NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM NOVEMBER 5TH

 NUMBER ONE TAKES A FALL – In the only number 1 vs number 2 matchup that really mattered, the NAIA’s  top ranked ST XAVIER  UNIVERSITY COUGARS fell on the road to the team Balladeer’s  Blog has been warning the world about since the 2010 preseason: the number 2 MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS (logo at left). The formerly potent Cougar offense could only muster 9 points against the Marian defensive machine and the Knights, the presumptive new number 1 in the next poll, won comfortably 27-9. The Cougars fall to 9-1, while the Knights are a perfect 10-0.

ST FRANCIS (IL) RULES THE WORLD –  Once again, an NAIA football team has taken it on the road and defeated a team from the NCAA’s Division One …. yes, DIVISION ONE!!! The ST FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS traveled to face the Georgia State Panthers and emerged with an overtime win! The final score was 30-27. In recent years we’ve seen NAIA football programs teach NCAA D1 teams a lesson in the form of the AZUSA PACIFIC COUGARS routing the San Diego Toreros in their own house and, when the University of Sioux Falls was still in the NAIA, they dismembered D1’s North Dakota Fighting Sioux. The Fighting Saints decided they wanted in on the action themselves, I guess.

ANOTHER NUMBER ONE TAKES A FALL – After two weeks that saw the NJCAA’s top- ranked BLINN COLLEGE BUCCANEERS survive close calls, their high- wire act caught up with them. The TYLER APACHES went on the road and brought down the team that Cam Newton played for before transferring to Auburn in overtime by a score of 37- 34. 

NUMBER TWO TAKES A FALL – NCAA Division 2’s 2nd ranked team, the PITTSBURG (KS) STATE GORILLAS, fell at home to the number 9 WASHBURN ICHABODS 43-25. The Ichabods have got to be kicking themselves that they didn’t come out ready to play like this when they took on Northwest Missouri a few weeks ago.  

NUMBER THREE TAKES A FALL – Yesterday also saw the number 3 team in D2 fall. The aforementioned NORTHWEST MISSOURI BEARCATS lost on the road at the unranked MISSOURI WESTERN GRIFFONS by a score of 31-28. This win provides the Griffons with at least some satisfaction in a season that started out with them ranked and expecting great things, only to see unexpected losses accumulate beginning in early September.

PLAYOFFS GET UNDER WAY – That’s right, the divisions of college football covered by Balladeer’s Blog settle their season on the field. In NJCAA football, the post- season kicks off today in Region 6. The 2 seeds, the HUTCHINSON BLUE DRAGONS, will host the 3rd seeded COFFEYVILLE RED RAVENS, while the top seeds for the region, the BUTLER (KS) GRIZZLIES, will host the 4th seeded DODGE CITY CONQUISTADORS. Enjoy some rare Sunday college football with these games today!

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – The 9th ranked BENEDICTINE RAVENS fell at the number 25 BAKER WILDCATS in a 10-7 defensive epic and at number 14, the CUMBERLAND BULLDOGS saw their multiple mistakes contribute to a 34- 21 defeat at the hands of the BELHAVEN BLAZERS.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NCAA DIVISION 3 – At number 8, the THOMAS MORE SAINTS stumbled at home in a 26- 23 loss to the WAYNESBURG YELLOW JACKETS   …   The 9th ranked ST OLAF OLES traveled to take on a ST JOHN’S JOHNNIES team out for redemption after last week’s loss, and fell to them in a 27-24 Instant Classic   …   The number 20 LOUISIANA WILDCATS were crushed at home by the MCMURRY WAR HAWKS 49- 28 and the RPI ENGINEERS edged the 24th ranked HOBART STATESMEN in a 29-28 nailbiter.   

TOP 25 UPSETS – NCAA DIVISION 2 – In addition to the 2nd and 3rd ranked teams falling, the number 5 ST CLOUD STATE HUSKIES lost on the road to the unranked BEMIDJI STATE BEAVERS by a score of 19- 14. This is the 2nd time this season that 3 of D2’s Top 5 all fell on the same day   …   The KUTZTOWN GOLDEN BEARS, ranked at 15, demolished the 11th ranked BLOOMSBURG HUSKIES 52- 14   …   The 16th ranked WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN BOBCATS were toppled by the CHARLESTON GOLDEN EAGLES 28- 17 and the number 19 SLIPPERY ROCK ROCKETS lost 33-27 to the GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS.    

THE NEXT MARIAN? – The ST MARY SPIRES have been spending the 2011 season proving that they can beat teams unexpectedly AND annihilate teams you simply expect them to beat. Yesterday the Spires rose up and belted the visiting BETHEL (KS) THRESHERS by a score of 51- 10.

HBCU MATCHUP – The KENTUCKY STATE THOROBREDS hosted the MOREHOUSE MAROON TIGERS but wound up on the losing side of a 28-24 Instant Classic. The Thorobreds end the 2011 season, their  125th season of football, with a record of 6-4.

JUST ONE MORE TO TIE FROSTY! – Hank Biesiot, the head coach of the DICKINSON STATE BLUE HAWKS, moved to within one win of tying Frosty Westering as the all- time NAIA wins leader at 256. Victory number 255 came in a 17-0 home stand by the Blue Hawks as they took down former DAC rivals the SOUTH DAKOTA M&T HARDROCKERS by a score of 17-0. Unfortunately yesterday was the last game of the 2011 season for DSU, so Coach Beez tying and then surpassing Frosty’s record will need to wait until next year, when the Blue Hawks join the Frontier Conference.

ESCAPING WITH A WIN – On a day when 2 of D2’s Top 3 teams went down to defeat the top ranked DELTA STATE STATESMEN managed to eke out a tight 36-34 win over the 20th ranked WEST ALABAMA TIGERS.  

SO CLOSE AND YET SO FAR – The HASKELL INDIAN NATIONS UNIVERSITY INDIANS just can’t catch a break. Their latest near- victory was yesterday’s 17- 13 loss on the road against the WALDORF WARRIORS.    

WINNING IS A HABIT YOU NEVER BREAK – They know how to play football in the NAIA, and yesterday two teams who left to move over to NCAA Division 2 kept up their winning tradition – the OHIO DOMINICAN PANTHERS took down the home standing ASHLAND EAGLES 20-17 and the URBANA BLUE KNIGHTS logged a road win by routing the SETON HILL GRIFFINS 40- 21.

TAKE THAT, HURRICANE SEASON! – Back in September, the ASA AVENGERS saw one of their football games for this year get canceled completely because of an approaching hurricane. Yesterday the Avengers assembled (Marvel Comics geeks will get it) to get revenge of a sort. Home standing ASA upset the heavily favored LOUISBURG HURRICANES to the tune of 27- 3.

WHAT A BUNCH OF MAROONS – The CARNEGIE MELLON TARTANS gave a highland- style whupping to the home standing CHICAGO MAROONS by a score of 28- 13.  

ALL- NAME GAME OF THE WEEK – This week we had two games that earned this distinction. The first was the matchup between the OBERLIN YEOMEN and the OHIO WESLEYAN BATTLING BISHOPS. The Battling Bishops emerged with a 30- 23 victory. The game sharing the honor was the gridiron clash of the HEIDELBERG STUDENT PRINCES and the JOHN CARROLL BLUE STREAKS, alma mater of the NFL’s London Fletcher. The Student Princes won 41- 28.  

THE QUEEN OF THE RUSTLERS WILL BE HAPPY – The GOLDEN WEST COLLEGE RUSTLERS moved back above .500 yesterday with a thrilling 27-20 victory over the ORANGE COAST PIRATES. Up next for the 5-4 Rustlers will be the clash with their arch- rivals the COLLEGE OF THE DESERT ROADRUNNERS. GWC is the Official College Football Team of Jo “Buckshot” Bryant and her blog, Chronicles of Illusion. 

WE WENT TO A FOOTBALL GAME AND A BASEBALL GAME BROKE OUT – Yesterday’s game that fits this category was the 6-0 victory of the home standing MAYVILLE STATE COMETS over the DAKOTA STATE TROJANS. The Comets are often at their best when teaching a lesson to former conference rivals who bolted the Dakota Athletic Conference. Another game that fits this category was the 7-3 victory of the DEPAUW TIGERS over the ALBION BRITONS.

WE WENT TO A FOOTBALL GAME AND A BASKETBALL GAME BROKE OUT – This week’s “Defense is Optional” game was the 53-50 win by the traveling ROSE- HULMAN ENGINEERS over the ANDERSON RAVENS.

GONE GAUCHOS – Two weeks ago the SADDLEBACK GAUCHOS were ranked number 1 in the SCFA poll. Yesterday the PALOMAR COMETS handed them their 2nd loss in a row, coming out on top in a tight 44- 41 home stand. Last week the Gauchos fell to number 3 after losing to the defending champion MT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE MOUNTIES.

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – Yesterday was chock full of neglected gridiron masterpieces: The TABOR BLUE JAYS outfought  the visiting SOUTHWESTERN (KS) MOUNDBUILDERS 17- 13   …   The RIVER FALLS FALCONS won in overtime 28-21 over the LA CROSSE EAGLES   …   The ELMHURST BLUE JAYS logged a 28-27 road win over the AUGUSTANA (IL) VIKINGS   …   The MUSKINGUM MUSKIES fell at the CAPITAL CRUSADERS in a 28-26 nailbiter   …   In Centennial Conference action the GETTYSBURG BULLETS fell to the traveling DICKINSON RED DEVILS 21-20 and the MUHLENBERG MULES kicked the URSINUS BEARS 24- 21   …   The SANTA MONICA CORSAIRS defeated the GLENDALE (CA) VAQUEROS 47- 41   …   The LOS ANGELES VALLEY MONARCHS held on for a 35- 32 victory over the visiting LA- SOUTHWEST COUGARS   …   The WEST LIBERTY HILLTOPPERS lost at home to the CONCORD MOUNTAIN LIONS by a score of 32- 29   …   The TUSKEGEE GOLDEN TIGERS took down the MILES GOLDEN BEARS in a very tight 27- 25 affair   …   The CATAWBA BRAVES notched a 17- 13 road win over the BREVARD TORNADOES and the CONCORDIA (ST PAUL) GOLDEN EAGLES squeaked by the UPPER IOWA PEACOCKS 20-19.