Football is coming back to Stillman College.
The historic Alabama HBCU announced Friday, Aug. 14, that it is reviving its intercollegiate football program, bringing the Tigers back to the gridiron after more than a decade away. The announcement comes as Stillman celebrates its 150th anniversary and looks toward a new era for the institution.
Stillman President Dr. Yolanda W. Page framed the return of football as more than an athletics decision. The revived program is expected to become part of the college’s broader effort to strengthen campus life, attract students and reconnect alumni as Stillman begins its next 150 years.
A Football Tradition Returns
The announcement marks another comeback for a program with a history of long interruptions.
Stillman previously revived football in 1999 after nearly five decades without the sport. The Tigers went on to compete in NCAA Division II and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference before the college discontinued football following the 2015 season amid financial pressures and rising athletics costs.
The modern-era Tigers compiled a 90-84 record from 1999 through 2015. Stillman’s football history also produced players who reached the NFL, including defensive tackle Sammie Hill, who was selected by the Detroit Lions in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft.
Now, more than 10 years after the Tigers last took the field, Stillman is preparing to write another chapter.
More Than Football
The return carries particular significance during Stillman’s sesquicentennial celebration. Founded in 1876, the private historically Black college has been part of the Tuscaloosa community for a century and a half.
Bringing football back gives Stillman an opportunity to restore one of its most visible campus traditions while generating renewed excitement among students, alumni and supporters.
For Tiger Nation, the announcement represents both a connection to Stillman’s past and an investment in its future.
After more than a decade without Saturdays at Stillman Stadium, football is officially on its way back to Tuscaloosa.
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