1965 Tennessee A&I Tigers football team

| image_size =

| image_size =

| conference = [[Midwest Athletic Association]]

| conference = [[Midwest Athletic Association]]

| short_conf = MAA

| short_conf = MWAA

| record = 9–0–1

| record = 9–0–1

| conf_record = 3–0

| conf_record = 3–0

| captain =

| captain =

| stadium = [[Hale Stadium]]

| stadium = [[Hale Stadium]]

| champion = [[Black college football national championship|Black college national champion]]
MAA champion

| champion = [[Black college football national championship|Black college national champion]]
MWAA champion

| bowl = [[1965 Grantland Rice Bowl|Grantland Rice Bowl]]

| bowl = [[1965 Grantland Rice Bowl|Grantland Rice Bowl]]

| bowl_result = T 14–14 vs. [[1965 Ball State Cardinals football team|Ball State]]

| bowl_result = T 14–14 vs. [[1965 Ball State Cardinals football team|Ball State]]

{{1965 Midwest Athletic Association football standings}}

{{1965 Midwest Athletic Association football standings}}

The '''1965 Tennessee A&I Tigers football team''' represented [[Tennessee State University|Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State College]] as a member of the [[Midwest Athletic Association]] (MAA) during the [[1965 NCAA College Division football season]]. In their third season under head coach [[John Merritt (American football)|John Merritt]], the Tigers compiled a 9–0–1 record, won the MAA championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 333 to 108. The team was also recognized as the 1965 [[black college football national championship|black college national champion]] and was ranked No. 5 in the final [[1965 small college football rankings|small college football rankings]] issued by the [[Associated Press]] and No. 12 in the final poll issued by the [[United Press International]].

The '''1965 Tennessee A&I Tigers football team''' represented [[Tennessee State University|Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State College]] as a member of the [[Midwest Athletic Association]] (MWAA) during the [[1965 NCAA College Division football season]]. In their third season under head coach [[John Merritt (American football)|John Merritt]], the Tigers compiled a 9–0–1 record, won the MWAA championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 333 to 108. The team was also recognized as the 1965 [[black college football national championship|black college national champion]] and was ranked No. 5 in the final [[1965 small college football rankings|small college football rankings]] issued by the [[Associated Press]] and No. 12 in the final poll issued by the [[United Press International]].

On December 11, Tennessee A&I played in the [[1965 Grantland Rice Bowl]] against [[1965 Ball State Cardinals football team|Ball State]]. It was the first college football game in Tennessee between an all-black team and a predominantly white team.

On December 11, Tennessee A&I played in the [[1965 Grantland Rice Bowl]] against [[1965 Ball State Cardinals football team|Ball State]]. It was the first college football game in Tennessee between an all-black team and a predominantly white team.