NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM AUGUST 24TH

Balladeer’s Blog presents its usual Sunday look at the previous day’s college football action on this, the REAL opening weekend for the 2013 season.

GETTING A JUMP ON THE WEEKEND – in the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) the ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLIN’ BEARS and the JAMESTOWN COLLEGE JIMMIES kicked off the action Friday night. The Jimmies led RMC by a score of 13-6 in the 2nd Quarter but the Battlin’ Bears’ quarterback Bryce Baker (Official Balladeer’s Blog nickname B Squared) stayed cool. Baker rallied his team with three passing Touchdowns and a rushing score as well. Rocky Mountain College took a 20-13 lead by halftime and won this opening game of the 2013 season by a final score of 34-20.

BLUE DRAGONS SCORCH THE RED RAVENS – In this colorful matchup yesterday from the Jayhawk Conference the HUTCHINSON BLUE DRAGONS took it on the road and torched all the feathers off of the COFFEYVILLE RED RAVENS. The score in this clash was tied up 7-7 at the end of the 1st Quarter but Hutch’s Ryan Weese added 2 Field Goals in the 2nd Quarter to give the Blue Dragons a 13-7 lead at the half. Hutchinson added 21 points in the 3rd and 10 more in the 4th with Coffeyville managing just 7 points total in the 2nd half. Hutchinson’s Quarterback “Lethal” Luke Barnes went 28 of 46 for 228 yards and 2 Touchdowns in this 44-14 rout.

THE BATTLE IN THE VALLEY – The IOWA WESTERN REIVERS, the reigning champions of NJCAA Football, began their defense of the title yesterday by facing the TRINITY VALLEY COLLEGE CARDINALS in the 2nd Annual Battle in the Valley. A very game Cardinals team led 7-3 at the end of the 1st Quarter but the Reivers notched a 2nd Quarter Touchdown to take a 10-7 halftime lead. Iowa Western held a 17-10 advantage going into the 4th Quarter but the Cardinals, driving from their own 7 yard line, moved the ball 93 yards to knot the game up at 17 all with under 7 minutes left in the game. The Reivers’ RB Akise Teague scored a 16 yard rushing TD with just 3:47 remaining to put the defending champs ahead for good. 24-17 was the final score in this game of the day.

CLASSIC TO BLOWOUT IN NOTHING FLAT – In a game that saw a wild offensive acceleration the BUTLER (KS) GRIZZLIES hosted the DODGE CITY CONQUISTADORS. The Conquistadors were heavy underdogs but were playing a respectable game, trailing by just 10-6 when the Grizzlies pressed down on the gas. When all was said and done in this opening weekend matchup Butler had mauled and devoured Dodge City by an embarrassing final score of 41-6.

SNOW IN ARIZONA – (See what I did there?) Perennial gridiron powers the SNOW COLLEGE BADGERS traveled from Ephraim, Utah to Glendale, Arizona to take on the ever-tough GLENDALE COLLEGE GAUCHOS. The game was a hard-fought affair between these two 2012 Bowl game winners but in the end the Badgers pulled away from the Gauchos for a 19-9 road victory.

GOOD TO BE BULLDOGS – The NAVARRO COLLEGE BULLDOGS are in the discussion for this year’s football championship and got their 2013 campaign off to an auspicious start yesterday. Navarro hosted the ARKANSAS BAPTIST COLLEGE BUFFALOES and absolutely eviscerated them in a unbelievable 76-26 laugher. ### Meanwhile the GEORGIA MILITARY COLLEGE BULLDOGS played the storied BLINN COLLEGE BUCCANEERS at a neutral site in Perkinston, MS. These Bulldogs also won their 2013 opener, in this case by a much more reasonable score of 37-21.

DOGFIGHT – The Jayhawk Conference is known for its ballsy way of opening each season with a slate of league clashes and for its long line of cool-named teams. The HIGHLAND COLLEGE SCOTTIES traveled to face the FORT SCOTT GREYHOUNDS and notched a season-opening win. The final score in this battle of canine names was 48-31 in favor of the Scotties.

T-BIRDS IN FLIGHT – The MESA COLLEGE THUNDERBIRDS (love that name) welcomed the NEW MEXICO MILITARY INSTITUTE BRONCOS. The Broncos may have won the cover of this year’s NJCAA media guide but were outclassed by the Thunderbirds in this game. Mesa College emerged with a comfortable 41-24 victory.

TORO! TORO! – The ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE MATADORS had a disappointing 2012 season after being preseason favorites for the national title. The Matadors came out yesterday venting some of their anger on the visiting PIMA COLLEGE AZTECS. Arizona Western College absolutely gored the Aztecs by a final score of 40-7.

THEY’RE LUMBERJACKS AND THEY’RE OKAY … – With apologies to Monty Python. The DAKOTA COLLEGE OF BOTTINEAU LUMBERJACKS welcomed the TRINITY BIBLE COLLEGE TIGERS yesterday to kick off their 2013 campaign. This game redefined the expression “smash-mouth foootball” as the defenses made the offenses pay for every yard and every point. In the end the Lumberjacks emerged with an authoritative 20-6 victory.

ONE TEAM WAS PLAYING BASKETBALL, THE OTHER DIDN’T SHOW UP – Also in Saturday’s action the GARDEN CITY COLLEGE BRONCBUSTERS completely dismembered the INDEPENDENCE COLLEGE PIRATES then burned the parts … then scattered the ashes to the winds … then laughed. The Broncbusters were very ungracious hosts, annihilating the Pirates by a score of SIXTY-SEVEN to NOTHING!

INSTANT CLASSIC – The MILFORD FALCONS took on the GLOBE TECH KNIGHTS in an Empire State battle royal on Saturday. These two teams know how to play football and put on a show that was one of THE highlights of opening weekend. The Falcons won a hard-fought 22-20 victory over the Knights.