NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM OCTOBER 15TH

AZUSA PACIFIC RULES THE WORLD YET AGAIN – The NAIA’s AZUSA  PACIFIC COUGARS went on the road and  eviscerated NCAA Division 2’s DIXIE STATE RED STORM by a score of 48-19. Over the years Azusa Pacific has wracked up an impressive number of wins against upper division teams, even taking down Division 1’s San Diego Toreros in their own house in the 2010 season. And so far this season every Saturday has found at least 1 NAIA team upsetting a D2 team. Add to that the sheer number of D3 teams who have had their butts kicked by NAIA teams this year and you can easily say the NAIA has owned the NCAA this season.

WAYNE STATE’S WORLD – Both D2 teams called Wayne State were ranked and both were upset yesterday. The 4th ranked WARRIORS fell to the ASHLAND EAGLES 20-17 and the 25th ranked WILDCATS were knocked out of the rankings by the CONCORDIA-ST PAUL GOLDEN BEARS 27-24.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – Yesterday I had put the 4th ranked MISSOURI VALLEY VIKINGS on upset alert as they took it on the road against the number 9 BENEDICTINE RAVENS. For the 2nd week in a row number 4 took a fall as the Ravens handed MVC a 35-19 smackdown   …   The unranked BACONE WARRIORS knocked the number 23 NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE RANGERS out of the rankings with a 35-28 victory, just one week after the Rangers upset the then- number 10 SOUTHERN NAZARENE CRIMSON STORM.    

TOP 25 UPSETS – D3 – The number 10 KEAN COUGARS were upset on the road by the previously winless BROCKPORT STATE GOLDEN EAGLES 28-20   …   It took overtime but the unranked SIMPSON COLLEGE STORM brought down the 19th ranked WARTBURG KNIGHTS in their own house 38-37. A missed extra point was the difference   …   At 24 the BIRMINGHAM- SOUTHERN PANTHERS were embarrassed at home 45-20 by the unranked but unbeaten CENTRE COLONELS.     

TOP 25 UPSETS – D2 – In addition to the 2 Wayne States losing the number 10 UNK LOPERS were stunned at home by the 13th ranked PUEBLO THUNDERWOLVES in a 27-14 outcome and THE ROCK, as in SLIPPERY ROCK, threw down the 12th ranked CALIFORNIA (PA) VULCANS 17-3.    

NUMBER ONE SURVIVES A SCARE – The NJCAA’s top ranked BLINN COLLEGE BUCCANEERS, where Cam Newton played his college ball before transferring to Auburn, survived a very tight contest with the TRINITY VALLEY CARDINALS by a final score of 30-27.

DAKOTA STATE TRIUMPHANT – The DAKOTA STATE TROJANS ended their 17 game losing streak with a 24-16 win over the BRIAR CLIFF CHARGERS. The home crowd got to celebrate with their team as this ugly streak falls by the wayside. Congratulations, Trojans.

S.O.S. : SAME OLD SAXONS – Anyone who followed the ALFRED  UNIVERSITY SAXONS last season remembers how up and down they were, to the point of literally being ranked one week and knocked out of the rankings the next over and over again. Yesterday, the 23rd ranked Saxons were at home but were completely dismembered by the SALISBURY SEA GULLS in a 69-0 laugher.  

HOW ‘BOUT THEM EAGLES, ROUND 3 – The ROBERT MORRIS (IL) EAGLES are in just their first year of intercollegiate football but have already logged their program’s 3rd win AND their 1st winning streak, having now won 2 in a row. Yesterday the Eagles took down the TRINITY BIBLE COLLEGE LIONS in a 31-26 Instant Classic.

RUSTLIN’ UP A VICTORY – The GOLDEN WEST COLLEGE RUSTLERS made their mascot Rustler Sam a happy hombre yesterday by evening their record at 3-3 with a 30-17 victory over the SANTA ANA DONS.

WE WENT TO A FOOTBALL GAME AND A BASEBALL GAME BROKE OUT -This week’s game that fits this category just barely qualifies, but it saw the TRINITY (CT) BANTAMS log a road win over the TUFTS JUMBOS by a score of 9-0.

DON’T THAT BEAT THE DUTCH? – Actually it doesn’t, but I wanted an excuse to use that old saying. The CENTRAL DUTCH decimated the home standing LORAS DUHAWKS by an astounding 70-7.

REVAMPED RIVALRY – The SIOUX FALLS COUGARS and the BLACK HILLS STATE YELLOW JACKETS haven’t played each other since 1999 prior to yesterday’s matchup. The Cougars dismantled BHSU in a 44-20 rout.

SPOILED HOMECOMINGS – One week after having their own homecoming ruined the 22nd ranked  BETHANY SWEDES returned the favor for the TABOR BLUE JAYS in a 38-35 Instant Classic   …   The LINDSEY WILSON BLUE RAIDERS, in just their second year of intercollegiate football, crashed homecoming for the UNION (KY) BULLDOGS in an authoritative 20-6 victory   …   The CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS spoiled the Homecoming celebrations for the CAMPBELLSVILLE TIGERS in a 20-13 nail- biter and the CENTRAL METHODIST EAGLES rained on the parade of the GRACELAND  YELLOWJACKETS 41-27.   

BUT SOME HOMECOMINGS WERE HAPPY – The 23rd ranked EASTERN OREGON MOUNTAINEERS ended their 2 game losing streak with a Homecoming victory over the MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS in a 22-15 Instant Classic   …  The JAMESTOWN COLLEGE JIMMIES got back in the win column by defeating the MAYVILLE STATE COMETS 28-12 and the STERLING KNIGHTS routed the BETHEL (KS) THRESHERS 35-10.

A TALE OF TWO COUGARS – No, it’s not a story about Demi Moore and Cameron Diaz. The NAIA’s Top 2 teams took care of business yesterday with the number 1 ST XAVIER COUGARS crushing the QUINCY HAWKS 48-14 and the 2nd ranked MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS wiping out the number 6 ST FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS by a score of 40-13.  

MARATHON IN MONTANA – The game between the MONTANA STATE- NORTHERN LIGHTS and the MONTANA WESTERN BULLDOGS went to Double Overtime, with the Dawgs emerging with a 30-27 victory.

PITCHING SHUTOUTS – The TAYLOR TROJANS routed gridiron newcomers the CONCORDIA (MI) CARDINALS by a score of 48-0   …   The 7th ranked WESLEY WOLVERINES gnawed the throats out of the VIRGINIA- LYNCHBURG DRAGONS 46- zip   …   The ENDICOTT GULLS swallowed the PLYMOUTH STATE PANTHERS whole by a score of 49-0 and by the same score the STONEHILL SKYHAWKS crushed the PACE SETTERS  … 49-0 was contagious as the 3rd ranked ST THOMAS TOMMIES blanked the HAMLINE PIPERS by that margin while the  IOWA WESTERN REIVERS tore apart the NDSCS WILDCATS by the same score and the URBANA BLUE KNIGHTS, as you would expect from a former NAIA team, trashed the ST JOSEPH’S PUMAS 42-0.        

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – The EVANGEL CRUSADERS fell to 3-3 with a 20-13 road loss to the PERU STATE BOBCATS   …   The WASHINGTON AND LEE GENERALS came back to beat the RANDOLPH MACON YELLOW JACKETS 34-30 and look to be headed for their 2nd Old Dominion Athletic Conference title in a row   …   The ASA AVENGERS fell to the LACKAWANNA COLLEGE FALCONS by a score of 27-20   …   The NORWICH CADETS survived a tight 10-7 defensive battle with the GALLAUDET BISON   …   The EASTERN ARIZONA COLLEGE GILA MONSTERS fell to the NEW MEXICO MILITARY INSTITUTE BRONCOS in a 46-42 shootout and the IOWA CENTRAL TRITONS picked up a 35-28 road win over the ELLSWORTH PANTHERS.