COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM AUGUST 23rd

Yesterday was the kickoff of the 2014 college football season! ESPN doesn’t have the contract to televise the divisions that got underway so that’s why they simply ignore them to avoid publicizing games shown elsewhere. Here is a look at noteworthy results from August 23rd’s action.

INAUGURAL GAME FOR ACU – The ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM played their very first game of intercollegiate football last night! They hosted the storied EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS who, unfortunately for the Firestorm faithful, made it a bittersweet night at best for ACU. The Crusaders (helmet above left) showed their years of experience over the newbies and went back home with a 40-16 victory. Congratulations to Evangel and welcome to gridiron action to the Firestorm! We’re all looking forward to seeing your football program grow.

MOUNTAINEERS CLIMB OVER THE OAKS – The EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEERS were on the road against the MENLO COLLEGE OAKS. The Mountaineers led 13-0 after the 1st Quarter, but by Halftime the Oaks had whittled that down to a 16-14 advantage. The 3rd Quarter started out with the teams exchanging scores, leaving the score EOU 23  MC 20. The Oaks closed out the Quarter by taking their first lead of the game, 27-23 but the Mountaineers would put up 22 unanswered points in the 4th to win 45-27. QB Zach Bartlow went 23 of 33 with 4 TD’s. 

DAWGS CHOMP THE DIGGERS – The UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA- WESTERN BULLDOGS welcomed their archrivals the MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS yesterday. Things got rolling early in a big way for the Bulldogs, who scored on their first three possessions for a 21-0 lead in the 1st Quarter. That expanded to a 35-0 lead at the Half. To close out the game the Montana Tech defense nearly shut out the UMW offense, giving up one lone field goal in the 2nd Half. The Orediggers scored once in the 4th Quarter making the final score Bulldogs 38  Orediggers 6. UMW QB Tyler Hulse threw for 3 TD’s in the win. 

THE NSAA IS ON NOTICE – The WALDORF COLLEGE WARRIORS took it on the road for their first game in their new conference, the North Star Athletic Association. The Warriors served notice to the NSAA with their manhandling of the MAYVILLE STATE COMETS. The game still seemed within reach for the Comets at Halftime since Waldorf led by just 17-0. The 2nd Half saw an offensive explosion by the Warriors who also kept up the scare on defense, earning a road shutout to start the 2014 season! Waldorf won in a FORTY-EIGHT to NOTHING slaughter. Warriors QB Christopher Smith threw for 2 TD’s and added a 3rd rushing. RB Dedarius Bridges put up 217 (yes, 217) yards and 2 TD’s in his college debut.

MORNING IN MORNINGSIDE – The MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS did battle with the visiting IOWA CENTRAL COLLEGE TRITONS and were in for a Battle Royal. Steve Ryan, the Head Coach of the mighty Mustangs, was as calculating as always in this affair and guided his team to a 16-13 win in this close and entertaining game that was everything a fan could wish for in late August football.   

INSTANT CLASSIC IN MINNESOTA – Down in the NJCAA the opening day clash between the MINNESOTA STATE- FERGUS FALLS SPARTANS and the homestanding FOND DU LAC TRIBAL COLLEGE THUNDER turned out to be a game for the ages. These two familar foes exchanged blow for blow throughout the entire game and when all the dust had settled Spartans Head Coach Steve King and his boys emerged with a tight 22-19 triumph.  

THEY’RE LUMBERJACKS AND THEY’RE OKAY – The DAKOTA COLLEGE AT BOTTINEAU LUMBERJACKS kicked off their 2014 gridiron campaign by welcoming the MINNESOTA WEST TECH BLUE JAYS. The Lumberjacks did their Head Coach Tim Pfeiffer proud by playing focused football on both sides of the pigskin. In the end Dakota College started the season at 1-0 with a 22-9 victory.

GMC RALLY FALLS SHORT – The number 5 GEORGIA MILITARY COLLEGE BULLDOGS were last year’s football runners-up but wound up trailing at the 8th ranked NAVARRO COLLEGE BULLDOGS 21-0 in the 2nd Quarter. 21-0 became 21-6 then 29-6 by the Half. GMC came storming back after the break and things stood at 36-30 with just 6:41 to play. Navarro said “enough of this” and put up two more TD’s of their own to win this clash of Top Ten teams 50-30.

HANK PYM’S TEAM DEFEATS TONY STARK’S TEAM – Marvel Comics fans will get it. The ROCHESTER TECH YELLOW JACKETS traveled to face the VERMILION COLLEGE IRONMEN. Last season the Ironmen were much improved and had their fans optimistic that a corner had been turned. Yesterday was a debacle that will have them warily anticipating Vermilion’s next game. The YELLOW JACKETS crushed the Ironmen 43-12. 

A SHUTOUT IN THATCHER – The GLENDALE (AZ) COLLEGE GAUCHOS played road warriors yesterday in their journey to Thatcher, AZ to square off against the EASTERN ARIZONA COLLEGE GILA MONSTERS. The Glendale defense was really clicking on this hot August night. Mickey Bell coached his boys to a road shutout in this game, which his Gauchos wound up winning by a final score of 28-0.

BUFFALO STAMPEDE – The ARKANSAS BAPTIST COLLEGE BUFFALOES were playing host to the GEORGIA ACADEMY LIONS. The Buffaloes were heavily favored but they managed to exceed all expectations by hammering their guests by a score of 45-14. Richard Wilson and his Defensive Coordinator Tom Lavigne guided ABC to this textbook performance on both the O and the D.  

BUTTKICKINGS – Two of the most lopsided games from yesterday’s action saw the NORTH DAKOTA STATE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE WILDCATS eviscerate the homestanding ITASCA COLLEGE VIKINGS. Coach Merle Johnson’s Wildcats won FIFTY-ONE to TWELVE!     ###     And Britt Maughan’s SNOW COLLEGE BADGERS likewise logged a road blowout by dismembering the MESA COLLEGE THUNDERBIRDS to the tune of FIFTY-NINE to TWENTY-ONE! 

VARYING DEGREES OF BLOWOUTS – The PIMA COLLEGE AZTECS nearly doubled up on the homestanding PHOENIX COLLEGE BEARS to the tune of 36-19     ###      And the ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE MATADORS were very ungracious hosts, positively GORING their guests the NEW MEXICO MILITARY INSTITUTE BRONCOS (whom I still say should change their name to the Cavalry). The final score was 45-10.        

Helmets courtesy of The Helmet Project