After all the postponements last fall, NAIA football teams were finally able to finish regular season play over the past couple of months and moved on to the playoffs yesterday.
ROUND ONE: GAME ONE – The BAKER UNIVERSITY WILDCATS hosted the OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY TIGERS (should be the Purple Tigers). By Halftime in this shootout the score was knotted up at 24-24. The 3rd Quarter ended with the Tigers on top 41-38 but the Wildcats came from behind to win the game in the 4th. The final score was Baker U 59 Olivet Nazarene 54.
ROUND ONE: GAME TWO – This game pitted the NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS against the visiting DICKINSON STATE BLUE HAWKS. The Red Raiders parlayed a 7-0 1st Quarter lead into a 17-7 advantage by the Half. After the break Northwestern College shut out the Blue Hawks while adding 14 more points of their own for an authoritative 31-7 triumph. Continue reading
LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS 
NORTHWEST (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS 
KEISER UNIVERSITY SEAHAWKS 
TUSSLE IN THE TOP ELEVEN – The number 10 team in the nation – the MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS – traveled to take on the 11th ranked UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS. Though the Cougars led 3-0 to end the 1st Quarter, by Halftime the Knights were on top 20-3. That became a 27-11 advantage going into the 4th Quarter, in which Marian U had to survive a furious Saint Francis rally, holding on for a 41-34 victory. 
WHEN RANKED TEAMS CLASH – The 6th ranked COLLEGE OF IDAHO COYOTES found themselves on the road against the number 20 EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEERS. By the midpoint of this game between these two familiar Frontier Conference opponents the Mountaineers were leading the Coyotes 28-21. The 3rd Quarter ended with EOU clinging to a 31-28 edge before the College of Idaho came from behind to win it 49-38 in the 4th. 
DOUBLING UP ON THE COMPETITION – The (24) SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE MOUNDBUILDERS took it on the road against the OTTAWA UNIVERSITY (KS) BRAVES yesterday. A 7-7 1st Quarter tie remained unchanged by the Half. After the break, the Moundbuilders had an explosive 3rd Quarter, going on top by a score of 28-14. The defenses shut out both teams in the 4th Quarter, so 28-14 was the final tally as well. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER TWO – The CONCORDIA (MI) CARDINALS played host to the 2nd ranked team in the nation – the MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS. In this very odd game the Knights grabbed a quick 7-0 lead in the 1st Quarter, only to see the Cardinals go up 16-14 by Halftime. After the break the defenses dominated and 16-14 wound up being the final score as well. 
OTHER UPSETS IN THE RANKINGS – The 24th ranked ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM took it on the road against the 16th ranked OTTAWA UNIVERSITY (AZ) SPIRIT and toppled them 45-35 ### And the INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS downed their guests the number 22 SIENA HEIGHTS UNIVERSITY SAINTS in a 17-10 clash. 
FOURTH QUARTER COMEBACK – The POINT UNIVERSITY SKYHAWKS traveled to face the BLUEFIELD COLLEGE RAMBLING RAMS. A 7-7 1st Quarter tie became a 20-7 advantage for the Rambling Rams at the Half. The 3rd Quarter ended with the Skyhawks pulling to within 20-14 before exploding in the 4th for a magnificent 28-23 comeback victory. 
DEFENSIVE DONNYBROOK – The defenses were the story in this clash between the WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY PIONEERS (should be the Flying Ws) and their guests the LYON COLLEGE SCOTS. Both teams were shut out in the 1st Quarter, but the Pioneers went up 7-0 by Halftime. After a scoreless 3rd Quarter Wayland Baptist University added a Field Goal in the 4th for a 10-0 victory.
LAKERS STILL ROLLING – The ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITY LAKERS made it 3 victories in a row as they went up against the visiting UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS. The teams were knotted up at 7-7 in the opening Quarter and 14-14 at the midpoint. The Lakers went up 28-14 in the 3rd Quarter and ultimately won out by a final tally of 28-20. 
GETTING STUNG – This game pitted the SAINT AMBROSE UNIVERSITY FIGHTING BEES against the visiting UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS. The Fighting Saints grabbed a quick 6-0 lead in the 1st Quarter only to see the Fighting Bees go up 7-6 by the Half. After the break came a scoreless 3rd Quarter before Saint Ambrose University clinched a 14-6 win in the 4th. 
COMEBACK KIDS – The SAINT ANDREWS UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS took it on the road against the BLUEFIELD COLLEGE RAMBLING RAMS yesterday. The Rambling Rams led 14-7 in the opening Quarter and 20-9 at the Half. The Knights exploded in the 3rd Quarter to take a 42-27 lead but Bluefield College countered by going up 43-42 in the 4th. The Knights notched a late TD to emerge with a 48-43 victory. 
COUGARS ON THE ROAD – The SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS traveled to face the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS. The 1st Half of this gridiron grudge match ended in a 9-9 deadlock, followed by the Cougars grabbing a 12-9 edge to end the 3rd Quarter. The Fighting Saints knotted things up at 12-12 only to see Saint Xavier University go on to win the game by a score of 19-12. 
A TALE OF TWO HALVES – The SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY FIRE took it on the road against the AVE MARIA UNIVERSITY GYRENES. The Gyrenes led 7-0 in the 1st Quarter and 13-10 at Halftime. From there the Fire shut out Ave Maria University while going on top 17-13 to end the 3rd Quarter and ultimately winning the game 24-13. 
“GORILLA” WARFARE – Over in D2 the PITTSBURG (KS) STATE GORILLAS visited the WEST TEXAS A&M BUFFALOES. The Gorillas were out in front of their opponents 14-7, 28-21 and 35-28 in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Quarters, respectively. In the 4th, Pitt State polished off the Buffaloes by a final count of 42-28. 
SPIRIT OF SIXTY-FOUR – This game pitted the DORDT COLLEGE DEFENDERS against their hosts the BRIAR CLIFF UNIVERSITY CHARGERS. The Defenders seized a 23-0 advantage in the opening Quarter and never looked back. Ultimately, Dordt College obliterated the Chargers to the tune of SIXTY-FOUR to NOTHING! 
FIRST RESPONDERS & MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY – The SAINT THOMAS UNIVERSITY BOBCATS (should be the Tomcats) welcomed the WARNER UNIVERSITY ROYALS yesterday. After a scoreless 1st Quarter the Royals led 7-6 at Halftime. That became a 10-6 edge in the 3rd Quarter before the Bobcats tied things up at 20-20 in the 4th. In Overtime STU won out 27-20. 
S.A.M. – SERVICE ACADEMY MANIA – Saturday saw the annual rivalry game between the UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY MARINERS and the COAST GUARD ACADEMY BEARS. A 7-7 1st Quarter tie became a 10-7 Mariners advantage at the Half. The 3rd Quarter ended with the USMMA up 17-7 before exchanging Touchdowns with the Bears in the 4th to win it 24-14. 
VIKING VALLEY – The VALLEY CITY STATE VIKINGS traveled to face the DAKOTA STATE TROJANS. The Vikings kept the Trojans off the scoreboard until the 4th Quarter as they led 7-0 in the opening Quarter and 14-0 by the midpoint. Neither team scored in the 3rd Quarter and Valley City State won by a final count of 14-6. 
NEGOTIATING THEIR WAY TO A WIN – The WILLIAM PENN UNIVERSITY STATESMEN, in a game moved up from November 14th, welcomed the CULVER-STOCKTON COLLEGE WILDCATS. After a scoreless 1st Quarter the Statesmen led 14-7 at Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended in a 14-14 tie before William Penn U went on to win the game 20-16 from there.
JIMMIES ON THE ROAD – The UNIVERSITY OF JAMESTOWN JIMMIES, trying to salvage what they can of an ugly season, visited the BRIAR CLIFF UNIVERSITY CHARGERS yesterday. By the Half the Jimmies had built up a 14-3 advantage over the Chargers, but that was cut to a 17-10 edge in the 3rd Quarter. The defenses ruled in the 4th, so 17-10 was the final tally as well. 
RUINED SENIOR DAYS – The MIDAMERICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY PIONEERS disrupted the Senior Day festivities for the MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE VIKINGS by defeating them 28-23 ### And the MIDLAND UNIVERSITY WARRIORS handed the DOANE COLLEGE TIGERS a 28-3 Senior Day loss. 
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