Grambling State Tigers Logo PNG
Another American institution, Grambling State University, has represented its sports division, the Grambling State Tigers, since 1956, and its logo changed in 1997. The latest version of the emblem is a succinct demonstration of progress aligning with modern trends.
Athletics at Grambling State University developed from its founding in 1901 within the limits of segregation, which shaped its early path in college sports. The breakthrough came in 1941 when Eddie Robinson became head coach at age 22 with a roster of 33 players. In 1942, the team completed a perfect season without conceding a point.
Robinson returned to the program in 1945 after World War II and built it over the next few decades. In 1955, Grambling finished 10:0 and secured a national title among Black colleges. The team joined the Southwestern Athletic Conference in 1959 and won its first conference title in 1960, beginning a run of 27 consecutive winning seasons through 1986.
More than 200 players advanced to the NFL, including Buck Buchanan and Willie Brown. In 1985, Robinson surpassed Paul “Bear” Bryant after defeating Prairie View A&M, becoming the winningest coach in college football history. That same year, Sports Illustrated featured him on its cover.
The program gained international exposure in 1976 with a game against Morgan State in Tokyo, followed by a Mirage Bowl appearance against Temple in 1977. Quarterback Doug Williams led the team from 1974 to 1977, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and later became the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl in 1988.
After Robinson retired in 1997, Williams returned as head coach and won three straight SWAC titles from 2000 to 2002. Basketball added a national NAIA title in 1961 with a win over Georgetown College, while the Bayou Classic against Southern University remained a major annual event.
Meaning and History
1956-1964 – an era of the cartoonish emblem with a drawn tiger. It held a place of honor as the institution’s main symbol. It was an anthropomorphic image: the animal, dressed in a black sweater with the letter “G,” stood on its hind legs, holding an orange flag with the inscription “Grambling” in its forepaws. In 1965, the logo developers decided to remove the traditional mascot. They replaced it with a large black letter “G” in a yellow ellipse. The current version was used up to and including 1996.
The logo redesign in 1997 brought only minor changes to design details. The colors became more saturated, and a wide black outline appeared around the geometric figure. Notably, this version is nearly identical to the Georgia Bulldogs logo.
What is Grambling State Tigers?
Grambling State Tigers is a participant in the NCAA intercollegiate program, representing Grambling State University. The sports department is located in Louisiana and is part of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The football team competes in I-FCS. There are 13 student teams in total.
1956 – 1964
1965 – 1996
1997 – today
Grambling State Tigers Basketball
In 1961, the men’s team became the first and only in the state to win the NAIA national basketball championship. Later, the team reached the NAIA “Final Four” and competed in the CollegeInsider.com postseason tournament. The women’s team has six matches in the NCAA Division I tournament to its credit.
Grambling State Tigers Baseball
The Grambling State University baseball team was established in 1936. James Cooper currently coaches it. Home games are held at Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones Park and Wilbert Ellis Field.