Lincoln Blue Tigers football

Last updated

Lincoln Blue Tigers football
Lincoln wordmark.svg
First season 1896; 129 years ago [1]
Athletic directorTim Abney
Head coach Moses Harper
1st season, 1–10 (.091)
StadiumDwight T. Reed Stadium
(capacity: 5,500)
Year built1971
Field surfaceAstroturf
Location Jefferson City, Missouri
NCAA division Division II
Conference Great Lakes Valley Conference
Past conferences Central States Football League
The MIAA
All-time record24845325 (.359)
Bowl record110 (.500)
Conference titles7
ColorsNavy blue and white [2]
   
Website lubluetigers.com

The Lincoln Blue Tigers football program represents Lincoln University in college football and competes in the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). In 2014, Lincoln became an affiliate member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference, returning to Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association in 2019. Lincoln competed in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association from 1970 to 1989 and 2011 to 2013, while primarily remaining as member of that conference. LU's home games are played at Dwight T. Reed Stadium in Jefferson City, Missouri. The programs maintains an all time record of 248–453–25. [3]

Contents

Conference affiliations

Venues

Dwight T. Reed Stadium
Location1204 Chestnut St
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Capacity 3,000–5,500
Surface FieldTurf
Opened1971

Prior to 1936, the Lincoln football team played their home games on a gridiron where Jason Gym is now located. In 1915 this field was known as West Athletic Field. [4] The team played on Lincoln Field from 1936 to 1970. This field was home to four conference championship teams between 1952 and 1962. Lincoln Field is now called the practice field.

The Blue Tigers have played their home games at Dwight T. Reed Stadium since 1971. Reed Stadium was named for Dwight T. Reed, who coached the team from 1949 to 1972. The current capacity of the stadium is at 3,000 but the university lists it at 5,500. [5] [6] Reed stadium underwent renovations from March to September 2017 after the university's Board of Curators approved the $1.8 million project. [7] The renovations included new stadium lights, an artificial turf playing surface, and a new digital scoreboard that included a video board. [8] In addition to American football, Reed Stadium can also host soccer games. [9] Reed Stadium also hosted Commencement before it was moved to the Linc Recreation Center in May 2017. Commencement was moved back to Reed Stadium two years later in May 2019. [10]

Championships

Conference championships

YearConferenceCoachOverall recordConference record
1910 [11] Missouri Valley Conference for Black Schools

Romeo A. West

2–01–0
1919 [12] Western region/conference

S. L. Burlong

3–03–0
1952† Midwest Athletic Association

Dwight T. Reed

8–0–14–0–1
1953 [13] Midwest Athletic Association

Dwight T. Reed

8–0–14–0–1
1958 Midwest Athletic Association

Dwight T. Reed

7–13–0
1962 [14] Midwest Athletic Association

Dwight T. Reed

5–3–12–0–1
1972† [15] Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association Dwight T. Reed 9–15–1
Total conference/regional championships:7
† Denotes co-champions

Postseason appearances

No.SeasonGameResultOpponentStadiumLocation
1 1946 Prairie View Bowl L 0–14 [16] Prairie View Buffalo Stadium Houston, Texas
21958 Mineral Water Bowl W 21–0 Emporia State Roosevelt Stadium Excelsior Springs, Missouri

Retired numbers

Lincoln Blue Tigers retired numbers
No.PlayerPos.TenureRef.
20 Lemar Parrish CB 1966–1969 [17]
30 Leo Lewis RB 1951–1954 [18]

Team records and statistics

In the national polls

HBCU polls

SeasonPittsburgh Courier rankANP rankOverall recordConference recordHead coach
1946 75–3–11–1–1 David D. Rains
1947 133–4–11–3–1 David D. Rains
1951 1097–21–2 Dwight T. Reed
1952 328–0–14–0–1 Dwight T. Reed
1953 438–0–14–0–1 Dwight T. Reed
1954 11164–3–13–2 Dwight T. Reed
1955 105–33–1 Dwight T. Reed
1957 58–12–1 Dwight T. Reed
1958 547–13–0 Dwight T. Reed
1959 117–2–10–2–1 Dwight T. Reed
1962 165–3–12–0–1 Dwight T. Reed
1964 58–22–1 Dwight T. Reed
1968 58–2N/A Dwight T. Reed

Seasons

Lincoln University Blue Tigers football seasons

References

  1. "Lincoln Institute". Columbia Missouri Herald. Sedalia, Missouri. July 17, 1896. p. 2. Retrieved March 6, 2025 via Newspapers.com Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg .
  2. This Is Lincoln. A guide to branding our Lincoln University . Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  3. http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2017/D2.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  4. Lincoln University, MO (1915). 1915 Lincoln University Yearbook. Senior Class of Lincoln Institute. pp. 44–47.
  5. "2017 Lincoln Blue Tigers Football Media Guide". Lincoln University. 2017. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  6. "LU - Lincoln (Mo.) Stadium (Dwight T. Reed Stadium)". www.d2football.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008.
  7. Pritchard, Jill (March 30, 2017). "$1.8 million project to renovate Dwight T. Reed Stadium". KJLU . Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  8. "Lincoln set to show off revamped Reed Stadium". California Democrat . September 8, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  9. "Boys Soccer: Firley Shootout moved to Dwight T. Reed Stadium". Jefferson City News Tribune . October 15, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  10. "Lincoln Commencement returns to Dwight T. Reed Stadium". The St. Louis American . May 10, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  11. "To Play For Negro Championship". The Kansas City Times. Kansas City, Missouri. November 24, 1910. p. 8. Retrieved March 6, 2025 via Newspapers.com Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg .
  12. "Sumner High Opposes Lincoln Institute Team". The Daily Capital News. Jefferson City, Missouri. November 30, 1919. p. 4. Retrieved March 13, 2025 via Newspapers.com Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg .
  13. "The Golden Dozen of 1953". The Pittsburgh Courier. December 19, 1953. p. 15.
  14. "L.U. Grid Defense Ranked High Among NAIA Schools". Jefferson City Post Tribune. Jefferson City, MO. December 27, 1962.
  15. "Lincoln Romps To 40-0 Win, Ties for Crown". Independence Examiner. Independence, MO. November 24, 1972.
  16. "Prairie View Takes Lincoln, 14 to 0". Austin, TX. January 2, 1947.
  17. "Lemar Parrish to Enter the Black College Football Hall of Fame". lubluetigers.com. December 14, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  18. "Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Will Enshrine Lincoln Legend Leo Lewis". lubluetigers.com. September 30, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2025.