Category Archives: college football

NAIA TOP 25 FROM BALLADEER’S BLOG

The divisions of college football covered here at Balladeer’s Blog kick off the 2015 season this Friday night, August 21st! Here’s my preseason Top 25 for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

HELMETCARLETONNAIA – 1. MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS      ###      2. SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY RAIDERS (Defending Champions)      ###      3. SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS      ###      4. MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS      ###      T5. CARROLL COLLEGE FIGHTING SAINTS      ###      T5. LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS      ###       Continue reading

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BLUE DRAGONS PICKED TO REPEAT AS CONFERENCE CHAMPS

BlUE DRAGONSBIGGGGGGGGGThe preseason poll has selected the HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS to repeat as Jayhawk Conference champions in 2015. Last year saw the Blue Dragons have the best season in team history and they fell just one game short of playing for the National Championship. Their lone loss of the season came against Iowa Western College, which wound up losing in the national title game.

Hutchinson Blue DragonsHutchinson College, meanwhile, won their first unshared Jayhawk Conference crown since 1996, won their 6th straight Salt City Bowl and are trying to repeat as conference champs for the first time since their Threepeat of 1948-1950.

Here’s how the preseason poll placed all eight teams in the Jayhawk Conference:

1. HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS

2. COFFEYVILLE COLLEGE RED RAVENS

3. BUTLER (KS) GRIZZLIES Continue reading

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NAIA, D2 AND D3 PLAYERS TO THE NFL FOR 2015

Ottawa University Braves logoAs always several dozen REAL student- athletes from the divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog moved on to the NFL. The most-taken position was Wide Receiver for the second year in a row.

As just one example, the NAIA’s OTTAWA (KS) UNIVERSITY BRAVES Wide Receiver Joshua Stangby moved on to the Atlanta Falcons.

Continuing with the Falcons here’s a look at all the NFL teams and the players taken from the divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog.

Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons

Joshua Stangby (see above)

Chris Brown (OT from the TARLETON STATE TEXANS)

Cody Clay (OL from the AZUSA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY COUGARS) Continue reading

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CHRIS BODEN NAMED NEW HEAD COACH FOR AVENGERS FOOTBALL

 Brooklyn, NY—-ASA College Offensive Coordinator Chris Boden has been promoted as the school’s second ever Head Football Coach.  He replaces Dennis Orlando who led the Avengers to the last three Northeast Football Conference championship games, two conference championships, two Bowl Games, the Carrier Dome Bowl Championship in 2013, and the Northeast Football Conference’s conference game winning-streak record (14 in a row).  Boden has been the program’s Offensive Coordinator since its inception in 2009.   Continue reading

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NAIA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS DEFEAT THE NCAA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS AGAIN!

Southern_OregonBalladeer’s Bowl results are in, and for the fifth year in a row the NAIA football champions – in this case the SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY RAIDERS – defeated the NCAA D3 champions – the UW-WHITEWATER WARHAWKS!

The voting ended at midnight last night and the Raiders won by a nearly two to one margin. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE RAIDERS, THE WINNERS OF BALLADEER’S BOWL FIVE!

Here are the results of the four previous Balladeer’s Bowl matchups. Continue reading

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BALLADEER’S BOWL FIVE

Southern Oregon RaidersWhat better day than today for Balladeer’s Bowl V to kick off? New Year’s Day is known for iconic events like the Rose Bowl so it seemed only natural to move my Bowl Game to January 1st instead of late December. As always Balladeer’s Bowl pits the National Champions of the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) against the National Champions of the NCAA Division Three.

Whitewater Warhawks helmet newThe SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY RAIDERS are the NAIA Champs and the UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT WHITEWATER WARHAWKS are the D3 Champs once again. Readers of Balladeer’s Blog get to vote on the winner over the next week, so NAIA and D3 boosters can begin their annual deluge of emails to me arguing for their choice. Continue reading

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS FOR 2014

Here’s one final shout of congratulations to this year’s college football champions from the SEVEN divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog.

Southern Oregon RaidersNAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)

National Champions – SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY RAIDERS

Runners-Up – Marian University Knights

2013 Champions – Grand View University Vikings

North Greenville helmet NEWNCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association)

National Champions – NORTH GREENVILLE UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS

Runners-Up – Shorter University Hawks

2013 Champions – Azusa Pacific University Cougars Continue reading

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME RESULTS FROM DECEMBER 19th AND 20th

* NAIA *

Southern Oregon RaidersCHAMPIONSHIP GAME – From Daytona Beach, FL this year’s 59th Annual NAIA Championship Game pitted the SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY RAIDERS against the MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS, who were trying for their 2nd title in the past 3 years. The Raiders capitalized on every Marian mistake and by the end of the 1st Quarter led 24-7. That dominance extended into the 2nd Quarter as SOU seized a 38-10 advantage by Halftime.

In the 3rd Quarter the Knights shut out their opponents and pulled to within 14 points at 38-24. In the 4th Southern Oregon’s record-setting QB Austin Dodge simply pressed down on the accelerator and extended his team’s lead again. When the dust settled SOU had won the game 55-31.  * CONGRATULATIONS TO SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY, THE CHAMPIONS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS! * 

* NCAA DIVISION TWO * Continue reading

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF RESULTS FROM DECEMBER 13th

* CCCAA CHAMPIONSHIP *

Mount San Antonio College MountiesCHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The MOUNT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE MOUNTIES did battle with the CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO RAMS to see which one of these two storied programs could add another title to their haul. A 3-3 1st Quarter tie became a 13-10 advantage for the Mounties by Halftime. Mt San Antonio outscored the Rams 14-7 in the 3rd Quarter and, after a scoreless 4th the Mounties grabbed the championship with a 27-17 victory.  *** CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MOUNTIES ON THEIR FOURTH CCCAA CHAMPIONSHIP! *** 

* NCAA DIVISION TWO *

Minnesota State MavericksFIRST SEMIFINAL – The MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS had little trouble defeating the visiting CONCORD UNIVERSITY MOUNTAIN LIONS. Minnesota State led 30-7 at the break on their way to a 47-13 beatdown of the Mountain Lions. The Mavericks improve to 14-0 and move on to their first appearance in the D2 championship game.  Continue reading

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF AND BOWL RESULTS FROM DECEMBER 6th

* NJCAA CHAMPIONSHIP *

ALL THREE OF EAST MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE'S HELMETS

ALL THREE OF EAST MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE’S HELMETS

MISSISSIPPI BOWL – This Bowl was the National Championship Game this year and pitted the number 1 Defending Champions – the EAST MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE LIONS – against the 2nd ranked IOWA WESTERN COLLEGE REIVERS – who happen to be the 2012 NJCAA Champions. This clash of the most recent champions went the Lions’ way from start to finish. East Mississippi led 21-7 by Halftime and kept up the pressure in the 2nd Half, doubling up on the Reivers 34-17 for their 2nd title in a row and their 3rd in the last 4 years! * CONGRATULATIONS TO THE LIONS – THE NJCAA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS FOR 2014! *

* NAIA PLAYOFFS *

Marian Knights helmet newFIRST SEMIFINAL – In a rematch of the 2012 National Championship Game the MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS took on the homestanding MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS. The end result was the same, too, with the Knights coming from behind for the win. Marian trailed 7-0 in the 1st Quarter and 21-14 at Halftime. After the break the Knights shut out the Mustangs while piling up points themselves, ultimately winning in a 41-21 rout. Marian QB Hayden Northern had 2 Touchdowns by air and 1 more on the ground.   Continue reading

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