Category Archives: college football

October 10, 2011 · 8:38 pm

COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLLS: WEEK OF OCTOBER 10TH

The Saint Xavier University Cougars remain at number 1 in the NAIA football poll for the 5th straight week, but to get some helmet variety in here I went with a pic of the 2nd ranked Marian University Knights. The Knights are enjoying another week at their highest ranking in team history and continue to make me look like a gridiron Nostradamus. Back in 2010 during the preseason I predicted that the Knights were about to take off in a big way. Marian then had a stellar season and won their first round playoff game, then this season came out blazing since Week 1 just to show last year was no fluke. The Menlo Oaks, meanwhile, move back into the Top 25 one week after falling out. The Chabot College Gladiators (love that name!) moved up to 10th in the NCFA Poll. And now the rankings in the divisions of college football covered by Balladeer’s Blog.  

NAIA – 1. SXU COUGARS   …   2. MARIAN KNIGHTS   …   3. CC FIGHTING SAINTS (defending champs)   …   4. MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE VIKINGS   …   5. GEORGETOWN (KY) TIGERS   …   6. ST FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS   …   7. MIDAMERICA NAZARENE PIONEERS   …   8. MORNINGSIDE MUSTANGS   …   9. BENEDICTINE RAVENS   …   10. AZUSA PACIFIC COUGARS (1st Top Ten ranking since 2006)   …   11. WILLIAM PENN STATESMEN   …   12. ST FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS (Upset former #4 William Penn)   …   13. DAKOTA WESLEYAN TIGERS   …   14. ST AMBROSE UNIVERSITY FIGHTING BEES   …   15. SOUTHERN NAZARENE UNIVERSITY CRIMSON STORM (Love that name!)   …   16. OTTAWA (KS) BRAVES   …   17. BETHEL (TN) WILDCATS   …   18. VCS VIKINGS   …   19. DOANE TIGERS   …   20. CUMBERLAND BULLDOGS (Up 5 spots from last week)   …   21. ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLIN’ BEARS   …   22. BETHANY SWEDES (Down 8 spots from last week)   …   T23. EASTERN OREGON MOUNTAINEERS   …   T23. NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE RANGERS   …   25. MENLO OAKS

NCAA D3- 1. WHITEWATER WARHAWKS (defending champs)  …   2. MT UNION PURPLE RAIDERS (Warhawks and Purple Raiders have played each other in the last 6 D3 title games in a row, splitting 3 each)   …   3. ST THOMAS TOMMIES   …   4. MHBU CRUSADERS Continue reading →

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October 9, 2011 · 3:12 pm

NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM OCTOBER 8TH

FIGHTING SAINTS UPSET NUMBER 4 STATESMEN – The NAIA’s 15th ranked ST FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS brought down the mighty number 4 WILLIAM PENN STATESMEN in a pigskin Ragnarok yesterday. The final score in this game with national and MSFA implications was a tight 36-35. The Fighting Saints faithful await the next poll rankings with baited breath.  

EDWARD WATERS AND LANGSTON RULE THE WORLD – Each week usually gives us at least one NAIA team toppling a higher division team but yesterday we had two. The EDWARD WATERS TIGERS won an Instant Classic against D2’s LIVINGSTONE BLUE BEARS by a score of 14-13. The NAIA’s LANGSTON LIONS pulled off their THIRD upset of a D2 team this season, bringing down the PANHANDLE STATE AGGIES 41-23.   

RANGERS AND THE STORM (For you Doors fans) – I had put the NAIA’s 10th ranked SOUTHERN  NAZARENE CRIMSON STORM on upset alert yesterday and was proven right when they fell on the road at the NW OKLAHOMA  STATE RANGERS. The Crimson Storm led 12-6 at one point but the Rangers’ Black Cloud defense stepped up big, shutting SNU out for the rest of the game. The Crimson Storm wound up losing 28-12.

HYLININGSFEST HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA – The number 14 BETHANY  SWEDES were celebrating both Homecoming and Hyliningsfest yesterday . That way you don’t have to do your holiday shopping separately for each event. The ST MARY SPIRES played Grinch to the celebrating Swedes, however, by upsetting the home team in a nail-biting 35-32 Instant Classic. 

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA –   In addition to the above mentioned upsets, the 17th ranked EASTERN OREGON Continue reading →

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October 8, 2011 · 2:49 pm

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCOREBOARDS FOR OCTOBER 8TH

In the NAIA the William Penn University Statesmen are ranked 4th in the nation and continue saying “Just TRY to leave us out of the playoffs this year”. Last year WPU ended the year ranked at 11 but were unjustifiably left out of the 16 team NAIA playoff field. (That’s right, the divisions of college football covered by Balladeer’s Blog settle things with a playoff!)   The Statesmen are on the road today against the 15th ranked St Francis (IL) Fighting Saints in a crucial Mid States Football Association matchup. Both teams lead their respective divisions of “The Association” as Jim Rome would call it, and are unbeaten in conference play.  

Keeping to the theme of games between ranked teams today, the 9th ranked Morningside Mustangs, back on track to take the Great Plains Athletic Conference title following their upset at the hands of the Nebraska Wesleyan University Prairie Wolves a few weeks ago, host the 13th ranked Doane Tigers, who upset Midland University last week. The number 25 Cumberland Bulldogs meanwhile are at the 22nd ranked Shorter Hawks with the loser obviously knocked out of the rankings completely. Only one team is ranked in what I think may be the most exciting game of the day as the number 10 Southern Nazarene University Crimson Storm are on the road against the ever-tough Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers. 

D2 treats us to a Show Me State showdown between the 7th ranked  Northwest Missouri Bearcats and the number 14 Central Missouri Mules. D3’s only matchup between ranked teams finds the 15th ranked Cortland State Red Dragons at the number 11 Montclair State Red Hawks. And now, links to updating scoreboards for the divisions I cover:    

NAIA – http://www.victorysportsnetwork.com/sport/0/14.php

D3 – http://d3football.com/scoreboard/composite

D2 –  http://www.d2football.com/scores/

NJCAA – http://www.njcaa.org/sports_schedules.cfm?category=Schedules%2FScores&sid=11&divid=0&slid=5

SCFA – http://www.scfafootball.com/statistics/scoreboard.html

NCFA – http://www.cccaasports.org/football/men/

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October 4, 2011 · 10:21 pm

COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLLS: WEEK OF OCTOBER 4TH

 Coach Mike Feminis and his Saint Xavier University Cougars remain the pride of Chicago as they retain the top spot in the NAIA Top 25 for the 4th consecutive week. The 5-0 Cougars from the land of Koz (As in Rich Koz) once again received all of the 1st place votes. Meanwhile, there are new number 1’s in 2 of the polls after some upsets this past Saturday.

NAIA – 1. SXU Cougars   …   2. Marian Knights (highest ranking in team history)   …   3. CC Fighting Saints (defending champs)   … 4. William Penn Statesmen   …   5. MVC Vikings   …   6. Georgetown (KY) Tigers   …   7. St Francis (IN) Cougars   …   8. MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers   …    9. Morningside Mustangs   …   10. Southern Nazarene University Crimson Storm   …   11. Benedictine Ravens   …   12. Azusa Pacific Cougars   …   13. Doane Tigers   …   14. Bethany Swedes   …   15. St Francis (IL) Fighting Saints   …   16. Dakota Wesleyan Tigers   …   17. Eastern Oregon Mountaineers   …   18. St Ambrose Fighting Bees   …   19. Ottawa (KS) Braves   …   20. VCS Vikings   …   21. Bethel (TN) Wildcats   …   22. Shorter Hawks   …   23. Rocky Mountain College Battlin’ Bears   …   24. Midland Warriors   …   25. Cumberland Bulldogs 

NCAA DIVISION 3 – 1. Whitewater Warhawks (defending champs)   …   2. Mt Union Purple Raiders (The Warhawks and the Purple Raiders have played each other in the past 6 D3 championship games in a row, splitting 3 each)   …   3. St Thomas Tommies   …   4. MHBU Crusaders Continue reading →

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October 2, 2011 · 4:37 pm

NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM OCTOBER 1ST

 DON’T MUSS WITH GUS – D2’s 16th ranked PITTSBURG (KS) STATE GORILLAS brought down the number one team, the NORTHWEST MISSOURI BEARCATS by a score of 38-35 in the aptly- named Fall Classic. The neutral site game between these two MidAmerica Intercollegiate Athletics Association rivals is played at Arrowhead Stadium, and the crowd in attendance was treated to a classic comeback. Gus the gorilla’s team faced a double digit deficit late in the game but, refusing to give up, Pitt State emerged with the type of signature win the program has been lacking since its trip to the D2 championship game nearly a decade ago. A field goal from Chase McCoy as time expired gave the Gorillas the win. 

ARMAGEDDON IN FORT WAYNE – The NAIA’s gridiron showdown today between its Top 2 teams was full of thrills and hard hits. The number 1 SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS defended their top ranking for the third week in a row, defeating the 2nd place team, the SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS, in their own house by a score of 42-31. As in the Fall Classic above, the winning team at one point trailed by double digits before turning the tables. The SXU Cougars are the football pride of Chicago so far in 2011! 

NUMBER ONE TAKES A FALL – The NJCAA’s 2nd ranked team, the BLINN COLLEGE BUCCANEERS, where Cam Newton played his college ball before transferring to Auburn, dethroned the top- ranked defending champs, the NAVARRO COLLEGE BULLDOGS in a 31-26 game for the ages. The Buccaneers move to 5-0 on the season and look to become the new number 1 in the next poll.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – The unranked ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE  BATTLING BEARS stopped the meteoric ascent of the 9th ranked EASTERN OREGON MOUNTAINEERS. RMC handed the home team a surprising 51-17 beatdown and at 17, the DOANE TIGERS brought down the 14th ranked MIDLAND WARRIORS in a 43-39 shootout.  

TOP 25 UPSETS – D3 – The 5th ranked BETHEL (MN) ROYALS were upset at home by the ST OLAF OLES in a tight, nailbiting 30-28 affair … The number 7 team, the WHEATON THUNDER, fell on the road to the Continue reading →

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October 1, 2011 · 2:39 pm

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCOREBOARDS FOR OCTOBER 1ST: NAIA, D3, D2, NJCAA, SCFA AND NCFA

 Among the high-profile games today will be this year’s edition of the Fall Classic between D2’s top-ranked NORTHWEST MISSOURI BEARCATS and the number 16 PITTSBURG (KS) STATE GORILLAS. As usual, this neutral site matchup is being held at Arrowhead Stadium. We’ll have some Cougar on Cougar violence today as the NAIA’s number 1 SXU COUGARS take it on the road to battle the 2nd ranked SFU (IN) COUGARS in one of those glorious but rare “1 vs 2” regular season battles. In fact in the NAIA there hasn’t been a regular season matchup with the top 2 teams since 1999.

Meanwhile,  coming off a bye week, D3’s top-ranked defending champs, the WHITEWATER WARHAWKS, host their conference rivals the PLATTEVILLE PIONEERS.  Someone’s “0” will definitely go today as the NAVARRO COLLEGE BULLDOGS, the number 1 team in NJCAA football, travel to take on the 2nd ranked BLINN COLLEGE BUCCANEERS. Both teams come in to this crucial matchup at 4-0 on the season. That’s right, we have no less than TWO games today pitting the first and second ranked teams in their division against each other! The SCFA’s new number 1 team, the SADDLEBACK GAUCHOS host the CERRITOS FALCONS in a late west coast game.

THE ONE VS TWO ARMAGEDDON IN THE NAIA TODAY KICKS OFF AT NOON EDT. DON’T MISS THE BIGGEST BATTLE BETWEEN COUGARS SINCE THE JOAN COLLINS VS LINDA EVANS CATFIGHTS!

And now, links to updating scoreboards for the divisions of college football covered by Balladeer’s Blog:

NAIA – http://www.victorysportsnetwork.com/sport/0/14.php

D3 – http://d3football.com/scoreboard/composite

D2 –  http://www.d2football.com/scores/

NJCAA – http://www.njcaa.org/sports_schedules.cfm?category=Schedules%2FScores&sid=11&divid=0&slid=5

SCFA – http://www.scfafootball.com/statistics/scoreboard.html

NCFA – http://www.cccaasports.org/football/men/

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September 27, 2011 · 9:58 pm

COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP 25 POLLS FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27TH

Well, the new polls are out for the divisions of college football that Balladeer’s Blog covers. I’ll have the entire Top 25 lists in a moment, but first, since this is the last poll for September let’s take a closer look at our number 1 teams at present.

NAIA – The unanimous number 1 team continues to be the Saint Xavier University Cougars. Coach Mike Feminis, AKA Coach Fem, knows football even better than he knows B-Movies, all of which makes him one of my favorite coaches in college sports. This past weekend the Cougars completely dismantled the Trinity International Trojans by a score of 49-14. The Menlo Oaks, making a name for themselves this year by consistently defeating NCAA Division 3 teams, make their first appearance in the 2011 Top 25, as do the Evangel Crusaders and the VCS Vikings.

NCAA DIVISION 3 – The Whitewater Warhawks  maintain their stranglehold on the top spot, with the Mt Union Purple Raiders naturally right behind them at number 2. For newbies to D3 football, the Warhawks and Purple Raiders are the Yankees and Red Sox of the sport and have played each other in the D3 national championship game for the past 6 years in a row. Each team has won 3 during that run. Will it be “Purple Bowl VII” this December 16th, or will another team manage to rise up in the playoffs and actually beat one of these two powerhouses?  

NCAA DIVISION 2 – The Northwest Missouri Bearcats, after a cruel and heart- breaking offseason, are getting it done on the field and are number 1 for the 2nd week in a row. This week the Bearcats prepare for the Fall Classic against the Pittsburg (KS) State Gorillas coming up on Saturday. At 2, 3 and 5 in Division 2 are 3/5’s of the pitifully few remaining teams in the Gulf South Conference, formerly the SEC of D2 football. In second place  are Terry Bowden’s North Alabama Lions, in the 3 spot are the Lions’ GSC rivals, the Delta State Statesemen and the VSU Blazers are at number 5.

NJCAA – The Navarro College Bulldogs, the defending champions of NJCAA football, retain the top spot. The ‘dogs from Corsicana, TX have rarely been challenged so far this season outside of opening night, when they needed overtime to win the rematch with the Butler (KS) Grizzlies, the team they defeated for the title on December 5th. The Blinn College Buccaneers, where Cam Newton played college ball before transferring to Auburn, clung to the 2 spot, with the Arizona Western College Matadors and the Iowa Western Reivers hanging around the Top 5.

SCFA – The Saddleback Gauchos are the new number 1 in the SCFA poll, after the former number one, and the defending champs, the Mt San Antonio College Mounties, were upset by the Riverside Tigers on Saturday. The 4th place Tigers garnered 2 number 1 votes after bringing down Mt SAC and 3 more went to the 2nd place team, the El Camino Warriors. The Mounties themselves fell to number 5, just behind the team that unseated them, and coming in at the 3 spot are the Fullerton Hornets. Mt SAC is the only team in the Top 5 with a Continue reading →

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September 25, 2011 · 3:26 pm

NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM SEPTEMBER 24TH

 A MILESTONE FOR SIOUX FALLS – The UNIVERSITY OF SIOUX FALLS COUGARS won their first gridiron victory since leaving the NAIA for D2 after last season. Yesterday they logged a road win over the MINOT STATE BEAVERS, themselves recently moved over to D2 from the NAIA. The final score in this game that will live on in USF history was 38-23.

THE WALSH CAVALIERS RULE THE WORLD – The NAIA’s WALSH CAVALIERS took it on the road yesterday and brought down D2’s URBANA BLUE KNIGHTS in a very memorable 22-20 gridiron epic.  

NUMBER ONE TAKES A FALL – The SCFA’s top-ranked team, the MT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE MOUNTIES, who are also the defending champs in that division, fell from the ranks of the unbeaten following a 29-26 loss to the RIVERSIDE TIGERS.

STAGG BOWL IS READY FOR PRIME TIME – It may not be a game result from yesterday, but it’s a significant development in NCAA Division 3 football. The D3 championship game, better known as the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, is moving from Saturday to Friday night. This year the game will be played at 7 pm ET on December 16th. This marks the first prime time airing of the Stagg Bowl since 2001.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – The 11th ranked MORNINGSIDE MUSTANGS, still smarting from being toppled from the 3 spot last week after being upset at home by the NEBRASKA WESLEYAN PRAIRIE WOLVES, took down the 9th ranked MIDLAND WARRIORS. The Mustangs earned this bounce back win on the road in a 28-27 Instant Classic that spoiled Midland’s Homecoming … The unranked BETHEL (TN) WILDCATS defeated the 15th ranked CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS in their own house by a tight score of 35-28 … At number 17, the ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLING BEARS suffered their 2nd loss of the season at the hands of the unranked road warriors, the MONTANA STATE- NORTHERN LIGHTS in a 35-32 game for the ages.  

TOP 25 UPSETS – D3 – Just one week after needing overtime to polish off the OTTERBEIN CARDINALS, the 9th ranked OHIO NORTHERN POLAR BEARS struggled against another unranked team, the MUSKINGUM  MUSKIES. The Muskies wound up Continue reading →

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September 24, 2011 · 2:30 pm

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCOREBOARDS FOR SEPTEMBER 24TH

 Of the Top 6 teams in each of the divisions Balladeer’s Blog covers, D3’s 4th ranked MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS, better known as “The Cru”, face the biggest challenge today. They will be on the road against American Southwest Conference rival the HARDIN-SIMMONS COWBOYS, who are ranked 21st, are smarting from an unexpected loss last week and who would love nothing more than to hand the Cru (helmet at left) their first loss of the season. Of the winless teams looking for their first victory today the NAIA’s NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE RANGERS have the easiest game today, taking on the ever-hapless TEXAS COLLEGE STEERS. The NEBRASKA WESLEYAN PRAIRIE WOLVES, who had the upset of the week last Saturday, will be making a home stand against fellow NAIA (and Great Plains Athletic Conference) team, the number 21 DOANE TIGERS.  And now, links to updating scoreboards in the divisions Balladeer’s Blog covers: 

NAIA – http://www.victorysportsnetwork.com/sport/0/14.php

D3 – http://d3football.com/scoreboard/composite

D2 –  http://www.d2football.com/scores/

NJCAA – http://www.njcaa.org/sports_schedules.cfm?category=Schedules%2FScores&sid=11&divid=0&slid=5

SCFA – http://www.scfafootball.com/statistics/scoreboard.html

NCFA – http://www.cccaasports.org/football/men/

  

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September 20, 2011 · 10:27 pm

COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP 25: WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 19TH

 The Saint Xavier Cougars and Coach Fem maintain their number one ranking in the NAIA poll and there’s a new number one in D2. In fact, three of D2’s Top 5 lost over the weekend and no less than 23 teams in the NAIA Top 25 shifted positions! The top two in the NAIA were the only teams who did not change. The Marian Knights continue to make me look like a gridiron Nostradamus by moving up to number three, the highest football ranking in their institution’s history. Meanwhile, the William Penn Statesmen are just DARING people to try leaving them out of the playoffs this year, rising to the five spot. All this and the Saint Ambrose University Fighting Bees cracked the NAIA Top 25 themselves! And now, let’s look at the Top 6 in each of the divisions Balladeer’s Blog covers:

NAIA –   1. SXU COUGARS … 2. ST FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS … 3. MARIAN KNIGHTS … 4. CC FIGHTING SAINTS … 5. WILLIAM PENN UNIVERSITY STATESMEN … 6. MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE VIKINGS

D3 –   1. WHITEWATER WARHAWKS (defending D3 champs) … 2. MT UNION PURPLE RAIDERS (Warhawks and Purple Raiders have played each other in the last six D3 championship games IN A ROW) … 3. ST THOMAS  TOMMIES … 4. MHBU CRUSADERS … 5. BETHEL (MN) ROYALS … 6. LINFIELD WILDCATS

D2 –   1. NORTHWEST MISSOURI BEARCATS … 2. NORTH ALABAMA LIONS … 3. DELTA STATE STATESMEN … 4. SHEPHERD RAMS … 5. VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS … 6. BLOOMSBURG HUSKIES

NJCAA –   1. NAVARRO COLLEGE BULLDOGS (defending champions) … 2. BLINN BUCCANEERS … 3.  ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE MATADORS … 4. EAST MS LIONS … 5. IOWA WESTERN REIVERS … 6. SNOW COLLEGE BADGERS

SCFA –   1. MT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE MOUNTIES (defending champions)  … 2. SADDLEBACK GAUCHOS … Continue reading →

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