NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM OCTOBER 1ST

 DON’T MUSS WITH GUS – D2’s 16th ranked PITTSBURG (KS) STATE GORILLAS brought down the number one team, the NORTHWEST MISSOURI BEARCATS by a score of 38-35 in the aptly- named Fall Classic. The neutral site game between these two MidAmerica Intercollegiate Athletics Association rivals is played at Arrowhead Stadium, and the crowd in attendance was treated to a classic comeback. Gus the gorilla’s team faced a double digit deficit late in the game but, refusing to give up, Pitt State emerged with the type of signature win the program has been lacking since its trip to the D2 championship game nearly a decade ago. A field goal from Chase McCoy as time expired gave the Gorillas the win. 

ARMAGEDDON IN FORT WAYNE – The NAIA’s gridiron showdown today between its Top 2 teams was full of thrills and hard hits. The number 1 SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS defended their top ranking for the third week in a row, defeating the 2nd place team, the SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS, in their own house by a score of 42-31. As in the Fall Classic above, the winning team at one point trailed by double digits before turning the tables. The SXU Cougars are the football pride of Chicago so far in 2011! 

NUMBER ONE TAKES A FALL – The NJCAA’s 2nd ranked team, the BLINN COLLEGE BUCCANEERS, where Cam Newton played his college ball before transferring to Auburn, dethroned the top- ranked defending champs, the NAVARRO COLLEGE BULLDOGS in a 31-26 game for the ages. The Buccaneers move to 5-0 on the season and look to become the new number 1 in the next poll.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – The unranked ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE  BATTLING BEARS stopped the meteoric ascent of the 9th ranked EASTERN OREGON MOUNTAINEERS. RMC handed the home team a surprising 51-17 beatdown and at 17, the DOANE TIGERS brought down the 14th ranked MIDLAND WARRIORS in a 43-39 shootout.  

TOP 25 UPSETS – D3 – The 5th ranked BETHEL (MN) ROYALS were upset at home by the ST OLAF OLES in a tight, nailbiting 30-28 affair … The number 7 team, the WHEATON THUNDER, fell on the road to the ILLINOIS  WESLEYAN TITANS 24-19 … The 13th ranked REDLANDS BULLDOGS were upset by the number 20 team, the CAL LUTHERAN KINGSMEN in a 28-24 Instant Classic …It was a bad day to be a team called the Thunder, because at number 17, the TRINE THUNDER were toppled like Wheaton, falling to the travelling ADRIAN BULLDOGS in a stunning 26-7 manhandling.    

TOP 25 UPSETS – D2 – In addition to D2’s number 1 team taking a fall, the number 4 team, the SHEPHERD RAMS, were defeated in their own house by the unranked CONCORD MOUNTAIN LIONS, who doubled up on the Rams 28-14 … The 5th ranked VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS were routed by the unranked UAM BOLL WEEVILS 23-9 in an authoritative Great American Conference win over the Gulf South Conference … The SHIPPENSBURG RED RAIDERS apparently regained all their gridiron pride in a single afternoon, rising up to devastate the 13th ranked KUTZTOWN GOLDEN BEARS by a score of 49-7 and the number 23 EDINBORO FIGHTING SCOTS fell to the IUP CRIMSON HAWKS in a 19-0 spanking. 

THE NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE RANGERS RULE THE WORLD – The NAIA’s NWOSU RANGERS carried on the weekly tradition of taking down a higher division opponent, defeating the MISSOURI S &T MINERS from D2 in a 22-17 Instant Classic.

FULL CIRCLE – The Circle City Classic was played yesterday, and the HBCU poll’s 2nd ranked ALBANY (GA) GOLDEN RAMS handed a 57-31 loss to the number 6 team in that poll, the KENTUCKY STATE THOROBREDS. 

HELLO, WE MUST BE GOING – Two teams that had just entered this season’s NAIA Top 25 in the last poll had short stays, getting handed losses that will knock them out of the rankings. The 24th ranked MENLO OAKS were defeated at home 31-17 by the SOUTHERN OREGON RAIDERS and the number 25 EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS had the misfortune of facing the 12th ranked BENEDICTINE RAVENS, who crushed them 38-0.  

… BUT WE’LL BE STICKING AROUND, THANK YOU – On the other hand, the SAINT AMBROSE UNIVERSITY FIGHTING BEES showed they plan to stick around in the rankings for awhile, logging a road win over the GRAND VIEW VIKINGS in a memorable 17-9 gridiron encounter.

WE WENT TO A FOOTBALL GAME AND A BASEBALL GAME BROKE OUT – It was all defense yesterday for these two teams, as the NORTHWOOD  TIMBERWOLVES were defeated by the ASHLAND EAGLES  with the final score being 6-3.

THE ALL-NAME GAME OF THE WEEK – This week’s contest that earned this designation was the game between the EASTERN ARIZONA COLLEGE GILA MONSTERS and the SCOTTSDALE FIGHTING ARTICHOKES. The Gila Monsters had a leg up on their opponents in this game (bad movie buffs will get it), emerging with a 38-31 win. EAC is now 5-1, and the ‘Chokes fall to 4-2.

TEASERS – The ROWAN PROFS had the kind of game yesterday that makes their fans shake their heads and wonder why the team can’t consistently play with such passion and focus. The Profs dismembered the WESTERN CONNECTICUT COLONIALS by a score of 51-14.

MIGHTY MARAUDERS – Yesterday saw the MILLERSVILLE MARAUDERS win a very tight 10-7 Instant Classic over the home- standing CHEYNEY  WOLVES, while the MARY MARAUDERS flexed the kind of muscle they rarely get to show these days, annihilating the MINNESOTA-CROOKSTON GOLDEN EAGLES 31-0. On the flip side, the CENTRAL STATE MARAUDERS let the Marauders team name down yesterday, getting spanked 34-16 by the NOTRE DAME (OH) FALCONS, who are in just their 2nd year of playing  intercollegiate football. 

NEVER BRING A QUAKER TO A GUN FIGHT – The WASHINGTON AND LEE GENERALS devoured and spat out the GUILFORD QUAKERS yesterday by a score of 63-0. The Generals are having another outstanding year and are hoping to win back to back titles in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.

BARRELING ALONG – The HUTCHINSON BLUE DRAGONS continue to prove their sole loss of the season so far was a fluke, this week crushing the FORT SCOTT GREYHOUNDS on the road 69-36. Meanwhile the 5-0 ARIZONA  WESTERN COLLEGE MATADORS handed a heavy beatdown to the PIMA AZTECS by a score of 58-13.

HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON? – The Marathon Game of the Week Award goes to the Triple Overtime affair between the GALLAUDET BISON and the ANNA MARIA AMCATS. In the end the Bison walked away with a 48-40 victory.

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – The CONCORDIA (AL) HORNETS emerged with a road win in one of the day’s most gripping battles as they defeated the EDWARD WATERS TIGERS 28-26   …   The SAINT MARY SPIRES fell in Double Overtime to the STERLING KNIGHTS by a score of 13-10   …   The BRIAR CLIFF CHARGERS defeated the DORDT DEFENDERS, who just can’t catch a break. The final score in Overtime was 16-10   …   The CLAREMONT- MUDD- SCRIPPS STAGS won a tight 20-17 game against the LA VERNE  LEOPARDS   …   In Texas the CISCO COLLEGE WRANGLERS fell to the TYLER APACHES, who have thrived in tight matchups this season. The final score in this shootout was 49-42   …   The WASHINGTON AND JEFFERSON PRESIDENTS won on the road 20-16 over the WESTMINSTER (PA) TITANS and in Centennial Conference action the GETTYSBURG BULLETS defeated the home- standing MCDANIEL GREEN TERROR by a score of 44-37.