Category Archives: college football

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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September 18, 2011 · 3:08 pm

NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM SEPTEMBER 17TH

THE PRAIRIE WOLVES STUN THE MUSTANGS – The NEBRASKA  WESLEYAN  PRAIRIE WOLVES seemed to be gaining momentum at the end of last season, but almost nobody expected them to do what they did yesterday. The plucky Prairie Wolves (love that name) shocked the NAIA football world by defeating the 3rd ranked MORNINGSIDE  MUSTANGS in their own house 30-23. NWU trailed 13-3 at the end of the 1st Quarter and it looked like Morningside was going to live up to the assumption that they would own the Great Plains Athletic Conference now that the SIOUX FALLS COUGARS have moved on to D2. But the Prairie Wolves borrowed Lee Corso’s saying “Not so fast, my friend” and refused to give up. By halftime they led 16-13, leaving the home crowd very, very silent. The 3rd quarter ended with the score tied at 23 apiece and  NWU scored the lone touchdown of the 4th quarter to steal the win. Look out, Li’l Red, the Prairie Wolves are the REAL kings of Lincoln, NE.   

THE SIENA HEIGHTS SAINTS RULE THE WORLD – This is the type of headline I use whenever a team defeats an opponent from a higher division. The NAIA’s SIENNA HEIGHTS SAINTS, still new to intercollegiate football, played giant-killer on the road yesterday by  toppling Continue reading →

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September 17, 2011 · 4:51 am

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCOREBOARDS FOR SEPTEMBER 17TH

 Well, the NAIA’s St Xavier Cougars will be defending their number one ranking today against the ever- tough Walsh Cavaliers. The 2nd ranked St Francis (IN) Cougars will host the McKendree Bearcats, who are still on their mission to return to their days of gridiron glory. At number 3, the Morningside  Mustangs are expected to have an easier time against the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves, who ended last season with a bit of a resurgence, but will it give NWU enough to topple the 3rd ranked team in the country in their own stadium? The 13th ranked Southern Nazarene University Crimson Storm haven’t gotten as much love as they deserve so far this season, so I’ll point out that they are 2-0 and host the Friends Falcons today. Naturally I’ll have my usual Sunday look at noteworthy results from today’s games, but in the meantime here are links to updating scoreboards for the divisions Balladeer’s Blog covers:

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

D3 – Continue reading →

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September 13, 2011 · 8:30 pm

COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLLS: SEPTEMBER 13TH

 Congratulations to Coach Mike Feminis and his Saint Xavier University Cougars (logo at left) who are now ranked number 1 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll. This is the first time in school history that the SXU football team is first in the nation and two teams called Fighting Saints played a role in this milestone. The CC Fighting Saints, the previous number 1, were upset by the unranked Eastern Oregon Mountaineers on Saturday (see my usual Sunday look at Noteworthy College Football Results) and the Cougars themselves defeated the other Fighting Saints team, St Francis (IL) (not to be confused with St Francis, Indiana, whose teams are called Cougars just like SXU)  Just be glad the University of Sioux Falls moved up to D2 after last season or all of the Top 3 teams would be called Cougars. Speaking of USF, the Morningside Mustangs no doubt don’t miss them at ALL as they are at number 3 and hoping to win their first Great Plains Athletic Conference title in years. The 4th ranked Marian Knights continue to prove that last season was no fluke AND that I was 100% right in my prediction last year that they Continue reading →

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September 11, 2011 · 2:59 pm

NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM SEPTEMBER 10TH

THE MCMURRY WAR HAWKS RULE THE WORLD – NCAA Division 3’s MCMURRY WAR HAWKS defeated a team from two divisions higher yesterday, toppling 1AA’s UT-SAN ANTONIO ROADRUNNERS in a 24-21 Instant Classic. Now, it’s true that the Roadrunners are in their very first year of intercollegiate football, but they are still Division 1 with all the advantages that implies in the way of facilities and recruiting.  

THE LANGSTON LIONS ALSO RULE THE WORLD … AGAIN – For the second week in a row the LANGSTON LIONS, from the NAIA, have taken down an upper division team. As with McMurry, they took down a 1AA team but did it in a rout. Langston (insert my usual joke that they should change their name to the Langston Hugheses here) handily defeated the TUSKEGEE GOLDEN TIGERS by a score of 33-19.  

EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD – For the first time this season we have three teams from the divisions Balladeer’s Blog covers playing giant-killer and defeating a team from a higher division. Add the NAIA’s PIKEVILLE BEARS to the mix. The Bears won a Continue reading →

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