The NAIA’s LAWRENCE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY BLUE DEVILS – after a seven decade hiatus – will be fielding a football team!
The football Blue Devils will play their return intercollegiate season in 2018 as an Independent, then will join the Mid-States Football Association for their conference affiliation in 2019. Continue reading
Filed under college football
Ragnar the Dog is a nut for college football!
He usually waits til August to start with his preseason rankings, but this year he is so impatient for the season to start that he insisted on publishing them now.
Have a look at what this handsome little pooch predicts for the 2017 NAIA football season.
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NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) 1. MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS ### 2. BAKER UNIVERSITY WILDCATS 3. UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS (Defending National Champions) ### 4. REINHARDT UNIVERSITY EAGLES (Should be the Rottweilers) ### 5. EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEERS ###
6. ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM ### 7. LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS ### 8. MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS ### 9. MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS ### 10. DOANE COLLEGE TIGERS ### Continue reading
Filed under college football, dogs
VANDEGRIFT VIPERS
Comment: The Vipers manage the Hat Trick of having a virtually unique team name, a butt-kicking logo and terrific helmets.
FRISCO RACCOONS
Comment: Let’s face it, Raccoons is one seriously underused name when it comes to sports teams. If the Raccoon tails on these helmets were just a bit bigger they’d be perfect.
CIGARROA TOROS
Comment: Some readers tell me they don’t really care for helmets with white shells but I think they can look good with the right kind of logo on them. Continue reading
Filed under Cool Helmets
Balladeer’s Blog’s readers demanded it, so here are even MORE cool football helmets from neglected teams.
AMARILLO SANDIES
Comment: The unique name “Sandies” combined with the Marvin the Martian-style mascot made these helmets a must.
DUMAS DEMONS
Comments: Now these are helmets that will help you psych-out your opponents, especially if they are superstitious by nature. Continue reading
Filed under college football, Cool Helmets
Balladeer’s Bowl always pits the NAIA football champs against the NCAA D3 football champs. The results are in, and for the VERY FIRST TIME the Champions of NCAA D3 – this year the UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR CRUSADERS – defeated the Champions of the NAIA – this year the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS.
The voting ended today and the Crusaders won, 203 votes to 161. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE UMHB CRUSADERS, THE WINNERS OF BALLADEER’S BOWL SEVEN! This may be the first step toward making it a real rivalry, like when Namath’s Jets beat the Colts.
Here are the results of the six previous Balladeer’s Bowl matchups: Continue reading
Filed under college football
As always Balladeer’s Bowl pits the National Champions of the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) against the National Champions of the NCAA Division Three.
The UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR CRUSADERS are the NCAA Division Three champs for 2016, and the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS are the champs of the NAIA. Continue reading
Filed under college football
Here’s one last round of congratulations to this year’s college football champions in the SEVEN divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog.
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)
National Champions – UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS COUGARS
Runners-Up – Baker University Wildcats
2015 Champions – Marian University Knights
NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association)
My National Champions – WARNER UNIVERSITY ROYALS
Runners-Up – University of Northwestern (MN) Eagles
2015 Champions – Southwestern Assemblies of God University Lions Continue reading
Filed under college football
*** NAIA ***
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The last two teams standing in the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) were the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS COUGARS and the BAKER UNIVERSITY WILDCATS. Daytona Beach was the site of this very lopsided game.
The 1st Quarter ended with the Cougars on top 10-3 and things only got worse for the Wildcats from there. By Halftime Saint Francis had expanded their lead to 17-3 before both teams notched a Touchdown in the 3rd Quarter. The Cougars outscored Baker 14-7 in the 4th to take the 2016 title by a final score of 38-17.
*** NCAA DIVISION TWO ***
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The two winningest programs in D2 football history – the NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS and the UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA LIONS – faced each other in yesterday’s title tilt. Amid ample snowfall neither team scored in the 1st Quarter but the Bearcats – the defending champs – managed a 7-3 lead by Halftime. Continue reading
Filed under college football
EASTWOOD TROOPERS 
Comment: Why aren’t there more teams called Troopers?
WEATHERFORD KANGAROOS
Comment: Awesome name and awesome lids.
LEWISVILLE FARMERS
Comment: There’s something about the stark simplicity of these helmets paired up with the unique name the Farmers.
EISENHOWER EAGLES
Comment: Yes, that’s Eisenhower as in General and President Dwight Eisenhower aka “Ike.” Continue reading
Filed under college football, Cool Helmets
*** CCCAA ***
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The FULLERTON COLLEGE HORNETS and the AMERICAN RIVER COLLEGE BEAVERS played each other for the CCCAA title. The Beavers managed a 3-0 lead to end the 1st Quarter but by Halftime the Hornets held a 14-13 edge. After the break it seemed Fullerton College was putting it out of reach as they compiled a 29-13 lead but American River College came back to within 29-21 to end the 3rd Quarter. In the 4th a missed 2-point conversion by the Beavers gave the Hornets a 29-27 win and the 2016 title.
*** NCAA DIVISION TWO ***
SEMIFINAL ONE – This game pitted the NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS – the Defending Champions of D2 football – against the visiting FERRIS STATE BULLDOGS. The Bearcats led 21-13 at the break following which the two teams exchanged Touchdowns in the 3rd Quarter. Northwest Missouri State scored another TD in the 4th, making the score 35-20 and ending the scoring with just 4:45 left to play. The Bearcats return to the title game. Continue reading
Filed under college football
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