COLLEGE FOOTBALL: LATEST PLAYOFF AND BOWL RESULTS

* NJCAA CHAMPIONSHIP *

MISSISSIPPI BOWL – The number 1 NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE RANGERS clashed with the 2nd ranked ROCHESTER TECH YELLOW JACKETS for the NJCAA title. The Rangers held the Yellow Jackets scoreless until the 4th Quarter while scoring at will themselves. At the Half Northwest Mississippi led 35-0 on their way to a 66-13 annihilation of Rochester Tech. * The Rangers are NJCAA Champions for 2015.* 

* NAIA *

FIRST SEMIFINAL – The SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY RAIDERS – the defending champions of NAIA football – visited the MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS yesterday. The Raiders led 6-0 in the 1st Quarter but trailed the Mustangs 7-6 at Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with SOU on top 23-21 and in the 4th the Raiders outscored the Mustangs 7-6 for a 30-27 victory and a return trip to the title game on December 19th.

SECOND SEMIFINAL – The MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS were on the road against the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS. The Knights were on a virtual crusade as they converted a 7-0 1st Quarter edge into a 31-7 Halftime advantage over the Cougars. After the break Marian University coasted to a 45-14 blowout win and a return to Daytona Beach for a championship rematch with Southern Oregon.

* NCAA DIVISION TWO *

DEFENDING CHAMPS ELIMINATED – The storied GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS invaded the realm of the COLORADO STATE AT PUEBLO THUNDERWOLVES on Saturday. The Lakers are hungering for a return to their days as a D2 football dynasty and put the entire nation on notice by crushing the Thunderwolves 31-7. 

AS SHEPHERD BEAT THE ROCK BY NIGHT – I couldn’t resist throwing in a little seasonal reference there. The SHEPHERD UNIVERSITY RAMS hosted the SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY ROCKETS in this Quarterfinal clash. The Rams proved they were more than ready for anything the Rock could throw at them and won the game 28-16.   

WIN IT BY TWENTY-ONE – The NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS were less than gracious hosts to the EMPORIA STATE HORNETS. The Bearcats are out to add another crown to their collection and treated the Hornets like a speed-bump, advancing to the Semifinals by a score of 38-17. 

HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLVES – This Quarterfinal game pitted the UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA WOLVES against the visiting TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY GOLDEN TIGERS. The Wolves did their bit for the Gulf South Conference’s reputation and dominated the Golden Tigers on both sides of the ball. The final score was West Georgia 35  Tuskegee 6.  

* NCAA DIVISION THREE *

DEFENDING CHAMPS ADVANCE – The UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT WHITEWATER WARHAWKS – the defending champions of D3 football – were on the road against the UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT OSHKOSH TITANS. A 10-10 Halftime tie became a 31-16 Warhawks lead to end the 3rd Quarter. Whitewater had to hold on against a furious Titans comeback in the 4th but moved on to the Semifinals with a 31-29 win. 

WILD, WILD WILDCATS – The LINFIELD COLLEGE WILDCATS trailed their guests the UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN- BAYLOR CRUSADERS 21-14 in the 1st Quarter and 28-14 at the Half. In vintage fashion the Wildcats came back to tie the game 28-28 to end the 3rd Quarter. From there Linfield went on to win the game by a final score of 38-35.

LOOK FOR THE MOUNT UNION LABEL – The UNIVERSITY OF MT UNION PURPLE RAIDERS took on the visiting WESLEY COLLEGE WOLVERINES in this Quarterfinal. The Purple Raiders moved another step closer to yet another rematch with Whitewater in the title game as they routed the Wolverines 56-35.

TITANIC TOMMIES – The UNIVERSITY OF SAINT THOMAS TOMMIES took the field against their guests the WABASH COLLEGE LITTLE GIANTS yesterday. The Tommies were all business on both offense and defense as they parlayed a 17-0 Halftime lead into a 38-7 beatdown of the awestruck Little Giants. 

* NCAA DIVISION TWO BOWLS *

HEART OF TEXAS BOWL – As usual this was a Double Header, with two NJCAA teams in the early game and a pair of D2 teams playing in the Main Event. The ARKANSAS TECH WONDER BOYS took the field against the EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY GREYHOUNDS. The Wonder Boys led 37-28 at the Half but the Greyhounds pulled to within 37-35 to end the 3rd Quarter. In the 4th Arkansas Tech pulled away for a 51-35 victory.

TEXARKANA BOWL – The UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA BRONCHOS (their spelling) did battle with the SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE BULLDOGS in this Bowl Game. A 7-7 tie in the 1st Quarter became a 28-21 Bronchos lead by the break. UCO shut out the Bulldogs in the 2nd Half while adding 10 points for a 38-21 triumph.  

MINERAL WATER BOWL – The 50th Mineral Water Bowl featured the UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AT DULUTH BULLDOGS and the FORT HAYS STATE TIGERS. The two teams were tied at 7-7 to end the opening Quarter but the Bulldogs held a 17-14 edge at Halftime. From there Minnesota- Duluth squeezed out a little bit of distance from the Tigers to win a 30-22 Instant Classic.  

* NJCAA BOWLS *

EL TORO BOWL – The teams competing in this Bowl were the ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE MATADORS and the COLLEGE OF DUPAGE CHAPARRALS. Points were extremely hard to come by in this epic of defensive football, with the Matadors pulling off the massive upset of the Chaparrals by a final score of just 14-5. 

VALLEY OF THE SUN BOWL – This oldest consecutively played Bowl Game for the NJCAA pitted the SCOTTSDALE COLLEGE FIGHTING ARTICHOKES against the CENTRAL LAKES COLLEGE AT BRAINERD RAIDERS. This was a true game for the ages but in the end there could only be one winner. The Fighting Artichokes emerged with a 42-34 victory over the Raiders. 

HEART OF TEXAS BOWL – The EAST CENTRAL COLLEGE WARRIORS squared off against the KILGORE COLLEGE RANGERS in the early game in this Doubleheader Bowl. The Warriors got off to a quick 21-0 1st Quarter lead over the Rangers, who pulled to within 21-7 by the break. In the 3rd Quarter both offenses exploded for 14 points each and after a scoreless 4th the final tally was East Central 35  Kilgore 21.   

SALT CITY BOWL – This gridiron grudge match was three- fourths of a classic. The SNOW COLLEGE BADGERS and the DODGE CITY COLLEGE CONQUISTADORS were tied at 14-14 to end the 1st Half. The 3rd Quarter went by without either team scoring, making it 14-14 to start the 4th. The Badgers racked up 24 points in that frame for a 38-14 triumph.  

GRAPHIC EDGE BOWL – The Main Event in this Bowl Game Doubleheader saw the IOWA WESTERN COLLEGE REIVERS take on the GEORGIA MILITARY COLLEGE BULLDOGS. A 10-0 Reivers lead in the 1st Quarter became a 13-0 advantage at Halftime and ultimately a 20-6 victory over the Bulldogs. The Iowa Western defense was on fire the entire game! 

GRAPHIC EDGE BOWL – The early game in this Bowl doubleheader pitted the ELLSWORTH COLLEGE PANTHERS against the GLOBE TECH KNIGHTS. The Panthers trailed the Knights 13-6 after 1 Quarter of play but pulled to within 13-12 by the break. Ellsworth took over in the 2nd Half, going on to win the game by a score of 32-19. 

CMany helmets courtesy of the Helmet Project.