1998 Tennessee State Tigers football team

The 1998 Tennessee State Tigers football team represented Tennessee State University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by second-year head coach L. C. Cole, the Tigers compiled an overall record of 9–3 with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, winning the OVC title. Tennessee State advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, were the Tigers lost in the first round to Appalachian State. The team played home games at Hale Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

1998 Tennessee State Tigers football
OVC champion
NCAA Division I-AA First Round, L 31–41 at Appalachian State
Conference	Ohio Valley Conference
Ranking
Sports Network	No. 12
Record	9–3 (6–1 OVC)
Head coach	L. C. Cole (2nd season)
Home stadium	Hale Stadium
Seasons ← 1997 1999 →

1998 Ohio Valley Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 12 Tennessee State $^		6	–	1					9	–	3
No. 24 Murray State		5	–	2					7	–	4
Middle Tennessee		5	–	2					5	–	5
Eastern Illinois		4	–	3					6	–	5
Eastern Kentucky		4	–	3					6	–	5
Tennessee Tech		2	–	5					4	–	7
Southeast Missouri State		2	–	5					3	–	8
Tennessee–Martin		0	–	7					0	–	11
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 5	at Middle Tennessee		Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium Murfreesboro, TN	L 27–28	27,568	^[1]
September 12	vs. Jackson State*		Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN (Southern Heritage Classic)	W 33–21		^[2]
September 26	vs. No. 16 Florida A&M*		Georgia Dome Atlanta, GA (Atlanta Football Classic)	L 23–31	28,987	^[3]
October 3	Alabama A&M*		Hale Stadium Nashville, TN	W 59–24		^[4]
October 10	at No. 8 Eastern Kentucky		Roy Kidd Stadium Richmond, KY	W 31–21		^[5]
October 17	at Southeast Missouri State		Houck Stadium Cape Girardeau, MO	W 38–27		^[6]
October 24	Tennessee–Martin		Hale Stadium Nashville, TN	W 76–0		^[7]
October 31	at No. 18 Eastern Illinois		O'Brien Field Charleston, IL	W 27–21		^[8]
November 7	at Tennessee Tech	No. 19	Tucker Stadium Cookeville, TN	W 42–21		^[9]
November 14	No. 8 Murray State	No. 16	Roy Stewart Stadium Murray, KY	W 46–44		^[10]
November 21	Texas Southern*	No. 11	Hale Stadium Nashville, TN	W 28–14		^[11]
November 19	at No. 7 Appalachian State	No. 10	Kidd Brewer Stadium Boone, NC (NCAA Division I-AA First Round)	L 31–45	3,885	^[12]
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game

^[13][14]

References

1. "The Daily News-Journal 06 Sep 1998, page 72". Newspapers.com.
2. "The Commercial Appeal 13 Sep 1998, page 45". Newspapers.com.
3. "Bonner passes Rattlers to win". The Palm Beach Post. September 27, 1998. Retrieved April 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "The Tennessean 04 Oct 1998, page Page 44". Newspapers.com.
5. "The Tennessean 11 Oct 1998, page Page 48". Newspapers.com.
6. "The Tennessean 18 Oct 1998, page Page 20". Newspapers.com.
7. "The Daily News-Journal 25 Oct 1998, page 16". Newspapers.com.
8. "The Tennessean 01 Nov 1998, page Page 44". Newspapers.com.
9. "The Daily News-Journal 08 Nov 1998, page 14". Newspapers.com.
10. "The Tennessean 15 Nov 1998, page Page 42". Newspapers.com.
11. "The Daily News-Journal 22 Nov 1998, page 16". Newspapers.com.
12. "Tigers' offense never reached second gear". The Tennessean. November 29, 1998. Retrieved November 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "1998 Football Schedule". Tennessee State University.
14. "Massey Ratings - Tennessee State Tigers". masseyratings.com.