COUGAR TOWN? A FAMILIAR NAME TOPS THE NAIA COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL

The University of Sioux Falls Cougars football dynasty may well reign for one more season, at least according to the College Fanz Sports Network NAIA Preseason Top 25 (out of 93 football teams in the NAIA). The Cougars (Don’t go there!), already winners of three of the last four NAIA College Football Championships (and four overall) are looking for a three-peat this season, after defeating the Carroll College (MT) Fighting Saints and the Lindenwood Lions respectively in the past two title games. And oh, yeah, in 2007, the one season in the past four when the Cougars weren’t the champs they still made it all the way to the championship game before falling to the aforementioned Fighting Saints.

Let’s take a look at the full Top 25 :

1.Sioux Falls Cougars – The High Overlords of the Great Plains Athletic Conference look to continue the NAIA’s longest active winning streak having won their last 29 games in a row. Quarterback Lorenzo Brown is gone but on the defensive side of the ball 2009 National Championship Game Player Of The Game Dominic Studzinski (and keep your Polish Stud jokes to yourself) returns. Let’s enjoy this act while we still can, NAIA fans.

2. Lindenwood Lions – The Lions have been the pride (Get it? GET IT?) of the Heart of America Athletic Conference (or “HAAC” for you smokers out there) recently and in last year’s title game gave Sioux Falls almost all they could handle. Obviously Lindenwood has a good chance of getting back to the title game this year but a schedule that’s practically loaded with fellow Top 25 teams may get in the way.

3.Carroll College (MT) Fighting Saints – Not to be confused with the Belligerent Quakers, these Frontier Conference monarchs are a dynasty of their own, winning five NAIA football titles in the past decade. Tight End Bubba Bartlett is back, “deadlier and more powerful than ever before” just like Marvel Comics supervillains. Could be a “senses shattering” season ahead for these boys. ‘Nuff said.

4. Saint Xavier (IL) Cougars – Saint Xavier had a perfect 11-0 regular season in 2009 and were the champs of the Mideast League of the Mid-States Football Association, which I will henceforth refer to as “The Association” like Jim Rome does with the NBA. The Cougars are looking to extend their dominance of The Association to the entire NAIA this season.

5. Morningside College Mustangs – These Mustangs from the Great Plains Athletic Conference have been one of the sixteen teams in the NAIA playoffs the past six years in a row and have advanced to at least the quarter-finals for the past five in a row. The Morningside faithful are hoping to at least win the team’s first conference title since 2005.

That rounds out the Top 5. Now the rest of the Top 10:

6. MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers – The Pioneers are just two years removed from their last Heart Of America Athletic Conference championship. Look for them to blaze a trail back to the playoffs this year.

7. University of the Cumberlands Patriots – For the past three years in a row the Pats have been the champs of the Mid-South Conference East. Try wrapping your head around THAT title.

8. Saint Francis (IN) Cougars – These Cougars hail from The Association (see above) and have to replace no less than seven starters from last year’s NAIA-leading defense.

9. McKendree Bearcats – Tight End Byron Gettis leads this team from The Association. Last year the Bearcats were undefeated in The Association’s MidWest League.

10. Missouri Valley Vikings – Under ninth-year head coach Paul Troth this team from the Heart of America Athletic Conference looks to make its fourth post-season appearance in the past five years.

Now for the remaining teams in the Top 25 and their conference affiliation:

11. Minot State Beavers – Dakota Athletic Conference

12. Walsh Cavaliers – Mid States Football Association

13. Hastings College Broncos – Great Plains Athletic Conference

14. Friends University Falcons – Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

15. Ottawa (KS) Braves – Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

16. McPherson Bulldogs – Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

17. Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers – Central States Football League

18. Grand View Vikings – The Association

19. Dickinson State Blue Hawks – Dakota Athletic Conference

20. Northwestern (IA) Red Raiders – Great Plains Athletic Conference

21. Lambuth Eagles – Independent

22. Langston Lions – Central States Football League

23. Taylor (IN) Trojans – The Association

24. Eastern Oregon Mountaineers – Frontier Conference

25. Campbellsville Tigers – Mid South Conference

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