The Jackson State Tigers football team represents Jackson State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).

After joining the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in 1958, the program exploded into national prominence. In the 1980s, the program enjoyed its greatest success. Under head coach W. C. Gorden, the Tigers won eight conference championships between 1980 and 1990, including four straight from 1985 to 1988.

Since 1958, Jackson State has won about 25 percent of the conference's football championships (19) and is a perennial powerhouse program among HBCUs. The Tigers have produced 101 professional football players and four Pro Football Hall of Famers: Lem Barney, Walter Payton, Robert Brazile, and Jackie Slater. Only 13 college football teams at any level have produced more Pro Football Hall of Famers than Jackson State.

Jackson State has been named a recipient of the black college national championship five times. In 2023, Tigers placekicker Leilani Armenta became the first woman to score in an HBCU Division I game.

Classifications 1958–1969: NAIA 1970–1982: NAIA Division I 1956–1972: NCAA College Division 1973–1976: NCAA Division II 1977: NCAA Division I 1978–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS

Conference memberships 1911–1912: Independent 1913: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 1914-1934 Independent 1935-1940 South Central Athletic Conference 1941-1946 Independent 1947–1950: South Central Athletic Conference 1951: Independent 1952–1957: Midwest Athletic Association 1958–present: Southwestern Athletic Conference

JSU fanbase Jackson State is widely noted for its strong football support and culture. Jackson State fans have led the Division I FCS in attendance for multiple seasons and are the 2025 regular-season leaders.

Championships

National championships Jackson State has been named a recipient of the black college football national championship five times. 1962 Black college national co-champions John Merritt 10–1 1985 Black college national co-champions W. C. Gorden 8–31996 Black college national co-champions James Carson 10–22024Black college national championsT. C. Taylor12-2

Conference championships Jackson State has earned a total of 21 conference championships and has won the SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) title 19 times since joining in 1958. Conference championships include:

1920 1957 John Merritt Midwest Athletic Association 6–2 2–0 1961 John Merritt Southwestern Athletic Conference 9–2 6–1 1962 John Merritt Southwestern Athletic Conference 10–1 6–1 1972 Robert Hill Southwestern Athletic Conference 8–3 5–1 1973 Robert Hill Southwestern Athletic Conference 9–2 5–1 1975 Robert Hill Southwestern Athletic Conference 7–3 4–2 1980 W. C. Gorden Southwestern Athletic Conference 8–3 5–1 1981 W. C. Gorden Southwestern Athletic Conference 9–2–1 5–1 1982 W. C. Gorden Southwestern Athletic Conference 9–3 6–0 1985 W. C. Gorden Southwestern Athletic Conference 8–3 6–1 1986 W. C. Gorden Southwestern Athletic Conference 9–3 7–0 1987 W. C. Gorden Southwestern Athletic Conference 8–3–1 7–0 1988 W. C. Gorden Southwestern Athletic Conference 8–1–2 7–0 1990 W. C. Gorden Southwestern Athletic Conference 8–4 5–1 1995 James Carson Southwestern Athletic Conference 9–3 7–0 1996 James Carson Southwestern Athletic Conference 10–2 6–1 2007 Rick Comegy Southwestern Athletic Conference 8–4 8–2 2021 Deion Sanders Southwestern Athletic Conference 11-2 8-0 2022 Deion Sanders Southwestern Athletic Conference 12-1 8-02024T. C. TaylorSouthwestern Athletic Conference12-28-0

Division championships The Southwestern Athletic Conference instituted a divisional system for football in 1999. Jackson State plays in the Eastern Division of the conference along with Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M and Mississippi Valley. The SWAC Western Division includes Alcorn State, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Grambling, Prairie View A&M, Southern University, and Texas Southern. Each season, the SWAC East and SWAC West divisional champions face off in the SWAC Championship Game. Jackson State University claims ten SWAC Eastern Division championships and has won eight outright to advance to the title game.

1999 Judge Hughes 8–4 8–2 Southern L 30–31 2007 Rick Comegy SWAC East 8–4 8–2 Grambling State W 42–31 2008 Rick Comegy SWAC East 7–5 6–1 Grambling State L 9–41 2010† Rick Comegy SWAC East 8–3 6–3 N/A lost tiebreaker to Alabama State ‡ 2011† Rick Comegy SWAC East 9–2 7–2 N/A lost tiebreaker to Alabama A&M ^ 2012 Rick Comegy SWAC East 7–5 7–2 Arkansas–Pine Bluff L 21–24OT 2013 Rick Comegy SWAC East 8–4 8–1 Southern L 27–342OT (win vacated by Southern^) 2021 Deion Sanders SWAC East 11–2 8–0 Prairie View A&M W 27–10 2022 SWAC East 12-1 8–0 Southern W 43–24 2024 T. C. Taylor SWAC East 12-2 8–0 Southern W 41–13 † Co–champions

^ win vacated by Southern University due to NCAA violations

NCAA I-AA/FCS playoff results The Tigers have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs 12 times with a record of 0–12.

1978 Semifinals Florida A&M L 10–15 1981 Quarterfinals Boise State L 7–19 1982 First Round Eastern Illinois L 13–16 1985 First Round Georgia Southern L 0–27 1986 First Round Tennessee State L 23–32 1987 First Round Arkansas State L 32–35 1988 First Round Stephen F. Austin L 0–24 1989 First Round Montana L 7–48 1990 First Round Middle Tennessee L 7–28 1995 First Round Marshall L 8–38 1996 First Round William & Mary L 6–45 1997 First Round Western Illinois L 24–31

Bowl games 1971 Azalea Bowl Mobile, AL Alabama A&M W 40–21 2021 Celebration Bowl Atlanta, GA South Carolina State L 10–31 2022 Celebration Bowl Atlanta, GA North Carolina Central L 34–41 OT2024Celebration BowlAtlanta, GASouth Carolina StateW 28-7

Head coaches 1911–1912 John R. Pinkett 0–3 – 1913–1915 Jubie Bragg 3–4 – 1920, 1923 Earnest Richards 3–3 – 1924–1928 Belford Lawson Jr. 2–8 – 1929–1936 Charles Clark 6–24–5 – 1937–1939 John H. Young 3–5–2 – 1939–1951 T. B. Ellis 32–24–1 – 1952–1962 John Merritt 63–37–5 20–8 1963 Edward Clemons 4–5 2–5 1964–1968 Rod Paige 25–19–2 15–18–2 1969–1970 Ulysses S. McPherson 6–13 2–11 1971–1976 Robert Hill 44–15–1 24–9–1 1976–1991 W. C. Gorden 119–48–5 79–21 1992–1998 James "Big Daddy" Carson 54–25–1 38–12–1 1999–2002 Robert "Judge" Hughes 32–13 20–5 2003–2005 James Bell 8–23 7–16 2006–2013 Rick Comegy 55–35 49–19 2014–2015 Harold Jackson 6–11 4–8 2016–2018 Tony Hughes 9–20 8–12 2018–2020 John Hendrick 6–9 5–5 2020–2022 Deion Sanders 27–6 19–2 2023– T. C. Taylor 19–6 13–3

Coach of the Year Honors 1961 John Merritt SWAC Coach of the Year 1961 John Merritt National Black College Coach of the Year 1962 John Merritt SWAC Coach of the Year 1962 John Merritt National Black College Coach of the Year 1971 Robert Hill SWAC Coach of the Year 1982 W. C. Gorden SWAC Coach of the Year 1985 W. C. Gorden SWAC Coach of the Year 1986 W. C. Gorden SWAC Coach of the Year 1987 W. C. Gorden SWAC Coach of the Year 1988 W. C. Gorden SWAC Coach of the Year 1995 James Carson SWAC Coach of the Year 2007 Rick Comegy SWAC Coach of the Year 2021 Deion Sanders SWAC Coach of the Year 2022 Deion Sanders SWAC Coach of the Year2024T. C. TaylorSWAC Coach of the Year

Rivalries During the early years of Jackson State's football history, rivalries were established with in-state foes Rust College and Tougaloo. Stillman College was also a common opponent which brought excitement and high interest to games played at the Mississippi Fairgrounds and later at Alumni Field on the campus of Jackson State. Since then, JSU has formed several traditional rivalries with long-time foes.

Alcorn State

Southern

All-Americans Over 50 Jackson State players have been named All-Americans. 1962 WR Willie Richardson AP Little All-American 1967 WR Harold Jackson Pittsburg Courier All-American 1969 OL Joe Stephens AP Little All-American 1971 WR Jerome Barkum AP Little All-American 1973 RB Walter Payton Chevrolet - Mutual Black Network All-American 1974 RB Walter Payton Chevrolet - Mutual Black Network All-American 1974 LB Robert Brazile Chevrolet - Mutual Black Network All-American 1975 RB Walter Payton Chevrolet - Mutual Black Network All-American 1975 LB Robert Brazile Chevrolet - Mutual Black Network All-American 1976 WR Leon Sherrod Mutual Black Network All-American Team 1977 OL Louis Bullard Mutual Black Network All-American Team 1977 RB Ricky Patton Mutual Black Network All-American Team 1977 CB Charles Williams Mutual Black Network All-American Team 1979 RB Perry Harrington Sheridan All-American Team 1980 C Tom Rice Sheridan All-American Team 1980 G Larry Werts Sheridan All-American Team 1981 G Michael Field Sheridan All-American Team 1981 RB Larry Cowan Sheridan All-American Team 1989 OL Tim Brown Sheridan All-American Team 1989 -- Ike Ayozie Sheridan All-American Team 1989 LB Darion Conner Div. I-AA First Team All-American 1989 -- Fred McCrae Sheridan All-American Team 1991 OL Deitrich Lockridge Div. I-AA First Team All-American 1991 TE Harold Heath Div. I-AA All-American 1991 DB Isaac Morehouse Div. I-AA All-American 1991 LB Charles Ray Davis Sheridan All-American Team 1992 OL Lester Holmes Div. I-AA First Team All-American 1992 TE Isiah Bliss Sheridan All-American Team 1992 OL Lester Holmes Sheridan All-American Team 1992 LB Mario Perry Sheridan All-American Team 1993 LB Fernando Smith Div. I-AA All-American 1995 DB Picasso Nelson Sheridan All-American 1996 DB Sean Woodson Div. I-AA First Team All-American 1996 LB Otha Evans Div. I-AA All-American 1999 RB Destry Wright Div. I-AA All-American 1999 WR Sylvester Morris Div. I-AA All-American 1999 DL Eric Chandler Div. I-AA All-American 2011 DL Joseph Lebeau FCS All-American 2011 DL Joseph Lebeau Boxtorow All-American 2011 QB Casey Therriault Boxtorow All-American 2011 TE Renty Rollins Boxtorow All-American 2012 WR Rico Richardson Sheridan All-American Team 2012 WR Rico Richardson Boxtorow All-American 2012 DL Joseph LeBeau Sheridan All-American Team 2012 DL Joseph LeBeau Boxtorow All-American 2012 DB Qua Cox Boxtorow All-American 2013 OL Jordan Arthur Boxtorow All-American 2013 DB Qua Cox Boxtorow All-American 2013 DL Javancy Jones Freshman All-American Team2014 DL Javancy Jones Boxtorow All-American Team 2015 PK Ryan Deising Sheridan All-American Team 2015 DL Javancy Jones Sheridan All-American Team 2015 DL Javancy Jones Boxtorow All-American 2016 DL Javancy Jones Sheridan All-American Team 2021 DL James Houston Associated Press FCS All-American Team 2022 OL Tyler Brown Associated Press FCS All-American Team 2022 DL Aubrey Miller Jr. Associated Press FCS All-American Team

Player of the Year Jackson State players that received Player of the Year honors.