Savannah State Tigers football

Savannah State Tigers football
First season1902
Athletic directorOpio Mashariki
Head coachAaron Kelton
2nd season, 7–13 (.350)
StadiumTed Wright Stadium
(capacity: 13,500)
Year built1967
Field surfaceFieldTurf
LocationSavannah, Georgia
NCAA divisionDivision II
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)
All-time record491–567–18 (.465)
Conference titles12 (since 1940)
Consensus All-Americans10
ColorsBurnt orange and reflex blue[1]
   
Marching bandSavannah State Marching Tiger Band
Websitessuathletics.com

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.

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 an 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.

  1. ^ "Savannah State University Athletics – 2016 Football Quick Facts". Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  2. ^ Barnidge, Noell (March 11, 2010). "Savannah State joins Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference". SavannahNow.com. Savannah Morning News and Evening Press. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  3. ^ a b "Savannah State Yearly Totals". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  4. ^ "GWU Rolls Past Savannah State, 66-0, Saturday Afternoon". Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved November 6, 2007.
  5. ^ Brooks, Matt. Savannah State is biggest underdog in college football history against Florida State. WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved September 6, 2012.