The 1986 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team was an American football team that represented East Tennessee State University as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon) during the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by second-year head coach Mike Ayers, the Buccaneers compiled and overall record of 6âÂÂ5, with a mark of 4âÂÂ3 in conference play, and finished fourth in the SoCon.