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By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As Tennessee Tech heads to Nashville on Saturday to take on Tennessee State, it's all about pride as the two teams square off.
With UT Martin already clinching a share of the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association championship and Gardner-Webb trying its best to knot it up this weekend at home against Charleston Southern, the Tigers and the Golden Eagles are both on the outside of the Football Championship Subdivision playoff picture.
Ah, but pride is the prize. Tech's second-longest remaining series in the current conference alignment behind UT Martin at 45, Saturday is the 37th meeting between TSU and the Golden Eagles.
Kickoff on Saturday is scheduled for 2 p.m. Roger Ealey and Dylan Vazzano will have the call on 98.5 KISS FM, while Dan Laing and Keith Bulluck will call the action on ESPN+ (subscription required).
Tennessee State leads the series 22-14 all-time with wins in four of the last five meetings. This is the eighth time the Golden Eagles have played the Tigers at Nissan Stadium with Tech holding a 2-5 record at the home of the NFL's Tennessee Titans.
Against their traditional foes, the Golden Eagles have fared well. Two weeks ago, Tech took UT Martin to overtime before falling 44-41 in a hotly contested game.
Defensively, Tech has put together solid numbers throughout the season, ranking first in the Big South-OVC in total defense with a 321.2-yard average, while also allowing the fewest first downs in the conference at 146 (14.6 per game) and second in opponent third-down conversion rate at 33.6 percent – opponents converting for the first down 48 times on 143 tries.
Tech ranks fourth in interceptions – picking off 10 passes for a league-most 85 yards and two touchdowns – while also recovering seven fumbles (fourth-most in the Big South-OVC) for 77 yards with a league-most two recovered for touchdowns. Charleston Southern and Tech are the only teams in the association with four defensive scores this season.
The Tigers and the Golden Eagles are also the two teams with the most sacks in the conference as TSU has 29 sacks for 207 yards, averaging 2.9 per game, while Tech has 27 for 151 yards, a 2.7-sack average.
State has given up 14 turnovers – eight fumbles and six interceptions – while claiming 11 – four fumbles and seven interceptions.
TSU also leads the conference in both red zone offense and defense as the Tigers have scored 87.88 percent of the time (29-of-33 tries) inside the 20, while opponents are 22-for-32 (68.75 percent). TSU has scored 23 touchdowns and six field goals, while allowing 17 touchdowns and five field goals.
Tech ranks second in red zone defense, allowing 19 scores on 24 tries – a 79.17 success rate – with 15 touchdowns and four field goals. The Golden Eagles are also third in rushing defense – allowing 117.9 yards per game – and have held seven straight opponents to under 100 rushing yards in regulation. The Golden Eagles are also third in pass defense, allowing an average of 203.3 yards. TSU leads the conference in pass defense, allowing 178.3 yards on average.
The Tigers have two of the top defensive players in the conference, however, as Terrell Allen leads the conference in sacks with 14.5 and tackles-for-loss with 24.5. He also has 57 tackles. Monroe Beard III has 95 total tackles on the season, the most in the Big South-OVC.
To counter, Tech's Aaron Swafford has 67 stops and Jacquez McGowan 64 to rank among the association's top 10, while Daniel Rickert has seven sacks and 12.5 tackles-for-loss.
Former Austin Peay quarterback Draylen Ellis has thrown for 996 yards and six touchdowns, while running back Jordan Gant has rushed for 530 yards and 10 touchdowns. Da'Shon Davis has caught 13 passes for 371 yards and two scores, while Dayron Johnson has a team-best 37 catches for 332 yards and a score.
For Tech, Jordyn Potts has thrown for 948 yards and six touchdowns, while Marcus Knight leads the Golden Eagles' rushers with 414 yards and four touchdowns. Brad Clark has 38 catches for 450 yards, while Jalal Dean has 310 yards on 23 catches. Metrius Fleming has a team-high three receiving touchdowns.
