THE LANGSTON LIONS RULE THE WORLD – Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog are familiar with the way each week in college football season brings at LEAST one NAIA team upsetting a team from NCAA Division 2. For newbies to these divisions this is like when a 1AA (FCS) team upsets a 1A (FBS) team. The NAIA’s Lions took it on the road and brought down D2’s PANHANDLE STATE AGGIES 27-20. This is Langston’s 2nd such upset this season after several in 2011, too.
Honorable mention goes to the CONCORDIA (AL) HORNETS who earlier this year toppled both a D2 team and a DIVISION ONE team. Yesterday the Hornets fell short in a 28-26 road loss to D2’s STILLMAN TIGERS.
NUMBER THREE TAKES A FALL – The 3rd ranked team in NCAA Division 2, the storied NORTHWEST MISSOURI BEARCATS, were hosting the number 9 MISSOURI WESTERN GRIFFONS (helmet at left) in a game that ensured the winner would take this year’s conference title in the MidAmerica Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The Griffons rose up against their rivals and emerged with a 21-20 victory in this undeniable Instant Classic.
TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – The number 12 team in the rankings, the SOUTHERN OREGON RAIDERS (helmet at left), won a homestand against the 7th ranked MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS and ended their stellar 2012 regular season with a 46-28 loss. This win earned the Raiders a share of the Frontier Conference title. ### … And at number 15 the WILLIAM PENN UNIVERSITY STATESMEN tried to make up for last week’s disappointment by upsetting the visiting 9th ranked GRAND VIEW VIKINGS in a 17-12 nailbiter. Balladeer’s Blog will cover how this affects the NAIA playoff seedings later on.
TOP 25 UPSETS – NCAA DIVISION 2 – The INDIANA UNIVERSITY- PENNSYLVANIA CRIMSON HAWKS were in the unlucky number 13 spot in the rankings but toppled the visiting number 10 team, the SHIPPENSBURG RED RAIDERS, in a 41-10 drubbing. ### … And the unranked SAGINAW VALLEY CARDINALS held serve to bring down the 17th ranked GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY LAKERS in a 55-52 shootout for the ages.
TOP 25 UPSETS – NCAA DIVISION 3 – The WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON PRESIDENTS (helmet at left) invaded the home of the number 18 WAYNESBURG YELLOW JACKETS and handed them a 31-14 veto. ### … And the ADRIAN BULLDOGS likewise played road warriors, eking out a 17-16 victory over the 17th ranked HUNTINGDON HAWKS. ### The (13) HEIDELBERG STUDENT PRINCES had a close call but held on at home to win a 35-34 contest with the Continue reading →
OH, GIVE ME A HOME WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM … – Last night the WEST TEXAS A&M BUFFALOES hosted the CHADRON STATE COLLEGE EAGLES in one of the best games of the night. This Lone Star Conference versus Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference clash was a thrilling back and forth affair but when all was said and done the Buffaloes came out on top by a final score of 34-31. 
LIONS, HAWKS AND A LIGHTNING DELAY – The MARS HILL COLLEGE LIONS traveled to Georgia to take on the SHORTER UNIVERSITY HAWKS in a game that suffered a lightning delay for more than an hour. The Hawks saw a 23-14 halftime lead evaporate in the 2nd half as the Lions retained their composure and stormed ahead for a 41-30 triumph. Things don’t get any easier for the 0-2 Hawks – their next opponents are D2’s defending champions, the VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS. 
STUNG BY THE HORNETS – The EMPORIA STATE UNIVERSITY HORNETS welcomed the UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA- KEARNEY LOPERS last night. The Hornets struck swiftly, getting off to a very early lead and reducing the Lopers to endlessly playing catch-up for the Continue reading 
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