* NAIA CHAMPIONSHIP *
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE ROME FOR THE HOLIDAYS – Okay, this is the last year I’ll be able to use that lame title since next year the NAIA title game moves to Daytona, FL. The last NAIA Championship Game in Rome, GA was a clash between 2 undefeated teams – the GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS and the UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS. The game was Continue reading
Filed under college football
* FRIDAY NIGHT DEC 13th *
TEXARKANA BOWL – This Bowl game in NCAA Division 2 was postponed from last Saturday due to inclement weather. The game was far from worth the wait from a competitive angle as the HARDING UNIVERSITY BISON had their way with the TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE LIONS. The Bison, who hail from the Great American Conference crushed and mangled the Lions, who play in the Lone Star Conference. The final score in this thoroughly one-sided affair was Harding 44 TAMC 3.
* NCAA DIVISION 2 SEMIFINALS *
A TJAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCE IN MEMORY OF TJEERDSMA? – For the first time since the era of their legendary coach Mel Tjeerdsma the NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS are headed back to the D2 Championship Game, just in time for its final bow in Florence, AL. The Bearcats hosted the GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY LAKERS, another storied program and a frequent Championship Game opponent of Northwest Missouri State.
The Lakers led 6-0 after putting up 2 Field Goals but by the end of the 1st Quarter the Continue reading
Filed under college football
* NAIA SEMIFINALS *
EVERYBODY MUST GET STONEHOUSE – The top-seeded UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS proved exceptionally skilled at getting to Dakota Stonehouse, the Quarterback for the visiting CARROLL COLLEGE FIGHTING SAINTS. These two teams kept each other scoreless in the 1st Quarter but the Patriots were leading 13-3 as Halftime approached when the Fighting Saints made it 13-10 instead. CC – winners of 6 of the last 11 National Championships – racked up a 24-20 lead as the 3rd Quarter ended. A Touchdown by UC followed by a Field Goal by CC left the score knotted at 27-27. A crucial sack of Stonehouse when the Fighting Saints were moving into Field Goal range sent the game into Overtime. After the Patriots managed 7 points in the extra session it was Carroll College’s turn. Soon ANOTHER sack of Stonehouse ended CC’s hopes on 4th and goal! UC wins 34-27 and moves on to the title game on December 21st!
IN A BLOWOUT NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU YAWN – The GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS played host to the MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS in this much-anticipated game that turned into a laugher by Halftime. The Vikings led last year’s runners-up in NAIA football 7-0 after one Quarter of play but had parlayed that into a 28-0 lead by the break. The Mustangs never even sniffed the scoreboard throughout the 2nd Half but Grand View mustered another Touchdown to win a trip to Rome, GA for the Championship Game. The final score was 35-0, setting up a battle of unbeatens between the Patriots and the Vikings.
* NCAA DIVISION 2 QUARTERFINALS *
LIONS AND CLOSE GAMES AND BEARS – OH MY! – The LENOIR-RHYNE UNIVERSITY BEARS welcomed the UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA LIONS for what turned out to be D2’s closest game of the day. The Lions carried with them decades of postseason tradition as well as 2013’s last hope for the Gulf South Conference to retain the Championship. The Bears were unintimidated, however and went blow for blow with the team from Florence, emerging with a Continue reading
Filed under college football
* NAIA PLAYOFFS *
SAFETY LAST – A Safety wound up being the last points scored by the winning team in this Quarterfinal playoff game in the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics). The MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS were on the road against the BAKER UNIVERSITY WILDCATS but led 14-7 after 1 Quarter of play. At Halftime they led 28-21 and that remained the score as the 4th Quarter began. The Mustangs scored a Touchdown early in the 4th but botched the PAT, only to force the Wildcats into yielding a Safety later. Baker managed 7 points of their own to make the final score Mustangs 36 Wildcats 28.
DOUBLING UP – The UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS welcomed the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS for this Quarterfinal clash. The Patriots were in control from the very beginning of this game, leading 7-0 at the end of the 1st Quarter and 21-7 at the Half. In the 3rd Quarter Cumberlands hung 7 more points on Saint Francis, making it a 28-7 game. With the outcome all but decided the Cougars mustered a Touchdown of their own in the 4th Quarter but it was Continue reading
Filed under college football
* FRIDAY NIGHT *
CARRIER DOME BOWL – Friday night November 22nd saw the first Bowl Game of 2013. The ASA COLLEGE AVENGERS took on the COLLEGE OF DUPAGE CHAPARRALS in a duel of cool-named teams. The Avengers led 7-0 early on and never looked back, winning easily 23-3. It’s impossible to over-praise the Avengers. This still-young college football program just played in its second Bowl game in a row and with this victory logged the first Bowl win in program history.
* NCCAA CHAMPIONSHIP *
VICTORY BOWL – The Victory Bowl is the National Championship game in the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association). Rome, GA was the site of this game yesterday. The AZUSA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY COUGARS played the defending champions, the GREENVILLE COLLEGE PANTHERS. Despite being the incumbents, the Panthers were very heavy underdogs against the Azusa Pacific juggernaut. The final score in this lopsided title clash was Cougars 67 Panthers 0. Congratulations to Azusa Pacific University!
* NAIA PLAYOFFS *
BATTLE OF THE BIRDS – The TABOR COLLEGE BLUE JAYS traveled to take on the BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS as the playoffs kicked off in the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics). The Ravens led 7-0 after one Quarter but the Blue Jays made it 7-6 by Halftime. In the 3rd Quarter Tabor College got a Touchdown but failed on the 2-point conversion attempt, leaving the score at 12-7. Early in the 4th Quarter the Blue Jays forced a Safety out of the Ravens, making it 14-7 after all. Benedictine College pulled within one but ultimately got upset 14-13. Continue reading
Filed under college football
The field of 32 teams for the D3 playoffs has been announced. Here is a look at the First Round matchups for this Saturday, November 23rd: FOR SCORES FROM THESE GAMES CLICK HERE: https://glitternight.com/2013/11/24/college-football-playoff-and-bowl-results-from-november-23rd/
The UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT UNION PURPLE RAIDERS, the defending champions and most storied dynasty of D3 football, will host the WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON COLLEGE PRESIDENTS (helmet at left) at 12 Noon ET
***
The UW-WHITEWATER WARHAWKS, who defeated Mt Union in 4 of 7 championship games in recent years, will host the SAINT NORBERT COLLEGE GREEN KNIGHTS (helmet at left) at 1pm ET Continue reading
Filed under college football
CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY RULES THE WORLD – Every week of the college football season brings at least one NAIA team defeating a team from supposedly higher divisions. Yesterday the NAIA’s CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS continued this year-in year-out tradition by demolishing NCAA Division TWO’s ALDERSON-BROADDUS COLLEGE BATTLERS in their own house. The final score in this butt-kicking was Bulldogs 41 Battlers 17.
ANGELO STATE ALSO RULES THE WORLD – Division 2’s ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY RAMS also brought down a team from a higher division. The Rams took it on the road against NCAA Division ONE team the INCARNATE WORD CARDINALS and emerged triumphant in a defensive epic. The Rams defeated the Cardinals 7-0.
A RUSHING CARTEL, NOT A DRUG CARTEL – Running Back Cartel Brooks from NCAA Division Three’s HEIDELBERG UNIVERSITY STUDENT PRINCES set the new single-game rushing record for ALL DIVISIONS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL yesterday. Brooks ran for an unbelievable 465 yards in the Student Prince’s 42-14 rout of the homestanding BALDWIN-WALLACE YELLOW JACKETS.
TOP 25 UPSETS- NAIA – The 12th-ranked TABOR COLLEGE BLUE JAYS were on the road against the number 8 team in the nation, the OTTAWA UNIVERSITY BRAVES and toppled them in a 23-20 game for the ages ### And the unranked TAYLOR UNIVERSITY TROJANS notched a 30-20 road win over the 17th-ranked Continue reading
Filed under college football
WESLEY COLLEGE RULES THE WORLD – The NCAA Division Three team the WESLEY COLLEGE WOLVERINES borrowed a page from NAIA college football and brought down a team from a higher division. The Wolverines (who I say should change their name to the Crushers … think about it, Star Trek fans) took down the Division ONE Charlotte 49ers 35-28 in their own house! Congratulations Wesley for having the guts that Mt Union lacks!
TAMC RULES THE WORLD, TOO – NCAA Division Two team the TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE LIONS took it on the road against Division ONE’s Houston Baptist Huskies. The Lions completely dominated their opponents, shoving them all over the field at times. The final score in this upset that TAMC fans will cherish was Lions 55 Huskies 21.
NUMBER ONE TAKES A FALL – The NAIA’s number 19 NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS welcomed the number one team in the nation, the MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS and proved more than equal to the challenge! The Red Raiders handed the Mustangs their first loss of the season by a score of 38-28. Northwestern improves to 7-2, the Mustangs fall to 8-1.
OTHER TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – At number 10 the MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE VIKINGS toppled the 4th-ranked BENEDICTINE RAVENS sending them home reeling from a 42-14 smackdown ### The number 20 ST FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS upset the visiting 11th-ranked ST AMBROSE UNIVERSITY FIGHTING BEES in a Continue reading
Filed under college football
THE LANGSTON LIONS RULE THE WORLD – Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog are very familiar with the way in which each weekend of every college football season brings at least one NAIA football team upsetting a team from NCAA Divisions ONE or TWO. Yesterday the LANGSTON LIONS got in on the act, winning an Instant Classic on the road against Division Two’s PANHANDLE STATE AGGIES. The final score was Lions 20 Aggies 19. Congratulations Langston!
TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – The unranked BETHANY COLLEGE SWEDES salvaged a little from their disappointing 2013 season by shocking the nation with their 24-17 road upset of the 7th ranked TABOR COLLEGE BLUE JAYS ### Meanwhile the number 12 team in the country, the MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE VIKINGS, likewise pulled off a road upset. In the case of the Vikings they toppled the 9th-ranked PERU STATE BOBCATS in a 21-14 comeback for the ages!
TOP 25 UPSETS – NCAA DIVISION 2 – The EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY GREYHOUNDS traveled to face the number 8 WEST TEXAS A&M BUFFALOES and in the shock of the day in D2 brought them down in a 39-38 nailbiter ### The UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA LIONS upset the visiting 11th-ranked WEST ALABAMA TIGERS 30-27 in Overtime ### And the number 19 EMPORIA STATE HORNETS took it on the road and stunned the 13th ranked MISSOURI WESTERN GRIFFONS by a score of 35-30.
TOP 25 UPSETS – NCAA DIVISION 2: THE SEQUEL – There were so many upsets in the D2 rankings yesterday they merit a 2nd section to cover them all! The number 21 LENOIR-RHYNE UNIVERSITY BEARS crushed the visiting 18th ranked CARSON NEWMAN EAGLES by a score of 37-3 ### And the DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY STATESMEN upset the number 22 defending champions of D2 football, the VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS, in a Continue reading
Filed under college football
CONCORDIA (MI) RULES THE WORLD! – Every weekend during college football season finds at least one NAIA team pulling off an upset of teams from NCAA Division Two or even Division ONE. Yesterday the CONCORDIA (MI) CARDINALS played a neutral site game against Division ONE’s UMass-Lowell River Hawks. The Cardinals played like that other team from Ann Arbor and dismantled the River Hawks by a final score of FIFTY-EIGHT to NOTHING!
SAGU RULES THE WORLD, TOO! – And speaking of that NAIA college football tradition of upsetting teams from supposedly higher divisions, yesterday saw another such outcome. The SOUTHWESTERN ASSEMBLIES OF GOD UNIVERSITY LIONS welcomed NCAA Division TWO’s PANHANDLE STATE AGGIES and defeated them in a 42-35 Instant Classic that the SAGU faithful will be talking about for years.
NUMBER FOUR TAKES A FALL – The fourth-ranked team in the nation, the UNIVERSITY OF ST FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS, welcomed the NAIA’s unranked but 6-3 ROBERT MORRIS (IL) EAGLES yesterday. Despite being in their first few years of playing intercollegiate football the Eagles have performed very solidly year in and year out and yesterday saw another signature win for Robert Morris. The Eagles toppled the Cougars in a 28-24 game for the ages.
AND ANOTHER NUMBER FOUR TAKES A FALL – Meanwhile over in the NCAA Division Two rankings, another number four team found themselves upset, and this one also fell in their own house. The 10th-ranked PITTSBURG (KS) STATE UNIVERSITY GORILLAS were taking on the number 4 MISSOURI WESTERN GRIFFONS in a clash between MIAA rivals. The Gorillas asserted their authority with a Continue reading
Filed under college football
Balladeer's Blog 