Number One Takes A Fall – NCAA Division 2’s Number One-Ranked team, the Grand Valley State Lakers, were upset yesterday 20-17 on the road against the Michigan Tech Huskies. The Lakers uncharacteristically struggled on both sides of the ball and Michigan Tech took advantage to defeat GVSU for the 1st time since 1984. As for the other Top Ranked Teams, D3’s Whitewater Warhawks remained perfect with a home win over the Stevens Point Pointers 27-14. The NAIA’s #1 team, the Sioux Falls Cougars, had a bye, as did the #1 JUCO team, the Butler (KS) Grizzlies.
Other Top 25 Upsets – NAIA – The 19th-ranked Friends Falcons fell to the struggling St Mary Spires in a 38-35 Instant Classic and the unranked Shorter Hawks clobbered the #22 Webber International Warriors 42-14 for the Warrior’s 2nd loss in a row. Georgia football fans may have lost in the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party to Florida but this win provided at least some restoration of state football pride.
Other Top 25 Upsets – NCAA Division 3 – #14, the Montclair State Red Hawks, were upset by the formerly ranked Cortland State Red Dragons in a 10-9 defensive epic … At # 20, this year’s “now they’re ranked, now they’re not” Alfred Saxons lost at home to the Rochester Yellowjackets 24-14 … The 24th-ranked Ursinus Bears, formerly undefeated, fell to the unranked Moravian Greyhounds 24-17
Other Top 25 Upsets – NCAA Division 2 – The #21 West Alabama Tigers were defeated in overtime 30-27 by 1 of the teams leaving the Gulf South Conference after this season, the Southern Arkansas Muleriders, in what must have been a sweet kissoff for the victors … The 23rd-ranked Winston-Salem Rams, in their 1st year back in D2 after their move down from Division 1, suffered their 2nd loss of the year yesterday, falling to the unranked Shaw Bears by a score of 31-27
The Hankster Wins 250 – Dickinson State Blue Hawks Head Coach Hank Biesiot, Official Balladeer’s Blog Nickname: The Hankster, notched his 250th win yesterday with a road victory over the Minot State Beavers 45-13. The Blue Hawks are ranked 11th in the nation and are hoping to emerge as conference champs from the traffic jam that we’ve had at the top of the Dakota Athletic Conference this year.
Sure, But What Do They Do For An Encore? – The Culver-Stockton Wildcats at long last broke their 32 game losing streak with a 38-35 win over the Graceland Yellowjackets. Congratulations to CSC. It’s always good to see awful streaks like that come to an end.
Break A 2 by 4 For Me While You’re At It – The 9-0 Maritime College Privateers clinched the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference title yesterday with a 20-2 win over the Norwich Cadets, adding extra spice to their post-victory ritual of breaking a 2 by 4. The Privateers close out their regular season next week against the Gallaudet Bison.
Blue Dragons Scorch The Red Ravens – The #7 Hutchinson Blue Dragons routed the 14th-ranked Coffeyville Red Ravens 41-0 last night to secure a 2nd place finish in the Jayhawk Conference and a home playoff game next Sunday (not Saturday) at 1pm. Hutchinson will face the Independence Pirates in that game while the Butler (KS) Grizzlies, the #1 team in the conference AND the nation, will host Coffeyville, who fell to the 4 seed in Region VI following yesterday’s loss. Balladeer’s Blog will have a full look at the JUCO playoff picture as the week progresses.
Whose Turn Was It To Beat The Clan? – The Simon Fraser Clan (as in Scottish clan), 1 of the Canadian college teams that play in the USA’s lower divisions, lost yet again yesterday, this time to the Humboldt State Lumberjacks 35-14. Humboldt State returns home to their incredibly cool stadium The Redwood Bowl, for next week’s game against the Western Oregon Wolves.
Lambuth Rules The World – The NAIA’s Lambuth Eagles, who have specialized in upsetting higher division teams this year, did it again yesterday crushing NCAA Division 2’s Central State Marauders 42-6.
“How ‘Bout Them Blue Raiders?” – The Lindsey Wilson College Blue Raiders, in just their 1st year of intercollegiate football, have already notched their 4th win! Yesterday they defeated the West Virginia Tech Golden Bears by a score of 9-7.
MORE TO COME
Balladeer's Blog 