With the 2017 college football season kicking off this Thursday in the divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog it’s time for another of my Preseason Top 20 lists.
1. UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR CRUSADERS (Defending National Champions) ### 2. UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT UNION PURPLE RAIDERS ### 3. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT OSHKOSH TITANS ### 4. NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE CARDINALS ### 5. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT WHITEWATER WARHAWKS ###
6. UNIVERSITY OF SAINT THOMAS TOMMIES ### 7. LINFIELD COLLEGE WILDCATS ### 8. JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY BLUE STREAKS ### 9. COE COLLEGE KOHAWKS ### 10. ALFRED UNIVERSITY SAXONS ### Continue reading
The 15th ranked DICKINSON STATE BLUE HAWKS will host their Frontier Conference rivals the ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLIN’ BEARS. 
The EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS take it on the road against the number 9 team in the nation – the GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS. 
The WARNER UNIVERSITY ROYALS will likewise play Road Warriors as they travel to take on the UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS. 
Meanwhile THE AG BOWL will pit the number 17 DAKOTA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY TIGERS against the DAKOTA STATE TROJANS in a North Star Athletic Association matchup. 
And the UNIVERSITY OF PIKEVILLE BEARS will be on the road to take on their familiar foes the CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY TIGERS. 
The Defending Champions – the GARDEN CITY COLLEGE BRONCBUSTERS – open the season hosting the ELLSWORTH COLLEGE PANTHERS. 
The HIGHLAND COLLEGE SCOTTIES, meanwhile, will travel to face the DODGE CITY COLLEGE CONQUISTADORS to begin their 2017 campaign. 
The NAIA’s LAWRENCE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY BLUE DEVILS – after a seven decade hiatus – will be fielding a football team! 
Ragnar the Dog is a nut for college football!
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) 1. MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS ### 2. BAKER UNIVERSITY WILDCATS 3. UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS (Defending National Champions) ### 4. REINHARDT UNIVERSITY EAGLES (Should be the Rottweilers) ### 5. EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEERS ### 
6. ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM ### 7. LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS ### 8. MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS ### 9. MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS ### 10. DOANE COLLEGE TIGERS ### 
NEW YORK JETS 
GREEN BAY PACKERS 
ARIZONA CARDINALS 
Balladeer’s Bowl always pits the NAIA football champs against the NCAA D3 football champs. The results are in, and for the VERY FIRST TIME the Champions of NCAA D3 – this year the UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR CRUSADERS – defeated the Champions of the NAIA – this year the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS. 
The UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR CRUSADERS are the NCAA Division Three champs for 2016, and the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS are the champs of the NAIA. 
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) 
NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) 
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The two winningest programs in D2 football history – the NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS and the UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA LIONS – faced each other in yesterday’s title tilt. Amid ample snowfall neither team scored in the 1st Quarter but the Bearcats – the defending champs – managed a 7-3 lead by Halftime. 
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The FULLERTON COLLEGE HORNETS and the AMERICAN RIVER COLLEGE BEAVERS played each other for the CCCAA title. The Beavers managed a 3-0 lead to end the 1st Quarter but by Halftime the Hornets held a 14-13 edge. After the break it seemed Fullerton College was putting it out of reach as they compiled a 29-13 lead but American River College came back to within 29-21 to end the 3rd Quarter. In the 4th a missed 2-point conversion by the Beavers gave the Hornets a 29-27 win and the 2016 title. 
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. 
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