Jackson State-Tennessee State rivalry football game has location change

One of HBCU football’s longest rivalries, which had a brief hiatus, will be played at a different location than originally planned.

Monday morning, Tennessee State announced that its game with Jackson State, the John L. Merritt Classic, will take place at Vanderbilt University’s FirstBank Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 29.

“We are excited to bring the John A. Merritt Classic to FirstBank Stadium and honor Coach John Merritt’s legacy at a venue where he enjoyed tremendous success,” Tigers athletic director Mikki Allen said in a statement released by the university. “We appreciate the partnership of Vanderbilt University and the Tennessee Titans in helping make this special event possible for our student-athletes, alumni and fans.”

Why is the Jackson State-Tennessee State game moving?

The change was necessitated by a Tennessee Titans preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Nissan Stadium that same weekend.

“We are honored to partner with Tennessee State University to host the 2026 John A. Merritt Classic at FirstBank Stadium,” Vanderbilt Vice Chancellor for University Affairs and Athletic Director Candice Lee added. “Coach Merritt led many memorable victories at Dudley Field, making it especially meaningful to welcome this game and TSU back to campus. We are proud to support an event that celebrates Coach Merritt’s legacy and the rich tradition of HBCU football, and we look forward to welcoming Tennessee State and Jackson State fans for what promises to be a special evening.”

John Merritt racked up a 14-4-1 record on Vanderbilt’s campus, including a 20-3 win over defending FCS champion Florida A&M on Oct. 20, 1979, at what was then Dudley Field.

This will be the fourth time Tennessee State and Jackson State will meet on Vanderbilt’s campus. JSU won the first meeting 35-24 in 1978, followed by 20-0 and 21-0 shutouts by Tennessee State in 1980 and 1982.

Tennessee State holds a 30-23-2 advantage in the all-time series. This will be the first time TSU and JSU have played in Nashville since a 64-33 Tennessee State victory on Nov. 17, 2001.