NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2012

GRIDIRON HISTORY – The NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) witnessed a new record for career football wins!

Kevin Donley, Head Coach of the ST FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS (helmet at left) has broken the 256 win tie he held with Frosty Westering and Hank Biesiot. Donley’s 257th win came in an unbelievable 76-14 annihilation of the visiting CONCORDIA (MI) CARDINALS, who are in just their 2nd year of intercollegiate football.

THE CONCORDIA HORNETS RULE THE WORLD – A few weeks ago the CONCORDIA (AL) HORNETS upset NCAA Division ONE’S Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils.

Yesterday the Hornets played giant killers again, taking it on the road and bringing down the Division TWO team the CLARK ATLANTA PANTHERS. 22-17 was the final score in this 2nd milestone upset of the 2012 season for the team from Selma.

NUMBER 7 TAKES A FALL – The North Coast Athletic Conference saw a massive upset yesterday.

The ALLEGHENY GATORS came in unranked against the 7th- ranked WABASH LITTLE GIANTS. The Wabash home crowd was shocked at the 17-17 tie to end regulation and was positively floored by the final result! A field goal and a defensive stop in Overtime gave the Gators a well-earned 20-17 victory!

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – Ya call THIS an upset? The CARROLL COLLEGE FIGHTING SAINTS are the most dominant football dynasty in NAIA history but because they blew one early game this year the pollsters paniced and took them from number 2 to the double digits. Never mind the fact that after last year’s September loss CC still made it to the championship game, the Hellions from Helena were dropped much too far and came into yesterday’s game ranked 11th. The number 8 EASTERN OREGON MOUNTAINEERS (the team that handed CC last season’s September loss, ironically enough) came to town and were handily beaten 28-7. This quasi- upset was the only upset in the NAIA rankings yesterday.

TOP 25 UPSETS – D2 – The UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA BRONCHOS (their spelling, not mine) hosted the unlucky number 13 WASHBURN ICHABODS yesterday and handed them a 35-20 loss. ### Meanwhile the 14th- ranked ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS were also on the road and found themselves on a the losing end of a 28-23 classic against the unranked ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY RAMS.

TOP 25 UPSETS – D3 – The unranked KEAN UNIVERSITY COUGARS brought down the number 17 BROCKPORT STATE GOLDEN EAGLES in a hard-fought 14-6 home stand. ### The HUNTINGDON HAWKS went on the road and upset the 22nd- ranked HAMPDEN- SYDNEY TIGERS in a 24-21 Instant Classic. ### … And the WAYNESBURG YELLOW JACKETS held serve to bring down the number 23 THOMAS MORE SAINTS 14-10.

BURSTING THEIR BALLOON – Last week the BUFFALO STATE BENGALS were riding high from their upset of then- number 1 Whitewater.

That massive upset took the Bengals from unranked to number 19 going into yesterday’s game against Empire 8 Conference rivals the ALFRED UNIVERSITY SAXONS (helmet at left). The Saxons brought the Bengals back down to earth with a 40-17 spanking in their own house.

OUR DIVISION CAN BEAT UP YOUR DIVISION – Balladeer’s Blog continues chronicling the intense football rivalry between the NAIA and NCAA Division 3.

This week’s NAIA victories over D3 were: the MAYVILLE STATE COMETS dismembering the PRESENTATION COLLEGE SAINTS by a score of 54-7. ### … And the MENLO OAKS made the LA VERNE LEOPARDS their prison brides to the tune of 59-13. D3 victories over NAIA teams were: the TEXAS LUTHERAN BULLDOGS taking down the SOUTHWESTERN ASSEMBLIES OF GOD UNIVERSITY LIONS 43-35 and the TRINE THUNDER over the visiting TAYLOR TROJANS in a 28-13 affair.

HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON? – This week’s winner of the Marathon Game of the Week designation is the matchup between the BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE RENEGADES and the VENTURA PIRATES.

The game lasted for an exhausting FOUR OVERTIME PERIODS and the end result was a 30-24 victory for the homestanding Pirates (helmet at left).

RIGHTING THE SHIP – Some teams whose fans felt their season might be in jeopardy a few weeks ago have gotten back on the right track. The MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY- NORTHERN LIGHTS took down the MONTANA WESTERN BULLDOGS in a memorable 46-39 affair. ### The CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS played road warriors and brought down the UVA- WISE HIGHLAND CAVALIERS 24-17. ### … And the KANSAS WESLEYAN COYOTES won a 33-31 nailbiter against the BETHANY COLLEGE SWEDES.

WORKING OVERTIME – In yesterday’s single- overtime games the ST NORBERT COLLEGE GREEN KNIGHTS (helmet at left) defeated the CARROLL PIONEERS 28-21. ### The LANE DRAGONS took down the homestanding MOREHOUSE MAROON TIGERS 37-34. ### The (14) BALDWIN WALLACE YELLOW JACKETS snuck by the unranked MUSKINGUM MUSKIES by a score of 13-6. ### … And the CONTRA COSTA COMETS fell to the visiting HARTNELL PANTHERS 22-19.

WE WENT TO A FOOTBALL GAME BUT A BASEBALL GAME BROKE OUT – The UNION (KY) BULLDOGS taught the WEBBER INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY WARRIORS not to cross their picket lines in a 10-7 victory. ### … And the ROCHESTER TECH YELLOW JACKETS stung the MESABI RANGE TECH NORSE by a score of 8-7 in an epic battle of bruising defenses.

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – NAIA – The TABOR COLLEGE BLUE JAYS led the homestanding UNIVERSITY OF SAINT MARY SPIRES 31-3 at one point, then had to hold on for a 44-37 win in this thriller. ### The VALLEY CITY STATE VIKINGS took it on the road and edged the JAMESTOWN COLLEGE JIMMIES in a 13-10 game for the ages. ### The visiting FRIENDS FALCONS squeaked by the MCPHERSON BULLDOGS 18-17. ### … And the FAULKNER EAGLES outlasted the LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS in the Hall of Fame Classic by a score of 43-41.

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – D2 – The UPPER IOWA PEACOCKS (helmet at left) defeated the MINOT STATE BEAVERS 26-20. ### The COLORADO MESA MAVERICKS notched a 31-29 road win over the BLACK HILLS STATE UNIVERSITY YELLOW JACKETS. ### The SHEPHERD UNIVERSITY RAMS likewise played road warriors to overcome the CHARLESTON GOLDEN EAGLES by a score of 16-10. ### … And the LIVINGSTONE BLUE BEARS won a 48-44 shootout with the visiting LINCOLN (PA) LIONS.

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – D3 – The ST OLAF OLES (helmet at left) withstood an invasion by the GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS GUSTIES, emerging with a 17-14 win. ### The ROSE- HULMAN ENGINEERS evened their record at 2-2 with a 28-26 victory over the MANCHESTER SPARTANS. ### The LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE FLYING DUTCHMEN traveled to defeat the STEVENSON MUSTANGS 31-28. ### … And the WHITWORTH PIRATES managed a win against the visiting CHAPMAN PANTHERS by a score of 17-14.

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – NJCAA – The BLINN COLLEGE BUCCANEERS (helmet at left) won a 35-27 gridiron masterpiece against the TYLER APACHES. ### … And the LOUISBURG COLLEGE HURRICANES won a monumental road tilt with the LACKAWANNA COLLEGE FALCONS. The final score in this game for the ages was 24-22.

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – CCCAA – El Cajon’s GROSSMONT COLLEGE GRIFFINS (helmet at left) took it on the road and defeated the SANTA ANA DONS (as in old California Dons) in a 34-31 gridiron epic. ### The MOUNT SAN JACINTO EAGLES won a clash with the EAST LOS ANGELES HUSKIES by a score of 35-32. ### … And the COLLEGE OF THE REDWOODS CORSAIRS eked out a nailbiting 32-31 victory over the GAVILAN RAMS.

BEYOND DAKOTA DOME – Yesterday the Dakota Dome in Vermillion, SD played host to a gridiron Armageddon between the HASTINGS BRONCOS and the BRIAR CLIFF CHARGERS.

The fans got treated to a very impressive game, and in the end the Broncos wound up still standing when all the dust settled. The final score was Hastings 34 Briar Cliff 24.

ONE TEAM WAS PLAYING BASKETBALL – The WIDENER PRIDE lead off this category for us. Yesterday they folded, spindled and mutilated the WILKES COLONELS 90-0. ### The FRANKLIN GRIZZLIES devoured the EARLHAM QUAKERS by a score of 70-20. ### The DELAWARE VALLEY AGGIES emerged from their coma to disembowel the FDU- FLORHAM DEVILS 63-3. ### The BELHAVEN BLAZERS won a 70-28 rout over the CAMPBELLSVILLE TIGERS. ### The OSHKOSH TITANS administered a 70-9 thrashing to the ALMA SCOTS ### The BACONE WARRIORS embarrassed the HASKELL INDIAN NATIONS UNIVERSITY INDIANS by a score of 77-13 ### The ASA COLLEGE AVENGERS assembled all over the MONROE COLLEGE MUSTANGS 72-21 ### … And the WALDORF WARRIORS crushed the TRINITY BIBLE COLLEGE LIONS 76-35 in their own house.

GETTING A JUMP START ON THE WEEKEND – On Friday night the CURRY COLLEGE COLONELS won an undeniable Instant Classic against the visiting MIT ENGINEERS by a score of 31-28. ### Also that night the FRAMINGHAM STATE RAMS played road warriors and shut out the BRIDGEWATER STATE BEARS in a 16-0 statement game. ### Thursday night’s action saw the EAU CLAIRE BLUGOLDS get eviscerated by the PLATTEVILLE PIONEERS to the tune of 49-19 and the CENTRAL MISSOURI MULES kick around the TRUMAN STATE BULLDOGS 38-17.