Entering the final week of the regular season, Tennessee State is currently in a three-way tie with UT Martin and Tennessee Tech for second place in the Big South/OVC standings.
Although much would need to happen for the Tigers to win the conference championship for the first time since 1999 and earn the automatic qualifying bid, there is a chance.
In the season finale, TSU will play Southeast Missouri State on Saturday at Nissan Stadium. A win in that game would, per the Big South/OVC, set up this possible regular-season title-clinching scenario.
• If Tennessee State defeats Southeast Missouri, Tennessee Tech loses to Eastern Illinois, and UT Martin loses to Lindenwood, TSU and SEMO will each finish 6-2. TSU will win the tiebreaker (based on its head-to-head win over SEMO) and earn the AQ).
Even if TSU loses on Saturday, it still can make the postseason, though it would be unlikely.
In his latest FCS postseason predictions, Hero Sports reporter Sam Herder had Tennessee State as one of eight bubble teams that could make the playoffs.
According to Herder, the Tigers will be fighting for one of the last few spots with Eastern Kentucky, UT Martin, Northern Arizona, and New Hampshire—schools projected to earn the last at-large bids.
The Tigers last made the playoffs in 2013, when they were an at-large selection. That season, they finished second in the conference behind Eastern Illinois.
