Valedictory Speech – The Top Ranked University of Sioux Falls Cougars closed the curtain on their Great Plains Athletic Conference Era by capping off their fifth straight undefeated season. The Concordia (NE) Bulldogs were the latest notch on the belt of the Cougars in a 44-7 victory. Now it’s on to the playoffs (and by the way the NAIA Football Playoff Selection Show will announce the 16-team field and the first-round pairings today) where the Cougars hope to close the curtain on their NAIA era with a third straight National Championship.
Bearcats Win Fall Classic – The 3rd-ranked Northwest Missouri Bearcats defeated the Pittsburg (KS) State Gorillas 22-16 in this year’s Fall Classic at Arrowhead. Sophomore running back Jordan “River” Simmons rushed for 2 touchdowns and over 100 yards to lead the Bearcats to their 5th straight perfect season in conference play. (The Law of 5’s again, just like above. I’m kidding!) The Bearcats are the defending National Champions in NCAA Division 2 football and have played in the past 5 (I’m not saying anything) title games in a row.
Top 25 Upsets – NAIA – The 23rd-ranked Langston Lions (who I think should change their name to the Langston Hugheses – fellow poetry geeks will get it) fell to the unranked Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm in a 30-27 Instant Classic.
Top 25 Upsets – NCAA Division 3 – The #7 team, the Hardin–Simmons Cowboys, suffered a road upset against the Louisiana Wildcats 44-42 … the 8th-ranked Delaware Valley Aggies lost at home to the unranked Widener Pride in a 28-27 nailbiter … the #21 Depauw Tigers were annihilated on the road by the unranked Wabash Little Giants (who I think should change their name to the Wabash Cannonballs) by a score of 47-0
Top 25 Upsets – NCAA Division 2 – On Thursday night, the 5th-ranked Valdosta State Blazers suffered a road loss to the unranked West Alabama Tigers 24-21 … yesterday the #8 team, the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers fell at the 25th-ranked Colorado Mines Orediggers (not to be confused with the NAIA’s Montana Tech Orediggers) in Triple Overtime by a failed 2-point conversion. The final score was 55-53 … the 9th-ranked Shepherd Rams were toppled at home by the unranked Glenville State Pioneers in a 28-24 Instant Classic … at #11, the Bloomsburg Huskies suffered a road upset at the hands of the 17th-ranked Mercyhurst Lakers 56-37 … the 15th-ranked North Alabama Lions, coached by THE Terry Bowden, the only member of the Bowden coaching family still working as a head coach, also fell on the road, in their case to the unranked Harding Bisons (they go by Bisons, not Bison) 29-28, further cementing the Gulf South Conference’s name as the SEC of D2 since every game is an NFL-style grind … D2’s Top-Ranked team, the UMD Bulldogs, play today at the Minnesota State Mavericks
So What Else Is New? – NCAA Division 3’s #1 team, the Whitewater Warhawks closed out another perfect regular season with a 24-0 win over the La Crosse Eagles. D3’s #2 team, the Mt Union Purple Raiders (alma mater of the NFL’s Pierre Garcon), did likewise with a 52-0 thrashing of the Muskingum Muskies. For anyone who’s been living under a rock I’ll throw out a reminder that for the past 5 years (Really! I don’t believe in that silly Law of 5’s bit, I just like joking about it.) the Warhawks and the Purple Raiders have been the Yankees and Red Sox of D3 football, having played each other in the Championship Game 5 years in a row. Will this year make it 6 in a row? (The Law of 6’s?) We’ll finally start to find out, since the D3 Selection Show will announce the 32-team playoff field and opening round matchups today.
Four-Peat For The Patriots – The Cumberlands Patriots won their 4th Mid-South Conference title in a row yesterday, this time in the West Division (Where they are serving their 2 year term, since they are normally in the East Division. It would take too long to explain so just go with me on this). They did it by defeating the Cumberland (with no “s”) Bulldogs 52-27. Coach John Bland’s boys talked the talk about accomplishing this early in the season and have now walked the walk.
Bulldog Market – The Wingate Bulldogs won their 1st-ever South Atlantic Conference regular season title by downing the Newberry Wolves 49-33. QB Cody “The Cool One” Haffly tied his career-best performance with 5 touchdown passes and RB “Knockout” Nelson Woods rushed for 181 yds and 2 td’s. The 8-2 Bulldogs now wait to see their D2 Playoff prospects later today.
General Mayhem – The Washington and Lee Generals, Old Dominion Athletic Conference Champions, took the interior lines and brought superior forces to bear yesterday, routing the Juniata Eagles 45-3 in a road win. The Generals already know they’re in the D3 playoffs and will see who their 1st-round game will be against later today on the D3 Playoff Selection Show.
Blue Dragons Look To Exorcise An Old Demon – In the NJCAA Region 6 title game today the Hutchinson Blue Dragons travel to El Dorado, KS, hoping to defeat the Top-Ranked Butler (KS) Grizzlies for the 1st time since 1997. The Grizzlies, who 3 weeks ago handed the Blue Dragons their only loss of the season so far, come into todays’ game knowing that if they beat Hutchinson they will definitely play for the National Championship in the Citizen’s Bank Bowl on December 4th. Kickoff is at 1:30pm local time today. The game can be followed at www.hutchcc.edu/dragons .
“How ‘Bout Them Blue Raiders?” – The Lindsey Wilson College Blue Raiders, in just their 1st year of intercollegiate football, closed out the season with their 5th win (no comment), taking down the Virginia-Wise Highland Cavaliers in an authoritative 51-22 win. The Blue Raiders end the season with a 5-6 record and no doubt a very optimistic feeling about their program’s future. The Notre Dame College Falcons, also in their 1st year of intercollegiate football, ended their inaugural season at 2-9 with a loss to NCAA Division 2’s Urbana Blue Knights (themselves a former NAIA team).
There Will Always Be A New England – The Endicott Gulls won the New England Football Conference Championship yesterday by defeating the Maine Maritime Mariners in a 38-35 Instant Classic.
“Our Division Can Beat Up Your Division” Dept – Yesterday was the last round of the NAIA vs NCAA Division 3 football rivalry for this year, since the regular season is over for both divisions. The NAIA won both matchups as it turned out. The Webber International Warriors trounced the Newport News Builders 40-7 and the Menlo Oaks edged the Pacific Boxers in a 44-42 nail-biter. We’ll resume following this rivalry next August!
Lumberjacks Chop Down The Clan – The Humboldt State Lumberjacks mangled the Simon Fraser Clan (as in Scottish clan), 1 of the Canadian teams that play in the USA’s lower divisions. The ‘Jacks closed out the season with a 66-20 win in their incredibly cool home stadium The Redwood Bowl.
We Went To A Football Game And A Basketball Game Broke Out – Both teams stubbornly refused to play defense as the UNO Mavericks defeated the Truman State Bulldogs 62-61. The Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes tried to give us a 2nd game for this category today by putting up 72 points, but their opponents, the Southwestern Moundbuilders, would have none of it, scoring just 48 points in return.
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