THE PRAIRIE WOLVES STUN THE MUSTANGS – The NEBRASKA WESLEYAN PRAIRIE WOLVES seemed to be gaining momentum at the end of last season, but almost nobody expected them to do what they did yesterday. The plucky Prairie Wolves (love that name) shocked the NAIA football world by defeating the 3rd ranked MORNINGSIDE MUSTANGS in their own house 30-23. NWU trailed 13-3 at the end of the 1st Quarter and it looked like Morningside was going to live up to the assumption that they would own the Great Plains Athletic Conference now that the SIOUX FALLS COUGARS have moved on to D2. But the Prairie Wolves borrowed Lee Corso’s saying “Not so fast, my friend” and refused to give up. By halftime they led 16-13, leaving the home crowd very, very silent. The 3rd quarter ended with the score tied at 23 apiece and NWU scored the lone touchdown of the 4th quarter to steal the win. Look out, Li’l Red, the Prairie Wolves are the REAL kings of Lincoln, NE.
THE SIENA HEIGHTS SAINTS RULE THE WORLD – This is the type of headline I use whenever a team defeats an opponent from a higher division. The NAIA’s SIENNA HEIGHTS SAINTS, still new to intercollegiate football, played giant-killer on the road yesterday by toppling D2’s KENTUCKY WESLEYAN COUGARS in a 28-26 Instant Classic.
THE MARIAN KNIGHTS SORT OF RULE THE WORLD – The MARIAN KNIGHTS crushed the D2 NOTRE DAME COLLEGE FALCONS (School motto: “No, not THAT Notre Dame”) 38-0, but NDC is in just their second year of intercollegiate football, so keep it in perspective. The Knights are still undefeated and were ranked 4th in the nation last week, so they are proving last season was no fluke.
NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO TAKE A FALL – Just one week after the NAIA’s top-ranked team was dethroned the same thing happened in D2. In a very, very, VERY odd game the top-ranked defending champs – the MINNESOTA- DULUTH BULLDOGS were brought crashing down by the unranked WAYNE STATE (NE) WILDCATS. The final score in this game from the Twilight Zone was 7-0. Meanwhile D2’s 2nd ranked team, the ABILENE CHRISTIAN WILDCATS (the team that Colt/Case McCoy’s and Jordan/Jaxon Shipley’s fathers played their college ball for – and yes, they were roommates, too) fell at home to THE Terry Bowden’s 9th ranked NORTH ALABAMA LIONS in a 23-17 Instant Classic.
TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – Besides the aforementioned Prairie Wolves upset of Morningside the DOANE TIGERS upset the 16th ranked NORTHWESTERN (IA) RED RAIDERS by a score of 20-8.
TOP 25 UPSETS – D3 – The unranked MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE CHOCTAWS slapped around the number 8 team, the HARDIN-SIMMONS COWBOYS 45-28 and the 11th ranked CORTLAND STATE RED DRAGONS were upset at home by the number 18 KEAN COUGARS by a score of 21-16 …
TOP 25 UPSETS – D2 – In addition to the 1 and 2 teams falling, the 4th ranked TAMK JAVELINAS (where Hall of Famer Daarrell Green played his college ball) fell at home to the 22nd ranked WTAM BUFFALOES in a 42-21 shocker. Yes, 3 of D2’s Top 5 fell in one day … The 7th ranked ST CLOUD STATE HUSKIES were upset by the WINONA STATE WARRIORS 29-16 … The 10th ranked VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS brought down the number 8 ALBANY (GA) STATE GOLDEN RAMS in a 30-27 Instant Classic and the unranked INDIANAPOLIS GREYHOUNDS defeated the 14th ranked GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS in a 34-33 nailbiter.
BLUE TIGER BLUES – The NORTHWEST MISSOURI BEARCATS carried their number 2 ranking to Lincoln, MO, where they ground the LINCOLN BLUE TIGERS into a fine powder. The final score was a blistering 73-7 with the only touchdown for the Blue Tigers coming on a 90 yard kickoff return from Fred Fuller. Believe it or not the Bearcats turned the ball over five times in the wet conditions, or else this game could have gotten even uglier. As the only Top 3 team in D2 to win yesterday Northwest Missouri should be the new Number 1 in the next poll.
BREAK ANOTHER 2 BY 4 – That title refers to the traditional post-victory ritual of the MARITIME COLLEGE PRIVATEERS, who improved to 2-1 on the season with yesterday’s 13-7 win over the MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY MARINERS.
AGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF DODGE CITY – My fellow movie geeks will get that title. The DODGE CITY CONQUISTADORS got their 1st win of the season yesterday, routing the INDEPENDENCE PIRATES by a score of 28-7. Congrats to the Conquistadors, but as for Independence … at 0-4 they have now officially squandered all of the respect they earned last season and will be looking for redemption the rest of the way.
BEAR NECESSITIES – D3’s 12th ranked OHIO NORTHERN POLAR BEARS just barely squeaked by the OTTERBEIN CARDINALS. A dramatic 34-33 Overtime victory kept the Polar Bears unbeaten.
BLUE DRAGONS COME ROARING BACK – After being stunned by AFP in last week’s upset loss, the HUTCHINSON BLUE DRAGONS blazed back to their winning ways with a 90 (yes, 90) to 7 annihilation of the HIGHLAND SCOTTIES. With this win Hutch remains undefeated in conference play, with the ever- important showdown with the BUTLER (KS) GRIZZLIES looming later in the season.
STORM-STRUCK – The SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA SAVAGE STORM (love that name) took it on the road and beat out the SOUTHERN ARKANSAS MULERIDERS in a 24-21 nailbiter.
FEAR THE ARTICHOKES – The SCOTTSDALE FIGHTING ARTICHOKES (no, really) remain perfect, chalking up their 4th win of the season by blowing out the MESA THUNDERBIRDS 44-3. Will the ‘Chokes make their way to the championship game? Scottsdale fans and Vegans around the country are watching to see.
“OUR DIVISION CAN BEAT UP YOUR DIVISION” DEPARTMENT – As regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog know, I chronicle the football rivalry between the NAIA and NCAA Division 3. This week it was once again virtually all NAIA. The MAYVILLE STATE COMETS defeated D3’s GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS GUSTIES in a 9-6 defensive struggle that took place in the Gusties’ own stadium … The NEWPORT NEWS BUILDERS held on at home to take down D3’s GREENSBORO PRIDE 9-7 … The SOUTHWESTERN ASSEMBLIES OF GOD LIONS kept the NAIA rolling by devouring D3’s Austin ‘Roos in a 35-13 rout … The AZUSA PACIFIC COUGARS deconstructed the D3 WHITTIER POETS 51-3 … The MENLO OAKS crushed the OCCIDENTAL TIGERS 41-17 and the VIRGINIA- WISE HIGHLAND CAVALIERS won a 33-30 Instant Classic against the EMORY AND HENRY WASPS … As for D3 wins, the NAIA’s AVE MARIA UNIVERSITY GYRENES, who are in their very first year of playing intercollegiate football, were crushed by the D3 BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN PANTHERS 43-7 … D3’s top ranked defending champs, the WHITEWATER WARHAWKS, annihilated the CAMPBELLSVILLE TIGERS in a 54-14 laugher … The HUNTINGDON HAWKS won a shootout over the NAIA’s FAULKNER EAGLES 48-41 and the WILLAMETTE BEARCATS mauled the SOUTHERN OREGON RAIDERS 31-9. So far this season the NAIA has OWNED D3.
UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – The SHORTER HAWKS scored nine points in the final 27 seconds of their game to defeat the PIKEVILLE BEARS 29-21 … The GARDEN CITY BRONCBUSTERS lost on the road to the FORT SCOTT GREYHOUNDS in a 14-12 nailbiter … The ST AMBROSE FIGHTING BEES won a road classic by defeating the MALONE PIONEERS 24-22 … The CISCO WRANGLERS also notched a tight road win over the NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA A&M GOLDEN NORSEMEN by a score of 27-26 and the MOUNT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE MOUNTIES won a 27-24 home stand against the COLLEGE OF THE DESERT ROADRUNNERS.
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Thanks for the pingback!
lmao grate stuff my son may want to go to 1 of these schools
Good to hear!
Nebraska Wesleyan was a sports power in the NAIA. They should have never left.
I hear a lot of people saying that.