NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2012

FROSTING FROSTY’S SHORTS – Kevin Donley, the Head Coach of the (6) ST FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS (helmet at left) tied the legendary Frosty Westering for the most wins in NAIA college football at 256.

The victory came in yet another NAIA victory over an NCAA Division 3 team as the Cougars defeated the STEVENS POINT POINTERS  39-31.  

 BIG RIVER BOWL – The NAIA’s football double-header event for the holiday weekend featured three ranked teams in action.

In the first game the (22) CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS (helmet at left) routed the KANSAS WESLEYAN COYOTES by a score of 31-10. Game Two presented the spectacle of the (3) MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS (2011 semi- finalists) defeating the (11) BETHEL (TN) WILDCATS, with the only disappointing element being the fact that the game was called because of lightning after 3 quarters. The Knights won 31-7 and start the season at 2-0.

THE CONCORDIA (AL) HORNETS RULE THE WORLD – While mentioning NAIA football let me also point out that the CONCORDIA (AL) HORNETS (U) brought down DIVISION ONE’S MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE DELTA DEVILS, the alma mater of THE Jerry Rice. The Hornets emerged with a 20-19 win in this perfect example of college teams with heart toppling Division One schools with their enormous budgets.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – This Labor Day Saturday saw just one upset in the NAIA rankings.

The PIKEVILLE UNIVERSITY BEARS took it on the road and toppled the 25th- ranked CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY TIGERS in a 14-7 epic that played as a celebration of Old School smash-mouth football with the defenses making the offenses pay for every yard and every point.

 TOP 25 UPSETS – D3 – The ROWAN UNIVERSITY PROFS, the football pride of Glassboro, NJ, were unranked but upset the 9th- ranked DELAWARE VALLEY AGGIES by an impressive 27-13 score. Congrats to the Profs, but Balladeer’s Blog had stated that Del Val was ranked far too high.

And speaking of teams I said were ranked way too high, the (6) NORTH CENTRAL CARDINALS were upset at home by the unranked LA CROSSE EAGLES  21-17. Meanwhile the ALBRIGHT LIONS played road warriors and brought down the (14) KEAN COUGARS in a 29-26 Instant Classic.

TOP 25 UPSETS – D2 – The SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY RED RAIDERS defeated the number 24 SHEPHERD RAMS by a score of 38-28.

The CONCORD UNIVERSITY MOUNTAIN LIONS upset the (23) LENOIR- RHYNE BEARS in a 24-21 nailbiter and in a clash between two ranked teams the (17) SAGINAW VALLEY CARDINALS took down the unlucky number 13 VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS in a tight 28-24 contest.

TAKIN’ CARE OF BUSINESS – Chicago’s (1) SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS (helmet at left) had a bye last week but began the defense of their NAIA football national championship with a hefty 41-12 road win against the OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY TIGERS.

The (4) GEORGETOWN (KY) TIGERS trounced the BLUEFIELD COLLEGE RAMBLIN’ RAMS 77-9, but remember Bluefield is in its first year of intercollegiate football since 1941. The 5th- ranked MIDAMERICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY PIONEERS meanwhile notched a 34-14 road win over the CENTRAL METHODIST EAGLES.

RESURGENT DYNASTY? – D2’s storied GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS are showing signs of reversing the freefall their former gridiron dynasty has been in for a few years.

The Lakers came into the 2012 season ranked number 4 in the polls and opened up their campaign yesterday with a road trip against the WESTERN OREGON WOLVES. The result was a commanding 48-20 victory that no doubt has the Lakers’ shipmates at Lubbers Stadium dreaming of a return to the days of multiple national titles.

NEAR MISSES – Last year every weekend brought us at least one NAIA team toppling a team from higher divisions, like D2 or D1. For newbies those wins are like when 1AA (FCS if you’re spineless) teams upset 1A (FBS if you’re spineless) teams. This weekend already saw the aforementioned Concordia (AL) Hornets taking down DIVISION ONE’S Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils.

Yesterday the NAIA’s TEXAS COLLEGE STEERS came within 7 points of beating D2’s INCARNATE WORD CARDINALS in their own house. The final score was 19-12. ###  The BACONE WARRIORS fell by just 16-14 at D2’s ARKANSAS TECH WONDERBOYS.  ###  … and D2’s MOREHOUSE MAROON TIGERS came within a hair of upsetting 1AA’s home standing HOWARD BISON in a 30-29 heartbreaker.

MARATHON GAME OF THE WEEK – Week 2’s winner of this designation was the matchup between the IOWA WESLEYAN COLLEGE TIGERS and the SIENA HEIGHTS SAINTS.

The Tigers came out on top 36-34 in Triple Overtime. This is the 2nd week in a row that Siena Heights was involved in the lengthiest game of the weekend. They were the winners last weekend but yesterday Iowa Wesleyan turned the tables on these Marathon Men.

OUR DIVISION CAN BEAT UP YOUR DIVISION – As always Balladeer’s Blog chronicles the intense rivalry between NAIA college football and NCAA Division 3 football.

The ROBERT MORRIS (IL) EAGLES (helmet at left) are in just their 2nd year of intercollegiate football but have already embraced the NAIA tradition of beating up on NCAA teams. Yesterday the Eagles eviscerated D3’s OLIVET COLLEGE COMETS  42-0. The TAYLOR TROJANS did them 4 points better, trashing the D3 ANDERSON RAVENS  46-0. There was also the aforementioned St Francis (IN) Cougars’ victory over D3’s Stevens Point Pointers 39-31.

Meanwhile D3’s PRESENTATION SAINTS doubled up on the NAIA’s HASKELL INDIAN NATIONS UNIVERSITY INDIANS 26-13, the CONCORDIA (Moorhead) COBBERS beat the JAMESTOWN COLLEGE JIMMIES 42-26 and the (5) LINFIELD WILDCATS defeated the MENLO OAKS 30-9.

BIRTH OF A PROGRAM – The BELLEVILLE LYNX played their 1st intercollegiate football game yesterday and racked up a historical win!

They defeated the AVILA EAGLES in a 43-37 game for the ages! What a way to start your institution’s football program! It’s the kind of story you would usually only see in a movie. Congratulations to the folks at Belleville for a wonderful and dramatic debut!

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – NAIA – The BETHANY COLLEGE SWEDES won a road epic against the SOUTHWESTERN ASSEMBLIES OF GOD LIONS by a score of 13-12.  ###  The NEBRASKA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY PRAIRIE WOLVES won a 25-20 home stand against the ST MARY SPIRES.  ###  … And the MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS fell to the visiting EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEERS in a 26-23 nailbiter in the Frontier Conference.

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – D3 – The NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN BATTLIN’ BISHOPS (helmet at left) defeated the OHIO NORTHERN UNIVERSITY POLAR BEARS by a score of 16-13.  ###  The WOOSTER SCOTS fell to the ALLEGHENY GATORS 17-14.  ###  The ST OLAF OLES won on the road against the LUTHER NORSE 28-23.  ###  … and the MILLSAPS MAJORS took down the visiting MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE CHOCTAWS  23-17.

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – D2 – The JOHNSON C SMITH UNIVERSITY GOLDEN BULLS fell to the WEST VIRGINIA STATE YELLOW JACKETS  34-31.  ###  The BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS notched a tight win over the ASSUMPTION GREYHOUNDS by a score of 24-20.  ###  … and the MARY MARAUDERS took it on the road and defeated the CONCORDIA (ST PAUL) GOLDEN BEARS in a 32-26 thriller.

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – CCCAA AND NJCAA – The GOLDEN WEST COLLEGE RUSTLERS ( helmet at left) started their 2012 campaign with a 25-19 road win over the COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS COUGARS.  ###  The JONES COLLEGE BOBCATS won a 10-8 defensive struggle against the visiting HOLMES BULLDOGS.  ###  … and the MT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE MOUNTIES notched a 51-48 road victory against the ever- tough SADDLEBACK GAUCHOS.

DEMOCRACY BEATS MONARCHY – The WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON PRESIDENTS (helmet at left) won a road game against the METHODIST UNIVERSITY MONARCHS by a vote of 23-6 on the scoreboard.  ###  Meanwhile diplomacy defeated militarism as the home standing FRANKLIN & MARSHALL DIPLOMATS took down the WASHINGTON & LEE GENERALS in a very memorable 35-28 clash.

NOTES FROM AUGUST 30TH – The SHORTER UNIVERSITY HAWKS, fresh out of the NAIA, went on the road Thursday night and upset DIVISION ONE’S Campbell University Camels by a score of 31-20.  ###  … and D2’s ST JOSEPH’S PUMAS also toppled a Division One team on the road. The Pumas played a game for the ages against the Valparaiso Crusaders and emerged with a 36-34 victory. Congratulations to Thursday night’s Giant Killers!

Helmets courtesy of The Helmet Project.