September 30, 2012 · 1:46 pm

NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2012

NUMBER ONE TAKES A FALL – In the most memorable bit of cougar on cougar violence since the days of the Joan Collins/ Linda Evans catfights on Dynasty the NAIA’s top ranked defending champs, the ST XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS were upset at home by the number 10 ST FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS.

St Francis Head Coach Kevin Donley recently became the NAIA’s leader in total coaching wins and this sweet upset is also another victory adding to the new record he’s setting. Donley’s Cougars brought down Chicago’s Cougars by a score of 25-13.

############ Every week at LEAST one NAIA team upsets an NCAA Division 2 team. This week the NAIA’s LANGSTON LIONS toppled D2’s homestanding SOUTHERN NAZARENE UNIVERSITY CRIMSON STORM in a 17-14 blockbuster! ##########

NUMBER TWO TAKES A FALL – Meanwhile, over in NCAA Division 2, the 2nd ranked (but not in Balladeer’s Blog’s rankings) UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AT DULUTH BULLDOGS were toppled by the homestanding SAINT CLOUD STATE HUSKIES.

The unranked Huskies (helmet at left) snuck up on UMD and pulled the rug out from under them in a 51-49 shootout for the ages.

HISTORY FOR CRONIN AND COMPANY – Coach Donley at Saint Francis isn’t the only coach marking a milestone this season. Over with the NAIA’s number 3 team, the GEORGETOWN (KY) TIGERS, their Head Coach Bill Cronin marked his 150th career win with a 63-21 dismemberment of the BETHEL (TN) WILDCATS. In a rarity these days a large chunk of Cronin’s coaching staff were around for all 150 wins – Steve Hill, Craig Mullins, Bruce Owens and Marty Park also basked in the glory of yesterday’s accomplishment.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – The EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS came into yesterday’s game unranked but rose up to defeat the number 6 BENEDICTINE RAVENS in a 54-44 homestand that treated the Evangel faithful to their team’s signature win of the 2012 season thus far. ### The (18) GRAND VIEW VIKINGS pulled off a road upset of the 9th- ranked ST AMBROSE UNIVERSITY FIGHTING BEES by a score of 29-26 in Double Overtime. ### The MONTANA WESTERN BULLDOGS joined the Vikings in upsetting a ranked team in their own house by bringing down the number 14 EASTERN OREGON MOUNTAINEERS in a 16-3 smackdown. ### … And the (22) DAKOTA WESLEYAN TIGERS slipped up in a 40-30 loss to the HASTINGS BRONCOS.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NCAA DIVISION 2 – The unranked WEST CHESTER GOLDEN RAMS (helmet at left) took it on the road and stunned the number 6 CALIFORNIA (PA) VULCANS in a 37-34 Instant Classic. ### The (16) HUMBOLDT STATE LUMBERJACKS were anything but okay in a 31-3 loss to the CENTRAL WASHINGTON WILDCATS. ### Close calls were had by the 10th ranked WEST ALABAMA TIGERS who eked out a 24-20 home win against the WEST GEORGIA WOLVES and by the number 20 OUACHITA BAPTIST TIGERS, who edged the SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA SAVAGE STORM by a score of 27-24.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NCAA DIVISION 3 – The 15th ranked BALDWIN WALLACE YELLOW JACKETS were upset in their own house by the unranked OTTERBEIN COLLEGE CARDINALS in a 38-17 manhandling. ### That was the only upset of a ranked team in D3 yesterday, but a close call was had by the number 4 defending champs, the WHITEWATER WARHAWKS, who trailed the (13) PLATTEVILLE PIONEERS most of the game before edging them 27-26. ### Some ranked teams needed Overtime to avoid upsets – the MILLIKIN BIG BLUE’s missed extra point caused their 34-33 OT loss to the number 14 ILLINOIS WESLEYAN TITANS, and the 18th ranked WIDENER PRIDE needed the extra session to defeat the LEBANON VALLEY FLYING DUTCHMEN 40-37.

THEY SHOOT FOOTBALL PLAYERS, DON’T THEY? – The winner of this week’s Marathon Game of the Week distinction is yesterday’s clash between the GENEVA COLLEGE GOLDEN TORNADOES (helmet at left) and the THOMAS MORE SAINTS.

It took an exhausting FOUR OVERTIME PERIODS to bring this game to a close, and in the end the Golden Tornadoes (love that name) emerged with a 50-48 victory.

BLUE DRAGONS IN A FAMILIAR SPOT – The HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS (helmet at left) burned the homestanding HIGHLAND COLLEGE SCOTTIES to a crisp yesterday. Hutch won in a 49-12 laugher to pull into a tie for 1st place in the Jayhawk Conference. It will suprise nobody to learn that the team the Blue Dragons are tied with are their archrivals the BUTLER (KS) GRIZZLIES. Hutchinson and Butler will stage their annual Armageddon on October 27th.

S.A.M: SERVICE ACADEMY MANIA – The MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY MARINERS (helmet at left) played a gridiron epic against the RENSELLAER POLYTECHNIC ENGINEERS. The homestanding Mariners won by a score of 34-31.

The COAST GUARD ACADEMY BEARS, meanwhile, had an easier time of it yesterday in their 59-0 clobbering of the FITCHBURG STATE FALCONS.

A DOUBLE-SHOT OF THAT OT LOVE – The MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS are having a season to remember, having already upset then- number 1 CC a few weeks ago.

The Orediggers (how can you not love that name) came into yesterday’s game ranked number 16 in the nation and won a vicious, bruising survival of the fittest match against the SOUTHERN OREGON RAIDERS in Double Overtime. The final score was 48-45.

WORKIN’ OVERTIME – Among yesterday’s Single Overtime affairs: The UNIVERSITY OF ST MARY SPIRES (helmet at left) beat the STERLING WARRIORS 21-20. ### The NORTHWESTERN (IA) RED RAIDERS took down the homestanding NEBRASKA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY PRAIRIE WOLVES 33-27. ### The PLYMOUTH STATE PANTHERS defeated the NICHOLS COLLEGE BISON by a score of 20-14. ### The COMMERCE LIONS outlasted the KINGSVILLE JAVELINAS 21-14. ### … And the COLLEGE OF THE REDWOODS CORSAIRS won a 25-19 nailbiter against the CABRILLO SEAHAWKS.

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – NAIA – The OTTAWA UNIVERSITY BRAVES (helmet at left) traveled to face the TABOR COLLEGE BLUE JAYS and emerged with a 25-21 victory. ### The BELLEVILLE LYNX are in their 1st year of intercollegiate football but have already notched their 3rd win. Yesterday the Lynx brought down the CENTRAL METHODIST UNIVERSITY EAGLES in a 23-20 nailbiter. ### The DORDT COLLEGE DEFENDERS lost another heartbreaker – this time to the visiting BRIAR CLIFF CHARGERS 33-29. ### The KANSAS WESLEYAN COYOTES celebrated Homecoming by edging the FRIENDS FALCONS 28-24. ### The JAMESTOWN COLLEGE JIMMIES eked out a needed 21-20 road win over the MAYVILLE STATE COMETS. ### … And the traveling CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY TIGERS notched their 1st win of the season by defeating the KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS 15-14.

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – D2 – The WINONA STATE WARRIORS won a 45-42 road trip against the UPPER IOWA PEACOCKS. ### The EDINBORO FIGHTING SCOTS won in OT at the CW POST PIONEERS 31-24. ### The LIVINGSTONE BLUE BEARS took down the VIRGINIA UNION PANTHERS in their own house 23-21. ### … And the AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL YELLOW JACKETS won out over the ASSUMPTION GREYHOUNDS in a 27-23 slugfest.

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – D3 – The FROSTBURG STATE BOBCATS (helmet at left) won a 28-26 duel with the HARTWICK HAWKS. ### The TRINITY (CT) BANTAMS out-Ephraimed the WILLIAMS EPHS 17-13. ### The LORAS DUHAWKS beat out the visiting LUTHER NORSE by a score of 28-25. ### … And the SIMPSON STORM won a 1 point game against the WARTBURG KNIGHTS 20-19.

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – NJCAA – The ERIE KATS won a monumental 7-6 defensive struggle against the HUDSON VALLEY VIKINGS. ### The COLLEGE OF DUPAGE CHAPARRALS fell on the road to the ELLSWORTH PANTHERS by a score of 49-42. The BRAINERD RAIDERS eked out a 21-20 victory over the MINNESOTA WEST TECH BLUE JAYS. ### … And the NASSAU LIONS won a smash- mouth classic against the LACKAWANNA COLLEGE FALCONS 31-24.

UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – CCCAA – The SAN JOAQUIN DELTA MUSTANGS defeated the SAN MATEO COLLEGE BULLDOGS in a 29-28 game for the ages. ### The MT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE MOUNTIES withstood an invasion by the COLLEGE OF THE DESERT ROADRUNNERS 28-26. ### … And the DE ANZA DONS took down the COLLEGE OF THE SEQUOIAS GIANTS by a score of 30-27.