*** NCCAA ***
VICTORY BOWL – Each year the season-ending event in the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) is the Victory Bowl. This year’s edition pitted the CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY TIGERS against the SOUTHWESTERN ASSEMBLIES OF GOD UNIVERSITY LIONS. The Lions led this catfight 7-6 in the 1st Quarter and 21-19 at Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with the Tigers on top 32-21 before they went on to win it 41-28.
*** NAIA PLAYOFFS ***
UPSET IN BALDWIN CITY – The 11th seeded GEORGETOWN (KY) COLLEGE TIGERS visited the 6 seeds – the BAKER UNIVERSITY WILDCATS – in this First Round clash. A 14-13 1st Quarter lead for the Tigers became a 26-20 Wildcats edge by the Half. The 4th Quarter started with Georgetown College back on top 34-33, and a Safety gave them a 36-33 victory.
TOP SEEDS IN A THRILLER – The top seeds – the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS – welcomed the 16th seeded BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS. After a lengthy lightning delay the Alpha and Omega of this year’s NAIA playoffs finally squared off. The Ravens gave the Cougars almost more than they could handle, but in the end the University of Saint Francis moved on to the Second Round with a 26-21 win.
TEN OVER SEVEN – Yes, it seems that no matter what the sport, 10 seed over 7 seed upsets are virtually a postseason tradition. In this particular game the 10th seeded NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS faced the 7 seeds – the LANGSTON UNIVERSITY LIONS. The Red Raiders proceeded to shock, then obliterate their hosts to the tune of FIFTY-FIVE to SEVEN! Continue reading
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER TWO – The NAVARRO COLLEGE BULLDOGS took it on the road against the undefeated 2nd ranked team in the nation – the TYLER COLLEGE APACHES. Navarro trailed the Apaches 14-0 in the 1st Quarter and 26-13 at Halftime. After the break the Bulldogs made their move, shutting out Tyler College the rest of the way while notching 7 points in the 3rd Quarter and 17 in the 4th. Navarro College pulled off the mammoth upset by a final count of 37-26. 
AND ANOTHER UPSET IN THE TOP TEN – The storied ASA COLLEGE AVENGERS welcomed the number 10 LACKAWANNA COLLEGE FALCONS. After a scoreless 1st Quarter the Avengers and the Falcons were tied up at 7-7 by the Half. An action-packed 3rd Quarter saw ASA College go on top 19-14 and a Safety in the 4th cemented a 21-14 win for the Avengers. 
NUMBER TWO TAKES A HARD FALL – The 6th ranked COLLEGE OF SAN MATEO BULLDOGS welcomed the number 2 team in the rankings – the BUTTE COLLEGE ROADRUNNERS. The Bulldogs were unimpressed, grabbing a 17-0 lead in the 1st Quarter and never looking back from there. In the end the College of San Mateo devastated the Roadrunners by a count of FIFTY-ONE to TWELVE! 
WHEN RANKED TEAMS CLASH – The number 5 SADDLEBACK COLLEGE GAUCHOS took the field against the 7th ranked EL CAMINO COLLEGE WARRIORS and defeated them in a 48-45 Instant Classic ### The (1) FULLERTON COLLEGE HORNETS beat perennial powers the (4) MOUNT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE MOUNTIES 49-23 ### And the (3) RIVERSIDE CITY COLLEGE TIGERS survived a 42-34 visit from the (12) VENTURA COLLEGE PIRATES. 
ROAD RENEGADES – The (15) BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE RENEGADES traveled to face the LOS ANGELES HARBOR COLLEGE SEAHAWKS in this game. The Renegades led 14-6 to end the 1st Quarter but that expanded to a massive 34-6 advantage by Halftime. Bakersfield College coasted from there, crushing the Seahawks by a final score of 47-6. 
NUMBER FOUR GETS SHOT DOWN – The storied CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO RAMS traveled to face the number 4 team in the rankings – the AMERICAN RIVER COLLEGE BEAVERS. A 20-6 1st Quarter lead for the Rams became 30-12 at Halftime and 30-26 in the 3rd Quarter. From there CCSF added 10 more points while shutting out the Beavers for a 40-26 wrapup. 
WHEN RANKED TEAMS CLASH – The 3rd ranked RIVERSIDE COLLEGE TIGERS found themselves on the road against the number 10 BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE RENEGADES. The Tigers put up 7 points in each of the 4 Quarters and led the Renegades 7-0 in the 1st Quarter, 14-6 at the Half and 21-13 in the 3rd. Bakersfield College nearly came back for a win but fell short as Riverside College won it 28-26. 
RUSTLING UP A BLOWOUT – The GOLDEN WEST COLLEGE RUSTLERS welcomed the CHAFFEY COLLEGE PANTHERS. The Rustlers kept the Panthers off the scoreboard until the 4th Quarter while producing 7, 13 and 7 more points in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Quarters respectively. The final tally in this lopsided game was Golden West College 27 Chaffey College 6. 
NUMBER TWO HAD A CLOSE CALL – After a blowout win to start the season the 2nd ranked AMERICAN RIVER COLLEGE BEAVERS barely survived this time around against the MODESTO COLLEGE PIRATES. The Beavers held a 20-14 lead at Halftime and a 34-28 edge to end the 3rd Quarter. The Pirates tied things up at 42-42 by the end of the 4th Quarter. The first Overtime ended in a 49-49 tie with American River College emerging with a 55-49 victory in the 2nd OT. (* Thank you to C.O. for catching an error I made in this post. It is now corrected.) 
DONS ON THE ROAD – The SANTA ANA COLLEGE DONS (as in Old California Dons) traveled to face the CITRUS COLLEGE OWLS on Saturday. The 1st Quarter ended in a 7-7 tie but the Owls grabbed a 14-10 lead by the break. Neither team scored in the 3rd Quarter and in the 4th the Dons proceeded to notch a 17-14 come from behind win on the road. 
WE WENT TO A FOOTBALL GAME BUT A POLO MATCH BROKE OUT – This game pitted the COLLEGE OF THE REDWOODS CORSAIRS against the home-standing GAVILAN COLLEGE RAMS. Neither team scored in the opening Quarter and the score was knotted up at 6-6 at the Half. The 3rd Quarter ended with the Rams on top 9-6 but the 4th Quarter saw the Corsairs put up 8 points for a 14-9 Polo Score triumph. 
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS MAKE A STATEMENT – The top ranked Defending Champions of CCCAA Football – the FULLERTON COLLEGE HORNETS – came out of the gate like men possessed. The Hornets welcomed the SANTA ANA COLLEGE DONS and were less than gracious hosts. Fullerton College led 20-7 in the 1st Quarter and 42-14 by Halftime enroute to a SEVENTY-SEVEN to TWENTY-EIGHT blowout of the Dons. 
ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY RULES THE WORLD – Several times a year NAIA football teams manage upsets of teams from NCAA Division TWO! Yesterday saw multiple instances, too, like the ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM battling the Division 2 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY CLAN (as in Scottish Clan). The Firestorm won this Instant Classic by a final score of 34-28. 
TAYLOR UNIVERSITY TOPPLES D2 AS WELL – For newbies to these divisions these NAIA over NCAA Division 2 upsets are like when 1AA teams upset 1A teams. In this game the TAYLOR UNIVERSITY TROJANS did battle with D2’s MALONE UNIVERSITY PIONEERS. Spectators got more than their money’s worth in this matchup, too, which saw the Trojans emerge with a 28-21 victory. 
LANGSTON CRUSHES DIVISION TWO – The NAIA’s LANGSTON UNIVERSITY LIONS took on NCAA Division Two’s LINCOLN (MO) UNIVERSITY BLUE TIGERS in The LU Classic. The Lions dominated the Blue Tigers on both sides of the ball, defeating them 30-14 in their own house. REMEMBER: Any wins over D2 teams count as 2 wins each in my weekly NAIA vs NCAA Division Three tally. 
NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) 
SEMIFINAL ONE – This game pitted the NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS – the Defending Champions of D2 football – against the visiting FERRIS STATE BULLDOGS. The Bearcats led 21-13 at the break following which the two teams exchanged Touchdowns in the 3rd Quarter. Northwest Missouri State scored another TD in the 4th, making the score 35-20 and ending the scoring with just 4:45 left to play. The Bearcats return to the title game. 
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS TOPPLED – The 10th seeded EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEERS traveled to face the top seeded Defending National Champions of NAIA football – the MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS. After a scoreless 1st Quarter the Mountaineers put the Knights on upset alert with a 10-0 Halftime lead. Following the break Eastern Oregon consummated the upset by bringing down Marian U in a 17-0 shutout. 
