestler	[45]
Andrew Mitchell		unknown	former Arena Football League player who played with the Arizona Rattlers	[37]
Tahj Mowry		Running Back	former child actor from the sitcom "Smart Guy", played football at SSU for 1 season
Wes Phillips	1979	Offensive Tackle	former NFL player with the Houston Oilers	[39]
Shannon Sharpe	1986-89	Wide Receiver / Tight End	1989 First team All American, former NFL player with the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens, three-time Super Bowl champion, and former NFL's all-time leader in receptions (815) by a tight end (record now held by Tony Gonzalez). He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.	[13][39][46]
Tim Walker	1980	Linebacker	1979 First Team All American and former NFL player with the Seattle Seahawks	[13][39]
Steve Wilks	1999	Defensive coordinator	The current defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns	[15]

References

1. "Savannah State University Athletics – 2016 Football Quick Facts". Retrieved September 5, 2016.
2. Barnidge, Noell (2010-03-11). "Savannah State joins Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference". SavannahNow.com. Savannah Morning News and Evening Press. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
3. "Savannah State Yearly Totals". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
4. "GWU Rolls Past Savannah State, 66-0, Saturday Afternoon". Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
5. Brooks, Matt. Savannah State is biggest underdog in college football history against Florida State. WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
6. "N.C. Central and Savannah State Become Full Members". MEACSports.com. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
7. "Conference Championships: Southeastern Athletic Conference". Retrieved 2007-12-12.
8. "Savannah State Composite Championship Listing". Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
9. "SSU names Robby Wells head football coach". 2007-12-22. Retrieved 2007-12-26.
10. "SSU fires Lemon". 2007-11-30. Retrieved 2007-11-30.
11. "infractions".
12. "Savannah State placed on three years' probation". Retrieved 2007-11-20.
13. "Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-11-20.
14. "Delaware State University visits Savannah State". Retrieved 2007-11-20.
15. "1999 NCAA Football Schedules and 1998 Results" (PDF). NCAA. p. 557. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 8, 2007. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
16. "McNeill Resigns Savannah State Football Post". Retrieved 2007-11-20.
17. "Savannah State Receives Probation, Financial Aid cuts".
18. "Avery contacts team via voice mail". Retrieved 2009-03-11.
19. "Savannah State Yearly Results". Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-04-10.
20. "Ex-SSU coach watches son play for MVSU". Retrieved 2007-11-20.
21. "Savannah State Yearly Results". Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
22. "Savannah State Yearly Results". Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
23. "Savannah State Yearly Results". Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
24. "Savannah State Yearly Results". Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
25. "Savannah State Yearly Results". Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
26. "Savannah State Yearly Results". Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
27. "Savannah State Yearly Results". Retrieved 2008-03-06.
28. "Savannah State Yearly Results". Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
29. "Savannah State Yearly Results". Retrieved 2008-03-06.
30. "Savannah State Yearly Results". Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
31. "Savannah State Yearly Results". Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
32. "Savannah State Yearly Results". Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
33. "Savannah State Yearly Results". Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
34. "Savannah State Yearly Results". Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
35. "Sand Gnats make radio deal". SavannahNow.com. Savannah Morning News and Evening Press. 2009-01-28. Archived from the original on 2012-07-14. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
36. "All-time Players Page: Troy Hambrick". NFL.com. Retrieved 2007-10-09.
37. "Former Tigers sign football contracts". 2007-11-13. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
38. "Ex-SSU RB Cone signs with indoor team". 2008-11-11. Archived from the original on 2008-11-13. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
39. "NFL Players who attended Savannah State University". Archived from the original on 2008-03-07. Retrieved 2007-10-09.
40. "1981 Seattle Seashawks". Archived from the original on 2007-04-10. Retrieved 2007-10-09.
41. "Seattle Seahawks draft history". Retrieved 2007-10-09.
42. "Savannah State Alumnus Officiates Super Bowl XLIII" (pdf). The Savannah Tribune. The Savannah Tribune, Inc. 2009-02-11. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
43. "Sports with Walter Moore". The Savannah Tribune. The Savannah Tribune, Inc. 2011-02-16. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
44. "Player Bio:Wesley McGriff". Archived from the original on 2007-11-11. Retrieved 2007-11-22.
45. "The early days of WCW star Ernest Miller". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
46. "NFL.com Writers: Shannon Sharpe". NFL.com. 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-03-28. Retrieved 2007-04-04.

External links

• Official website