HEADLINES
DRAGONS R BALL Z – The VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY OF LYNCHBURG DRAGONS out of the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) took on an opponent a Division higher yesterday. They traveled to face NCAA Division TWO’s FORT VALLEY STATE WILDCATS and seized a quick 10-0 1st Quarter lead. That remained unchanged by the Half, following which the Dragons outscored the Wildcats 21-14 to win the game 31-14.
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER ONE – The NAIA’s 6th ranked MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS visited the number 1 team in the nation – the Defending Champion UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS COUGARS. The Knights trailed 14-13 at Halftime but went on top of the Cougars 27-21 to end the 3rd Quarter. From there Marian University dominated the 4th for a 37-28 Upset victory.
NUMBER TWO TAKES A FALL – Meanwhile, over in NCAA Division Two, the CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA VULCANS (as in the Roman god Vulcan) played host to the country’s 2nd ranked INDIANA UNIVERSITY IN PENNSYLVANIA CRIMSON HAWKS. The Vulcans were chasing the Crimson Hawks 14-7 in the 1st Quarter and 14-10 at the Half. From there Cal (PA) outscored IUP 26-10 to win it 36-24. Continue reading
The URBANA UNIVERSITY BLUE KNIGHTS travel to face the UNIVERSITY OF CHARLESTON GOLDEN EAGLES ### And in another 7pm ET kickoff the MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY MARAUDERS host the EAST STROUDSBURG WARRIORS. 
DIVISION TWO OVER DIVISION ONE – NCAA Division Two’s TRUMAN STATE BULLDOGS traveled to take on Division ONE’s VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS. Though the Bulldogs trailed the Crusaders 7-6 at Halftime by the end of the 3rd Quarter they were on top 17-10. From there Truman State consummated the Upset with a 34-20 triumph. 
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER TWO – Also in D2, the UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA BRONCHOS (sic) hosted the number 2 team in the nation – the NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS. A 7-0 1st Quarter lead for the Bronchos became 14-3 at the Half. The 4th Quarter opened with UCO holding a 28-3 advantage before winning the game 31-21. 
NUMBER THREE FALLS ON THE SAME DAY – Staying in D2 for the moment, yesterday also saw the 23rd ranked COLORADO STATE AT PUEBLO THUNDER WOLVES visiting the number 3 TEXAS A&M AT COMMERCE LIONS. The defending National Champion Lions led 10-6 by the midpoint of the game but the Thunder Wolves went up 16-10 in the 3rd Quarter. In the 4th CSU-Pueblo outscored the champs 7-3 for a 23-13 victory. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER EIGHT – Over in the NAIA the ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY (IL) EAGLES welcomed the number 8 team in the country – the CONCORDIA (MI) CARDINALS. This game was a defensive epic which went scoreless until the 3rd Quarter when the Eagles notched 7 points. That wound up being all the scoring for the entire game as RMU-Illinois toppled the Cardinals by a baseball score of 7-0. 
NAIA OVER NCAA DIVISION TWO … YET AGAIN – Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog know that NAIA football teams often upset higher division teams in NCAA Division Two. Yesterday the NAIA’s UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS found themselves on the road against D2’s QUINCY UNIVERSITY HAWKS. The Fighting Saints notched an authoritative 41-26 upset win. 
D3 OVER D2 – An NCAA Division Three team borrowed a page from the NAIA yesterday by upsetting a D2 team. The 15th ranked UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT OSHKOSH TITANS traveled to face the Division Two team called the LINCOLN (MO) BLUE TIGERS. A 7-7 Halftime tie wound up as a 17-7 victory for the Titans. 
NUMBER EIGHT TAKES A FALL – In NCAA Division Two the VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS visited the number 8 team in the nation – the UNIVERSITY OF WEST ALABAMA TIGERS. The Blazers put the Tigers on Upset Alert by Halftime with a 35-14 lead, then after the break they coasted to a 58-24 triumph. 
… AND NUMBER NINE CAME TUMBLING AFTER – Also in D2 the COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES OREDIGGERS welcomed the country’s 9th ranked COLORADO STATE AT PUEBLO THUNDER WOLVES. A 21-14 1st Quarter advantage for the Orediggers remained unchanged at the Half. From there Colorado School of Mines outscored the Thunder Wolves 14-7 to win the game 35-21. 
NAIA CONQUERS NCAA D2 YET AGAIN – Like 1aa teams upsetting 1a teams each week usually brings at least one NAIA football team toppling a team from the NCAA’s Division Two. Yesterday the MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS visited D2’s TRUMAN STATE BULLDOGS and more than doubled-up on the higher division team by a final score of 35-17. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER THREE – Meanwhile NCAA Division Two’s 7th ranked MIDWESTERN STATE MUSTANGS hosted the number 3 team in the nation – the UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA ARGONAUTS. Another Mustangs team delivered a nationwide shock-wave as Midwestern State proceeded to crush the Argonauts to the tune of 38-17. 
WHAT, YOU COULDN’T SCORE ONE HUNDRED? – In the NJCAA the DODGE CITY COLLEGE CONQUISTADORS took the field against the visiting GORDON’S SPORTS ACADEMY ARTISTS. The Conquistadors were apparently playing basketball while their opponents played soccer. Dodge City College utterly mutilated Gordon’s NINETY-THREE to NOTHING! 
NUMBER SIX TAKES A FALL – Every year Balladeer’s Blog covers the intense gridiron rivalry between the NAIA and NCAA Division Three. Yesterday the NAIA’s UN-ranked CARROLL (MT) COLLEGE FIGHTING SAINTS welcomed D3’s number 6 LINFIELD COLLEGE WILDCATS. The Fighting Saints led 7-0 at the break, then followed through with a 21-14 triumph. 
NUMBER EIGHT TAKES A FALL – The MISSOURI WESTERN STATE GRIFFONS welcomed the number 8 team in the nation – the FORT HAYS STATE TIGERS. The Griffons grabbed a 7-0 1st Quarter lead but by Halftime the Tigers had knotted things up at 7-7. After the break Missouri Western State outscored Fort Hays State 16-7 for a 23-13 Upset victory. 
RANKED TEAMS ROLLING – The (4) INDIANA UNIVERSITY-PENNSYLVANIA CRIMSON HAWKS tore apart the visiting MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY MARAUDERS 41-7 ### Meanwhile the (5) NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS notched a 38-17 road rout of the WASHBURN UNIVERSITY ICHABODS ### And the (10) UNIVERSITY OF WEST ALABAMA TIGERS defeated the MILES COLLEGE GOLDEN BEARS in a 37-21 affair. 
“GORILLA” WARFARE – The 17th ranked PITTSBURG (KS) STATE GORILLAS traveled to face the EMPORIA STATE HORNETS last night. The Gorillas trailed the Hornets 7-3 in the 1st Quarter and 13-10 at the break. After tying things up 13-13 to end the 3rd Quarter Pitt State exploded in the 4th for a 34-13 triumph. 
YET ANOTHER NAIA TEAM DEFEATS AN NCAA D2 TEAM – The NAIA’s CONCORDIA (MI) CARDINALS took it on the road to face the NCAA Division Two team the MALONE UNIVERSITY PIONEERS. The higher division Pioneers were at home, too, but none of that mattered as the Cardinals showed Malone how football is played in the NAIA. Concordia won the game 42-27. 
DIVISION TWO OVER DIVISION ONE – NCAA Division Two’s MOREHOUSE COLLEGE MAROON TIGERS likewise played at a higher division team yesterday. In this case the Maroon Tigers traveled to face NCAA Division One’s UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF GOLDEN LIONS. By Halftime Morehouse had the Golden Lions on Upset Alert with a 28-20 lead and followed through with a 34-30 victory. 
NUMBER FIVE GOES DOWN – In the NJCAA the HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS were on the road against the number 5 team in the nation – the INDEPENDENCE COLLEGE PIRATES. A 14-7 Blue Dragons lead in the opening Quarter turned into a 37-7 advantage at the break and ultimately a 37-27 win for Hutchinson College. 
USCAA OVER NCAA – The NEWPORT NEWS APPRENTICE SCHOOL BUILDERS (formerly the Shipbuilders) from the USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association) visited the NCAA Division Three GREENSBORO COLLEGE PRIDE. The Builders converted a 7-0 1st Quarter lead into a 26-6 Halftime advantage. From there NNAS coasted to a 34-13 triumph. 
ANOTHER NAIA TRIUMPH OVER NCAA D2 – The UNIVERSITY OF PIKEVILLE BEARS are the latest NAIA team to defeat an NCAA Division Two team. (For newbies that’s like when a 1AA team upsets a 1A team) Their opponents were D2’s LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE BLUE BEARS, for a sort of “Bear Necessities Bowl.” The University of Pikeville utterly destroyed visiting Livingstone College by a score of FIFTY-TWO to TWENTY-THREE! 
NUMBER TEN GOES DOWN – NCAA Division Two’s number 10 team in the nation – the UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS GREYHOUNDS – took it on the road last night against the 14th ranked GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS. The Lakers were clearly feeling their dynastic past as they dominated on both sides of the ball while clobbering the Greyhounds 30-7. 
The number 4 team in the nation – the INDIANA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA CRIMSON HAWKS – will be on the road against the 16th ranked ASHLAND UNIVERSITY EAGLES. 
The 19th ranked UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI MULES travel to take on the number 9 FORT HAYS STATE TIGERS in a sure gridiron bloodbath. 
RANKINGS: 1. TEXAS A&M AT COMMERCE LIONS (Defending National Champions) ### 2. UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA ARGONAUTS ### 3. INDIANA UNIVERSITY – PENNSYLVANIA CRIMSON HAWKS ### 4. MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS ### 5. FORT HAYS STATE TIGERS ### 
6. NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS ### 7. FERRIS STATE BULLDOGS ### 8. UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS GREYHOUNDS ### 9. GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS ### 10. HARDING UNIVERSITY BISON ### 
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