Despite what ESPN says tonight kicks off WEEK TWO of the 2014 college football season. There are NINETEEN games tonight:
NORTH STAR ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION GAME OF THE WEEK – The UNIVERSITY OF JAMESTOWN JIMMIES will take it on the road to face the VALLEY CITY STATE VIKINGS.
IT’S IN THE CARDS – The CONCORDIA (MI) CARDINALS are going to host the ALMA COLLEGE SCOTS in the first of this year’s games that pit the NAIA against the NCAA Division 3. Continue reading
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Yesterday was the kickoff of the 2014 college football season! ESPN doesn’t have the contract to televise the divisions that got underway so that’s why they simply ignore them to avoid publicizing games shown elsewhere. Here is a look at noteworthy results from August 23rd’s action.
INAUGURAL GAME FOR ACU – The ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM played their very first game of intercollegiate football last night! They hosted the storied EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS who, unfortunately for the Firestorm faithful, made it a bittersweet night at best for ACU. The Crusaders (helmet above left) showed their years of experience over the newbies and went back home with a 40-16 victory. Congratulations to Evangel and welcome to gridiron action to the Firestorm! We’re all looking forward to seeing your football program grow.
MOUNTAINEERS CLIMB OVER THE OAKS – The EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEERS were on the road against the MENLO COLLEGE OAKS. The Mountaineers led 13-0 after the 1st Quarter, but by Halftime the Oaks had whittled that down to a 16-14 advantage. The 3rd Quarter started out with the teams exchanging scores, leaving the score EOU 23 MC 20. The Oaks closed out the Quarter by taking their first lead of the game, 27-23 but the Mountaineers would put up 22 unanswered points in the 4th to win 45-27. QB Zach Bartlow went 23 of 33 with 4 TD’s.
DAWGS CHOMP THE DIGGERS – The UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA- WESTERN BULLDOGS welcomed their archrivals the MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS yesterday. Things got rolling early in a big way for the Bulldogs, who scored on their first three possessions for a 21-0 lead in the 1st Quarter. That expanded to a 35-0 lead at the Half. To close out the game the Montana Tech defense nearly shut out the UMW offense, giving up one lone field goal in the 2nd Half. The Orediggers scored once in the 4th Quarter making the final score Bulldogs 38 Orediggers 6. UMW QB Tyler Hulse threw for 3 TD’s in the win. Continue reading
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The most wonderful time of the year is nearly upon us! If you’re ready for some gridiron clashes THAT COUNT for this year’s record, the divisions of college football covered here at Balladeer’s Blog kick off TOMORROW! The NAIA’s ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM (helmets at left) will be playing their very FIRST year of intercollegiate football in 2014. For their inaugural game they will host the EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS tomorrow.
Some of the other terrific games lined up for tomorrow:
* NAIA *
The MAYVILLE STATE COMETS will host the WALDORF UNIVERSITY WARRIORS in a game that would normally pit the NORTH STAR ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION against the MID-STATES LEAGUE. Waldorf has joined the NSAA, making it a conference clash for both teams.
The MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS are going to take it on the road for Week One and do battle with their arch-rivals the UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA-WESTERN BULLDOGS. These two teams always play some of the most memorable games in the FRONTIER CONFERENCE each year.
Meanwhile the MENLO COLLEGE OAKS will welcome the EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEERS to open the season. The Oaks are independent when it comes to football while the Mountaineers hail from the FRONTIER CONFERENCE. Continue reading
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On August 23rd the divisions of college football covered here at Balladeer’s Blog will kick off their 2014 season. Here is a look at my Preseason Top 25 in the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics).
1. CARROLL COLLEGE FIGHTING SAINTS ### 2. GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS (Defending Champions) 3. MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS ### 4. UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS (2013 Runners-Up) ### 5. MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE VIKINGS ###
6. TABOR COLLEGE BLUE JAYS ### 7. BAKER UNIVERSITY WILDCATS ### 8. UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS ### 9. BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS ### 10. FAULKNER UNIVERSITY EAGLES ###
11. ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLIN’ BEARS ### 12. NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS ### 13. SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS ### 14. OTTAWA UNIVERSITY BRAVES ### 15. SAINT AMBROSE UNIVERSITY FIGHTING BEES ### Continue reading
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On August 23rd the divisions of college football covered here at Balladeer’s Blog will kick off. To help all of us endure the time until the season starts I’ve been presenting looks at the coolest football helmets from each of the divisions covered here. Now it’s Division Two’s turn.
20. SOUTHERN ARKANSAS UNIVERSITY MULERIDERS
Location: Magnolia, AR
Conference: Great American Conference
Comment: Coach Tommy Tuberville played his college ball for the Muleriders, a team with a Continue reading
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With college football kicking off on August 23rd in the divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog the time seemed right to present a look at the coolest football helmets in NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) football. Feel free to let me know whose helmets you feel I left out or who should have been rated higher or lower.
11. DORDT COLLEGE DEFENDERS
Location: Sioux Center, IA
Comment: The NAIA has the Defenders, the NJCAA has the Avengers and Canadian college football boasts the X-Men! Marvel Comics fans have absolutely no excuse not to get into college football.
10. OKLAHOMA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY BISON
Location: Shawnee, OK
Comment: Now here’s a helmet that’s as grand and glorious as the mighty beast the team is named for! OBU is known for getting things done with its sports programs so even though they’re still a little new to gridiron action look for them to make noise sooner rather than later.
9. BETHANY COLLEGE SWEDES
Location: Lindsborg, KS
Comment: Like the Florida Gators the Bethany Swedes have one of those iconic helmets with stylish lettering and an overall eye-catching appeal. This helmet looks even better topping the Swedes’ blue jerseys and gold pants. Continue reading
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MARIETTA COLLEGE PIONEERS
Location: Marietta, OH
Division: NCAA Division 3
Conference Affiliation: Ohio Athletic Conference
Comment: What better way to mark Superbowl Sunday than Continue reading
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Balladeer’s Bowl 4 is now complete and the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) once again reigns supreme. The GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS, the NAIA football champions defeated the WHITEWATER WARHAWKS, the football champions of NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division 3. This marks the fourth straight year the NAIA has defeated NCAA D3.
All the Continue reading
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Here’s one last round of congratulations to the 2013 college football champions in the seven divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog.
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)
2013 Champions: GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS
Runners-up: University of the Cumberlands Patriots
2012 Champions: Marian University Knights
NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association)
2013 Champions: AZUSA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY COUGARS
Runners-up: Greenville College Panthers
2012 Champions: Continue reading
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Every college football season Balladeer’s Blog chronicles the intense gridiron rivalry between the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) and NCAA Division 3. For the 4th year in a row my readers can cast votes to say who they feel would win a game played between the national champions of the NAIA and the national champions of D3.
Balladeer’s Bowl IV will pit the GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS (NAIA Champs) against the UW-WHITEWATER WARHAWKS (NCAA D3 Champs). To prevent the Continue reading
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Balladeer's Blog 