THE TAYLOR TROJANS RULE THE WORLD – As usual during college football season each weekend brings at least one NAIA team upsetting an upper division team – in this case NCAA Division TWO. For newbies to these levels of college football it’s like when a 1AA (FCS) team upsets a 1A (FBS) team. The NAIA’s TAYLOR TROJANS defeated the visiting D2 LANE COLLEGE DRAGONS in a 27-21 Instant Classic.
LU-BELLEVILLE: CO-RULERS OF THE WORLD – Another NAIA team – the LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY- BELLEVILLE LYNX notched yet another upset of an NCAA Division TWO team. LU-Belleville played host to the KENTUCKY WESLEYAN COLLEGE PANTHERS yesterday. Even though the Lynx are in just their second year of playing intercollegiate football they have embraced the NAIA tradition of upsetting upper division foes, thrashing the Panthers 49-29.
JOHNSON C SMITH RULES THE WORLD, TOO! – NCAA Division Two’s JOHNSON C SMITH UNIVERSITY GOLDEN BULLS did some world-conquering of their own yesterday. The Golden Bulls welcomed NCAA Division ONE’s Davidson University Wildcats and proceeded to kick them around the field. When all the dust had settled Johnson C Smith University had won this upset by a final score of 35-22.
BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN CONQUERS DIVISION ONE – And speaking of upsetting NCAA Division ONE teams, yesterday Division THREE’s BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN COLLEGE PANTHERS took it on the road against D1’s Stetson University Hatters. Both offenses were clicking in this shootout and when all was said and done the Panthers had pulled off a 49-34 upset that will go down in BSC history!
NUMBER TWO TAKES A FALL – The unranked SAINT JOHN’S UNIVERSITY JOHNNIES were on the road against the number two team in the nation – the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT THOMAS TOMMIES. The Tommies were last year’s runners-up in NCAA Division 3 college football but hit an early snag this season in the form of that old “Johnnie Mystique”. The Johnnies already had the UST faithful nervous with their 14-11 Halftime lead and left the home crowd in absolute shock with their 20-18 upset victory! The Johnnies are 3-0, the Tommies fall to 2-1.
TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – The number 14 BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS upset the visiting 8th ranked BAKER UNIVERSITY WILDCATS in an authoritative 42-28 smackdown ### Meanwhile the MONTANA WESTERN BULLDOGS took it on the road against the number 12 MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS and brought them down in a 29-22 Instant Classic ### The TRINITY INTERNATIONAL TROJANS upset the visiting 17th ranked ST FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS in a 41-39 nailbiter ### And the REINHARDT EAGLES notched their program’s 2nd victory by toppling the homestanding (23) FAULKNER EAGLES 28-24!
TOP 25 UPSETS – NCAA DIVISION TWO – Believe it or not there was only one upset in the D2 rankings this week. Yesterday the 19th ranked WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY RAMS traveled to take on the number 18 TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY GOLDEN TIGERS. Despite the fact that the Golden Tigers were higher ranked and were playing at home the Rams dominated them on both sides of the ball, routing them by a score of 35-13.
TOP 25 UPSETS – NCAA DIVISION THREE – The Saint John’s University Johnnies’ upset of the University of Saint Thomas Tommies was the marquis upset of the day for D3. The only other ranked team who got toppled came from much lower in the Top 25. The unranked JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY BLUE STREAKS notched a 27-7 road upset of the number 23 BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY YELLOW JACKETS.
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! – It’s about time we checked in with the ever-tough ASA COLLEGE AVENGERS, the gridiron pride of New York City. The Avengers bounced back from last weekend’s disappointment by dominating the MONROE COLLEGE MUSTANGS on both sides of the ball and handing them a 41-7 thrashing. ASA College doesn’t play again until next Sunday, against Army.
DONNYBROOK IN LYNCHBURG – Yesterday saw an epic gridiron clash between the SOUTHERN VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS and the VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY-LYNCHBURG DRAGONS. The Knights are noted for their exceptional Special Teams play and lead ALL DIVISIONS of college football in blocked kicks over the past few years. SVU and VUL played a game for the ages with the Knights coming out on top in the end by a score of 33-30.
MASSIVE UPSET IN THE JAYHAWK CONFERENCE – The HIGHLAND COLLEGE SCOTTIES were on the road against the BUTLER (KS) GRIZZLIES, the team that tends to OWN the conference and regional titles. In an upset that registered at least a seven on the Richter Scale the Scotties managed to hand the Grizzlies a rare upset in their own house! The final score was 23-21, with Hutchinson College no doubt champing at the bit to face their perennial rivals in a few weeks.
THESE GAMES WERE RANK(ED) – Games between ranked teams yesterday: The (2) ST FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS eked out a seat-of-their pants 38-37 home win over the (7) ST AMBROSE UNIVERSITY FIGHTING BEES ### The (4) CC FIGHTING SAINTS were at the (19) ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLIN’ BEARS and walked away with a 24-17 victory ### And the (5) ST XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS obliterated the (22) ROBERT MORRIS (IL) EAGLES 41-10.
FREEFALLING – The (9) GRAND VIEW VIKINGS extended the free-fall of the (16) MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS, the defending champions of NAIA football, by pummeling them 30-7 in their own house ### Meanwhile the (11) MISSOURI VALLEY VIKINGS kept the (15) MIDAMERICA NAZARENE PIONEERS winless by clocking them 33-9 ### And the (24) LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS started what may be a freefall for the PIKEVILLE BEARS, handing them their first defeat of the year by a score of 35-26.
MARATHON GAME OF THE DAY – Yesterday’s game that earned this designation was the clash between the FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY WILDCATS and the homestanding CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY PANTHERS. The game ran through TWO OVERTIMES before a winner was determined, although the final score was deceptively low. The Wildcats emerged with a 12-9 victory.
GETTING ON THE BOARD – A few teams logged their first victory of the 2013 season yesterday. The EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS laid a 43-20 beatdown on the homestanding AVILA EAGLES. ### The NEBRASKA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY PRAIRIE WOLVES clobbered the visiting BRIAR CLIFF CHARGERS 31-7. ### And the SOUTHWESTERN ASSEMBLIES OF GOD UNIVERSITY LIONS won a 19-8 affair at the HASKELL INDIAN NATIONS UNIVERSITY INDIANS.
WORKING OVERTIME – In Overtime action yesterday the CARLETON COLLEGE KNIGHTS were on the road against the HAMLINE UNIVERSITY PIPERS. The extra session at last produced a winner and it was the Knights by a final score of 20-17. ### … And the EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE HUSKIES battled the WEST LOS ANGELES WILDCATS for 4 Quarters with a 14-14 result. In the Overtime period the Huskies won 21-20 off a missed PAT by the Wildcats.
ROAD WARRIORS – The NAIA’s SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY RAIDERS, just one week after taking NCAA Division ONE’s Sacramento State into Overtime, showed off their offensive firepower with a SEVENTY-THREE to TWENTY annihilation of the EASTERN OREGON MOUNTAINEERS ### And the PERU STATE BOBCATS mauled the GRACELAND COLLEGE YELLOW JACKETS 21-7.
IRONMEN II: BODY HAMMER – You’ll have to excuse the obscure movie reference, but you know how I am … Anyway, the VERMILION COLLEGE IRONMEN have put together back-to-back wins for the first time in a while, so here’s another shoutout to them and their loyal fans! The Ironmen (love that name) hosted the MESABI RANGE TECH NORSE and defeated them in a 17-14 Instant Classic!
WE WENT TO A FOOTBALL GAME BUT A BASEBALL GAME BROKE OUT – The only score that matched this category from yesterday’s games was the gridiron battle between the (20) COE COLLEGE KOHAWKS and the visiting WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (MO) BEARS. Both defenses played it tough and kept points at a premium in this brouhaha with the Kohawks at last emerging with a hard-fought 10-0 triumph.
OPEN SEASON ON POLAR BEARS – It didn’t pay to be a team named Polar Bears yesterday. First the 12th ranked HEIDELBERG UNIVERSITY STUDENT PRINCES (love that name) eviscerated the visiting OHIO NORTHERN UNIVERSITY POLAR BEARS 55-27 ### And the MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE PANTHERS buried the BOWDOIN POLAR BEARS by a final score of 27-5.
SHOWDOWN IN DODGE CITY – Not long after their epic Overtime clash with Hutchinson College the DODGE CITY COLLEGE CONQUISTADORS took part in another nailbiting, edge-of-your- seat gridiron Armageddon. The Conquistadors played host to the FORT SCOTT COLLEGE GREYHOUNDS and after 4 blistering quarters of smash-mouth football Dodge City at last walked away with a 37-36 victory.
UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – NAIA – The WEBBER INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY WARRIORS took it on the road and notched a thrilling 20-19 victory over the UNION (KY) BULLDOGS ### Meanwhile the DAKOTA STATE TROJANS likewise won a road game over the PRESENTATION COLLEGE SAINTS by a score of 35-28 ### And the CENTRAL METHODIST UNIVERSITY EAGLES snuck past the homestanding CULVER-STOCKTON COLLEGE WILDCATS in a 37-36 Instant Classic.
UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – D2 – The SOUTHERN ARKANSAS UNIVERSITY MULERIDERS edged the visiting SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA BULLDOGS 20-17 ### The MCKENDREE UNIVERSITY BEARCATS won a thrilling a 29-24 road game against the WILLIAM JEWELL CARDINALS ### Meanwhile the ADAMS STATE GRIZZLIES survived a 16-14 homestand over the WESTERN STATE MOUNTAINEERS ### And the LOCK HAVEN BALD EAGLES defeated the visiting CHEYNEY WOLVES by a score of 12-10.
UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – D3 – The AUGSBURG COLLEGE AUGGIES welcomed the GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS GUSTIES, topping them in a thrilling 19-16 clash ### The UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE LEOPARDS traveled to face the WHITWORTH PIRATES and defeated them in a 25-20 nailbiter ### And the AVERETT COUGARS logged a 30-27 road win over the GUILFORD QUAKERS.
UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – NJCAA – The DEAN COLLEGE BULLDOGS were on the road against the HUDSON VALLEY VIKINGS and handed them a loss in a tight 20-17 epic ### Meanwhile the GARDEN CITY COLLEGE BRONCBUSTERS took down the visiting AFP CADETS in a 35-34 affair ### The ELLSWORTH PANTHERS survived a 14-10 homestand against the IOWA CENTRAL TRITONS ### And the LOUISBURG COLLEGE HURRICANES topped the visiting LACKAWANNA FALCONS in a skintight 19-18 clash.
UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – NCFA – The SANTA ROSA COLLEGE BEAR CUBS were trailing the SACRAMENTO PANTHERS 21-14 at halftime but turned things around for a 35-21 victory ### The MENDOCINO EAGLES fell to the visiting LANEY COLLEGE EAGLES 29-22 in a case of aguila on aguila violence ### And the FEATHER RIVER GOLDEN EAGLES took down the homestanding SAN JOAQUIN DELTA MUSTANGS by a score of 29-20.
UNDER THE RADAR CLASSICS – SCFA – The SANTA BARBARA CITY COLLEGE VAQUEROS visited the COMPTON COLLEGE TARTARS and handed them a 27-24 loss ### The GOLDEN WEST COLLEGE RUSTLERS won a 23-21 road game for the ages against the ALLAN HANCOCK COLLEGE BULLDOGS ### And the SOUTHWESTERN JAGUARS defeated the PALOMAR COLLEGE COMETS in a tense 31-28 homestand.
MONUMENTAL BLOWOUTS – The BUTTE COLLEGE ROADRUNNERS, where Aaron Rodgers played his college ball before transferring to Cal, made the SHASTA COLLEGE KNIGHTS their prison brides to the tune of SIXTY-FIVE to NOTHING! ### And the ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE MATADORS decided to fold, spindle and mutilate the EVERETT TROJANS by a score of SEVENTY-SIX to SIX!
Helmets courtesy of The Helmet Project
Balladeer's Blog 