Tennessee State football’s four-game winning streak came to an end this past Saturday as they faced a tough 28-21 loss against conference rival UT Martin. In terms of conference standings, the impact was manageable; Tennessee State dropped from second to fourth place, while UT Martin moved up to the second spot in the conference.

The game was tightly contested, with both teams having around 30 minutes of possession. Tennessee State led in passing yards with 312, while UTM recorded 266. However, the significant difference came from UTM's nearly double rushing yards. The Tigers struggled to establish a run game on the turf, finishing with just 42 rushing yards, while UTM thrived with 104 rushing yards. Both teams scored twice in the first quarter, but the Skyhawks reached the end zone first.

In a post-game conference Tigers head coach Eddie George said, “We didn't necessarily lose, we ran out of time. This was a game that came down to the last play. A tie would have gotten us into overtime. The bottom line is we fell behind early, couldn't make up for it, made too many mistakes within the game in terms of turnovers and left some plays on the field. You can't do that against a team like that.”

As far as the penalty battle both teams had 6. The Tigers had 6 for 48 and the Skyhawks 6 for 56. TSU had two fumbles and two interceptions. 

Tennessee State football is still in the race for the playoffs, and with three conference games remaining, it's definitely within reach. The season has still been successful, as Eddie George and Tennessee State four-game win streak included wins over Eastern Illinois and other in-conference opponents as well as HBCU competitors. Tennessee State was also ranked in the AFCA Coaches Poll prior to their matchup with UT Martin.

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They will conclude the season against Southeastern Missouri, which currently holds the top spot in the Big South OVC standings. This matchup is set to be their most crucial and challenging game of the season.

Next up for the Tigers is Western Illinois. TSU will hit the road for the match up. Kickoff is set for November 9 at 2 PM EST The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.