Category Archives: college football

THE COOLEST HELMETS IN SCFA COLLEGE FOOTBALL

 Balladeer’s Blog would like to help all of us hang on until the 2012 college football season kicks off. My latest method has been by treating readers to some of the coolest helmets in the divisions of college football covered here.

Today’s installment highlights teams from the SCFA. The Antelope Valley College Marauders (logo at left) would have made the list but, like last week’s ASA College Avengers, their cool logo doesn’t show up well on their football helmets.

 8. SAN DIEGO MESA COLLEGE OLYMPIANS

Location: San Diego ,CA

Conference: Mountain Conference

Comment: Olympians is a timely team name what with the Continue reading

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THE COOLEST HELMETS IN NCCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL

 As a public service to all of us college football fans eagerly awaiting the start of the 2012 season Balladeer’s Blog presents another look at some of the coolest helmets in the divisions covered here.

Last week I covered the coolest helmets in NAIA  college football. This time around I’ll feature the coolest helmets in the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association). Each year the NCCAA’s premier gridiron event is the Victory Bowl and Balladeer’s Blog brings you coverage right here. 

 6. SOUTHERN NAZARENE UNIVERSITY CRIMSON STORM

Location: Bethany, OK

Comment: Southern Nazarene University just moved back to the Continue reading

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THE COOLEST HELMETS IN NAIA COLLEGE FOOTBALL

 Recently the College of Idaho Coyotes, or “Yotes” for short, announced they are relaunching football for the first time since the 1970’s! At left you see the preview of the new helmets the Coyotes will be sporting.

And NAIA college football continues to grow and grow! This coming season the following teams will be playing their first intercollegiate football games: Point University Skyhawks, Belleville Lynx, Bluefield College Ramblin’ Rams and the Wayland Baptist University Pioneers.

Balladeer’s Blog presents its look at the coolest football helmets in NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) football. Feel free to let me know whose helmets you feel I left out or who should have been rated higher or lower.

8. BETHANY COLLEGE SWEDES

Location: Lindsborg, KS 

Comment: Like the Florida Gators the Bethany Swedes have one of those iconic helmets with stylish lettering and an overall eye-catching appeal. This Continue reading

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41 NAIA, D2 AND D3 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS TO THE NFL FOR 2012

 The NAIA’s William Penn University Statesmen (logo at right) were among the teams covered by Balladeer’s Blog who had players move on to the NFL this year in the draft and through free agent signings. Here’s a look at the players who advanced to the next level following their successful college careers at institutions that actually care about academics.

DRAFTEES – ST LOUIS RAMS- Greg Zuerlein from the Missouri Western Griffons *** Janoris Jenkins from the University of North Alabama Lions *** Daryl Richardson from the Abilene Christian University Wildcats

CAROLINA PANTHERS – Amini Silatolu from the Midwestern State Mustangs

DETROIT LIONS – Chris Greenwood from the Albion Britons

SAN FRANCISCO 49’ers – Jason Slowery from the Continue reading

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FOUR OF THE COOLEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL HELMETS

 With the NFL Draft coming up later this week it seemed like a perfect time for a college football piece! In the past Balladeer’s Blog has treated readers to lists of cool-named college sports teams or cool logos for such teams. I even ran a list of the Top 6 D2 College Football Stadiums last year. This new list will examine football helmets for Continue reading

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NAIA COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPS DEFEAT THE NCAA FOOTBALL CHAMPS AGAIN

 For the second year in a row the college football champions of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics have defeated the football champions of NCAA Division 3 college football. The Saint Xavier University Cougars, the gridiron pride of Chicago, won Balladeer’s Bowl II by having my readers vote for them nearly two to one over the NCAA’s team, the Whitewater Warhawks. The Warhawks fall to 0-2 in Balladeer’s Bowl appearances, having lost to the NAIA’s CC Fighting Saints last year.

The Cougars from Rich Koz-land received Continue reading

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BALLADEER’S BOWL II – THE NAIA CHAMPS VS THE NCAA D3 CHAMPS

 It’s time for the 2nd edition of Balladeer’s Bowl, the annual event where I pit the NAIA college football champs against the champs from NCAA Division 3. The outcome is decided by votes from you readers. This year the NAIA is represented by the pride of Rich Koz-land AKA Chicago, IL, the St Xavier University Cougars (helmet at left). The Cougars pulled off the very difficult task of winning the title in their very first appearance in the championship game. Plus they had to do it by defeating the CC Fighting Saints, the dominant NAIA football dynasty of the past decade.

Making their second appearance in Balladeer’s Bowl are the NCAA D3 champs, the Whitewater Warhawks. The Warhawks once again defeated the Mt Union Purple Raiders for a Threepeat in D3 titles. Last year the Warhawks  lost to the 2010 NAIA champs, the aforementioned CC Fighting Saints, by a two to one margin in the voting. Will it be a 2nd straight victory for the NAIA team in the most illustrious Bowl of the season? Get your votes in and I’ll announce the winner next Tuesday, January 3rd. To keep the voting honest and prevent multiple votes by the same people you can vote by Continue reading

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2011’s COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS

SXU Cougars QB Jimmy Coy, Offensive Player of the Game

 Sad to say, the college football playoffs and bowls for the divisions covered by Balladeer’s  Blog are all over now, except for some All-Star Games. The SXU Cougars won the NAIA football championship in the latest game of Saturday night, giving the Cougars and their head coach Mike Feminis their first national title. It’s not at all true that when Feminis hoisted the trophy over his head that he cried out “This one’s for Dianne!” (As in Zajdell, a Cougar of a different kind)

Anyway, to wrap up this year’s gridiron action here’s a final nod of recognition to the 2011 champions and the teams they played in their title matchups.

NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics ) – Champions – SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS  Runners up – CC Fighting Saints

NCAA Division 2 – Champions – PITTSBURG (KS) STATE GORILLAS   Runners up – Wayne State Warriors 

NCAA Division 3 – Champions – WHITEWATER WARHAWKS (Threepeat)   Runners up – Mt Union Purple Raiders

NJCAA – Champions – EAST Continue reading

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SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS DETHRONE THE CC FIGHTING SAINTS FOR THE NAIA TITLE; GORILLAS TAKE D2 CROWN

 The ST XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS dethroned the defending NAIA college football champions the CC FIGHTING SAINTS in a 24- 20 game for the ages. I throw the term “Instant Classic” around with giddy abandon here at Balladeer’s Blog, but there’s no denying the fact that this game lived up to that label. Both teams played focused, virtually mistake- free football that the attendees in Rome, GA will be telling their grandchildren about. The Cougars lost to the Fighting Saints in the semi- finals last season but Continue reading

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THE REAL CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL: 2011

 THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE ROME FOR THE HOLIDAYS – That’s Rome, GA, where the NAIA college football championship game is once again being played. I’ve taken to describing NAIA  football as “a league full of Tim Tebows” to help appeal to people who are sick and tired of the cheaters, felons and alleged child- abusers of NCAA Division 1 football. Besides, anyone fed up with the NCAA’s endless power plays and the way it goes after the minnows while letting the sharks roam free should embrace this alternative brand of collegiate athletics.

Today’s championship game finds the Saint Xavier University Cougars making their first- ever appearance in the title matchup. Their opponents, the CC Fighting Saints, are the current ruling dynasty in NAIA football, having won 6 of the last 9 championships, and Continue reading

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