HEADLINES
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. Continue reading
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) 1. MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS ### 2. UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS (Defending Champions) ### 3. EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS ### 4. UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS ### 5. LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS ### 
6. NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS ### 7. REINHARDT UNIVERSITY EAGLES (should be the Rottweilers) ### 8. ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM ### 9. CONCORDIA (MI) CARDINALS ### 10. KANSAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY COYOTES ### 
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. 
The number 4 team in the nation – the INDIANA UNIVERSITY- PENNSYLVANIA CRIMSON HAWKS – welcome the MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY MARAUDERS in a battle of cool-named teams. 
In the number 5 spot in the D2 rankings are the FORT HAYS STATE TIGERS, who will take on the homestanding MISSOURI WESTERN STATE GRIFFONS (helmet at left). 
Division Two’s 6th ranked team – the dynastic NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS – take it on the road against the WASHBURN UNIVERSITY ICHABODS. 
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. 