HEADLINES
NAIA OVER NCAA DIVISION ONE – The NAIA’s TAYLOR UNIVERSITY TROJANS once again played giant-slayer, this time on the road against NCAA Division One’s BUTLER UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS. The Trojans quieted the home crowd with a 7-0 1st Quarter lead that became a 14-7 advantage by Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with Taylor University on top 17-7 before the Trojans held on for a 17-14 Upset win.
NAIA OVER NCAA DIVISION TWO – The NAIA’s ALLEN UNIVERSITY YELLOW JACKETS hosted NCAA D2’s CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY PANTHERS yesterday. The Yellow Jackets led 7-3 in the 1st Quarter but the Panthers went up 10-7 by the break. From there Allen University shut out Clark Atlanta while taking a 13-10 3rd Quarter edge and sealing the Upset 16-10 in the 4th.
NUMBER SEVEN TAKEN DOWN – Meanwhile, down in NCAA Division Three, the SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY RIVER HAWKS traveled to take on the number 7 team in the nation – the JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY BLUEJAYS. A deadlocked 7-7 opening Quarter turned into a 21-7 Bluejays lead at the Half. Neither team scored in the 3rd Quarter but the River Hawks exploded in the 4th for 21 points to win it 28-27. Continue reading
OTTAWA (AZ) OFFS D2 – The NAIA’s OTTAWA UNIVERSITY (AZ) SPIRIT took on the visiting NCAA Division Two team the WESTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY MUSTANGS. The already storied Spirit added to their fame with a 38-31 triumph over the upper division team. For newbies this is like a 1AA team defeating a 1A team. 
CARDINALS PLAY GIANT SLAYER, TOO – Another NAIA team – the (6) CONCORDIA (MI) CARDINALS – paid a visit to the NCAA Division Two team the KENTUCKY WESLEYAN COLLEGE PANTHERS. The Cardinals took care of business, knocking off the D2 Panthers in a 17-14 game for the ages.
WESLEY TOPPLES FPU – In NCAA Division Three the WESLEY COLLEGE WOLVERINES traveled to take on the Division Two team the FRANKLIN PIERCE UNIVERSITY RAVENS. The Ravens were playing in their first ever intercollegiate football game and it showed. The Wolverines tore them apart SIXTY-NINE to NOTHING! 
DOWN GOES NUMBER EIGHT – In NCAA Division Two the UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI MULES traveled to take on the number 8 team in the nation – the FORT HAYS STATE TIGERS. The Mules were chasing the Tigers 10-0 in the 1st Quarter and 16-7 at Halftime. Central Missouri pulled to within 23-21 to end the 3rd Quarter then overtook Fort Hays State in the 4th for a 34-30 triumph.
CLOSE CALLS FOR NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER FOUR – Also in Division Two the 2nd ranked FERRIS STATE BULLDOGS got almost more than they could handle from the visiting UNIVERSITY OF FINDLAY OILERS in a 24-23 thriller ### And the 4th ranked OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY TIGERS barely survived a 16-14 visit from the number 16 HARDING UNIVERSITY BISON. 
WHEN RANKED TEAMS CLASH – Down in Division Three the number 6 team in the nation – the JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY BLUE JAYS – took it on the road against the 24th ranked RANDOLPH MACON COLLEGE YELLOW JACKETS. A 7-3 Halftime edge for the Blue Jays became a 10-6 score in the 3rd Quarter and ultimately a 17-12 victory. 
NCAA Division Three – 1. UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT UNION PURPLE RAIDERS ### 2. UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR CRUSADERS (Defending Champions) ### 3. JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY BLUE JAYS ### 4. SAINT JOHN’S UNIVERSITY JOHNNIES ### 5. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT WHITEWATER WARHAWKS ### 
6. UNIVERSITY OF SAINT THOMAS TOMMIES ### 7. MUHLENBERG UNIVERSITY MULES ### 8. BETHEL (MN) ROYALS ### 9. WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON COLLEGE PRESIDENTS ### 10. HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY COWBOYS ### 
The Maritime College football team and head coach 
The MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS are the NAIA Champions for 2018. 
Readers of Balladeer’s Blog get to vote on the winner over the next week, so NAIA and D3 boosters can begin their annual deluge of emails to me arguing for their choice. 
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) 
NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) 
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR CRUSADERS are threatening to become the fiercest rivals of the dynastic UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT UNION PURPLE RAIDERS since UW-Whitewater. Last night the two teams squared off yet again for the D3 crown. 
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS welcomed the NOTRE DAME COLLEGE FALCONS yesterday. The Blazers grabbed a 9-0 lead in the opening Quarter only to see the Falcons eke out a 10-9 edge by Halftime. Valdosta State exploded for a 30-17 advantage to end the 3rd Quarter, then held on from there for a 30-24 triumph. The Blazers showed once again why the Gulf Coast Conference is called “the SEC of D2 Football.” 
SECOND SEMIFINAL – In this game the BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS traveled to take on the KANSAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY COYOTES. Not only did this clash end in an Upset but it was an odd tale of two halves. By the break the Coyotes had come back from being down 13-0 in the opening Quarter to trailing the Ravens by a much tighter score of 20-14. 
