THE MCMURRY WAR HAWKS RULE THE WORLD – NCAA Division 3’s MCMURRY WAR HAWKS defeated a team from two divisions higher yesterday, toppling 1AA’s UT-SAN ANTONIO ROADRUNNERS in a 24-21 Instant Classic. Now, it’s true that the Roadrunners are in their very first year of intercollegiate football, but they are still Division 1 with all the advantages that implies in the way of facilities and recruiting.
THE LANGSTON LIONS ALSO RULE THE WORLD … AGAIN – For the second week in a row the LANGSTON LIONS, from the NAIA, have taken down an upper division team. As with McMurry, they took down a 1AA team but did it in a rout. Langston (insert my usual joke that they should change their name to the Langston Hugheses here) handily defeated the TUSKEGEE GOLDEN TIGERS by a score of 33-19.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD – For the first time this season we have three teams from the divisions Balladeer’s Blog covers playing giant-killer and defeating a team from a higher division. Add the NAIA’s PIKEVILLE BEARS to the mix. The Bears won a tight 21-14 contest against a team from one division higher, D2’s KENTUCKY WESLEYAN COUGARS.
NUMBER ONE TAKES A FALL – The CC FIGHTING SAINTS, the NAIA’s top-ranked team AND the defending national champions, were stunned at home yesterday by the unranked EASTERN OREGON MOUNTAINEERS 41-33. The after-shocks of this game will be felt for weeks. Kudos to the Mountaineers for taking the “Hell” out of Helena, Montana, where the Fighting Saints usually enjoy an insurmountable homefield advantage.
WESLEY CRUSHED – Okay, the final score was a very close 31-28, but I couldn’t resist the play on Wesley Crusher’s name. D3’s 3rd ranked WESLEY WOLVERINES fell even further under the shadow of the WHITEWATER WARHAWKS and the MT UNION PURPLE RAIDERS by losing to the unranked KEAN COUGARS yesterday.
TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – DICKINSON STATE BLUE HAWKS head coach Hank Biesiot, who is sort of like the NAIA’s Joe Paterno but without the seeming senility, remains stuck on needing five more wins to have the all-time wins record in NAIA football. His 7th ranked Blue Hawks sank to 0-3 yesterday, falling to the unranked VCS VIKINGS in a 28-26 heartbreaker … The number 20 WEBBER INTERNATIONAL WARRIORS were shocked at home yesterday, winding up as the prison brides of the unranked SHORTER HAWKS in a stunning 42-10 game.
TOP 25 UPSETS – NCAA DIVISION 3 – The 23rd ranked STEVENS POINT POINTERS were crushed by the PLATTEVILLE PIONEERS 26-3 and the unranked EAU CLAIRE BLUGOLDS shocked the number 25 ST JOHN’S JOHNNIES on their own field in a savage 47-19 beatdown.
TOP 25 UPSETS – NCAA DIVISION 2 – The dynastic GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS, ranked at number 3, continued their seeming decline in recent years, falling to the unranked HILLSDALE CHARGERS in a 34-31 Instant Classic … The 9th ranked CENTRAL MISSOURI MULES were upset on the road by the MISSOURI WESTERN GRIFFONS, who were themselves knocked out of the rankings a few weeks ago. The Griffons took some of their anger out on the Mules in an authoritative 23-6 win … The number 14 team, the AUGUSTANA VIKINGS, suferred a home loss in overtime to the unranked BEMIDJI STATE BEAVERS by a score of 30-27 and in what was just barely an upset in the rankings, the 18th ranked KUTZTOWN GOLDEN BEARS won at the 17th ranked MERCYHURST LAKERS 35-28.
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE – The ASA COLLEGE AVENGERS finally got to play their first game of the 2011 season, after their previous game was postponed due to hurricane concerns. The Avengers made up for lost time by annihilating the HUDSON VALLEY VIKINGS by a score of 53-7.
WHO’S GOING TO BREAK THE NEWS TO TONY STARK? – The VERMILLION COLLEGE IRONMEN fell to 0-3 yesterday. The Ironmen were melted down to slag by the RIDGEWATER COLLEGE WARRIORS in a 55-3 laugher.
DREAM REIVERS – The 7th ranked IOWA WESTERN REIVERS continue rolling along, improving their record to 3-0 with a 33-0 home win over the JOLIET WOLVES.
“OUR DIVISION CAN BEAT UP YOUR DIVISION” DEPT – It’s time for this week’s chronicling of the intense rivalry between NAIA football teams and NCAA Division 3 football teams. The NAIA’s OLIVET NAZARENE TIGERS won in overtime 16-10 over D3’s COE KOHAWKS … The MENLO OAKS emerged with a 23-16 victory over D3’s PACIFIC BOXERS in an undeniable Instant Classic … The NAIA’s BELHAVEN BLAZERS defeated the MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE CHOCTAWS 35-31 … The WILLIAM PENN STATESMEN won on the road against D3’s LUTHER NORSE by a score of 24-13 … The SOUTHWESTERN ASSEMBLIES OF GOD LIONS won a 21-15 thriller against the HOWARD PAYNE YELLOWJACKETS and the perennial NAIA football power AZUSA PACIFIC COUGARS mauled and devoured D3’s LA VERNE LEOPARDS by a score of 65-14 … The D3 wins over NAIA teams came from the SUL ROSS STATE LOBOS squeaking by the BACONE WARRIORS 13-12, the STOUT BLUE DEVILS defeating the JAMESTOWN COLLEGE JIMMIES 20-17 and the NORTH CENTRAL CARDINALS dismembering the BETHEL (TN) WILDCATS 70-26.
LAUGH, CHILDREN, LAUGH – (Bad Movie buffs will get it) The EASTERN ARIZONA COLLEGE GILA MONSTERS are now 3-0 on the season. Yesterday they derailed the train called the EAST VALLEY RAVENS in a 44-0 beatdown.
S.A.M. – SERVICE ACADEMY MANIA – The football rivalry between the US COAST GUARD ACADEMY BEARS and the MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY MARINERS doesn’t get anywhere near the publicity of Army vs Navy, but it’s still a lot of fun. The two teams play for the Secretary’s Cup and this year that prize went to the Mariners following yesterday’s 35-28 victory.
CREAM AND SUGAR FOR COFFEYVILLE – The COFFEYVILLE RED RAVENS got their season back on the right track, beating the “O” out of the GARDEN CITY BRONCBUSTERS in a 45-7 rout. With the win the Red Ravens are now 2-1.
COACH FEM TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS – The NAIA’s 2nd ranked SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS, led by Coach Mike Feminis, should move up to the top spot following CC’s loss and the fact that they won on the road yesterday at the number 24 ST FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS 34-30.
RUSTLER SAM WILL BE HAPPY – For people new to college football in the divisions covered by Balladeer’s Blog, Rustler Sam is the mascot of the GOLDEN WEST COLLEGE RUSTLERS, who are now 2-0 for the 2011 season after crushing fellow cool-named team the GLENDALE COLLEGE VAQUEROS 34-7.
UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – The FOND DU LAC TRIBAL COLLEGE THUNDER won a 14-13 nailbiter over the MINNESOTA WEST BLUEJAYS … The COLLEGE OF DU PAGE CHAPARRALS won a tight 42-35 game against the IOWA CENTRAL TRITONS … The PACE SETTERS came out with an overtime victory against the STONEHILL SKYHAWKS by a score of 23-20 and the CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT CAPTAINS fell in Double Overtime to the STEVENSON MUSTANGS 46-43.
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Thanks! I cover these colleges in other sports, too.
Ok. Strange question here… why do sports teams have lots of animal names or superheroesque names??? But then again, why is there a team called Fondue Lake? I’ll never get it!!!
They pick those kinds of names to sound cool and tough, or in some cases because it has something to do with their region’s history.
The Haskell Indian Nations College’s teams are called the Indians appropriately enough.
Good to find a site covering this. I found my teams plus I’m learning about these divisions I never knew about!
Glad to hear it. Thanks for commenting!
Funny titles for your stories about these teams. It actually makes them stay in my memory.