Tag Archives: football

August 20, 2013 · 11:03 pm

D2 FOOTBALL: BALLADEER’S BLOG’S PRESEASON TOP 25

The college football season in the divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog will kick off this Friday, August 23rd. Previously I presented my Top 25’s for the NAIA, D3 and NJCAA.

Minnesota State Mavericks1. MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS      ###      2. VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS (Defending Champions)      ###      3. NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS      ###      4. WEST TEXAS A&M BUFFALOES      ###      5. MISSOURI WESTERN GRIFFONS      ###      6. CSU-PUEBLO THUNDERWOLVES      ###     

Shippensburg Red Raiders7. SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY RED RAIDERS      ###      8. GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS      ###      9. INDIANA UNIVERSITY-PENNSYLVANIA CRIMSON HAWKS      ###      10. WINSTON-SALEM STATE RAMS      ###      11. Continue reading →

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August 17, 2013 · 4:16 pm

D3 COLLEGE FOOTBALL: BALLADEER’S BLOG’S PRESEASON TOP 25

With the college football season set to kick off on Friday August 23rd in the divisions covered by Balladeer’s Blog here is my preseason Top 25 for NCAA Division 3. Previously I presented my Top 25 for the NAIA and NJCAA.

Mount Union Purple Raiders1. UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT UNION PURPLE RAIDERS (Defending Champions)      ###      2. UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR CRUSADERS      ###      3. UNIVERSITY OF SAINT THOMAS TOMMIES (2012 Runners-Up)      ###      4. LINFIELD COLLEGE WILDCATS      ###     

Oshkosh Titans5. UW-OSHKOSH TITANS      ###      6. HOBART COLLEGE STATESMEN      ###      7. UW-WHITEWATER WARHAWKS      ###      8. Continue reading →

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August 15, 2013 · 10:49 pm

NJCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL: BALLADEER’S BLOG’S PRESEASON TOP 25

On Friday August 23rd the 2013 college football season will kick off in the divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog. Here is a look at my preseason Top 25 for the NJCAA.  

Navarro College1. NAVARRO COLLEGE BULLDOGS      ###      2. SNOW COLLEGE BADGERS      ###      3. IOWA WESTERN REIVERS (Defending Champions)     ###      4. HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS      ###      5. MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST BULLDOGS      ###      6. BUTLER (KS) GRIZZLIES      ###     

ASA College7. ASA COLLEGE AVENGERS      ###      8. KILGORE COLLEGE RANGERS      9. EAST MISSISSIPPI LIONS      ###      10. ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE MATADORS      ###      11. COFFEYVILLE RED RAVENS      ###      12. Continue reading →

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August 14, 2013 · 9:15 pm

NAIA COLLEGE FOOTBALL: BALLADEER’S BLOG’S PRESEASON TOP 25

Friday, August 23rd is when the divisions of college football covered here at Balladeer’s Blog will kick off the 2013 season. Take a peek at my Preseason Top 25 for the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics).

Marian U Knights helmet1. MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS (defending champions)    ###    2. MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS    ###    3. SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS    ###    4. MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE VIKINGS    ###    5. GEORGETOWN COLLEGE (KY) TIGERS    ###    6. SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS    ###    7. MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS    ###   

Cumberlands_KY8. UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS    ###    9. SAINT AMBROSE UNIVERSITY FIGHTING BEES    ###    10. MIDAMERICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY PIONEERS    ###    11.  Continue reading →

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August 11, 2013 · 12:08 am

COOL FOOTBALL HELMET: VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY-LYNCHBURG

VUL Dragons

VUL Dragons

VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY-LYNCHBURG DRAGONS

Location: Tel Aviv (I’m kidding!) Lynchburg, VA

Division: Unaffiliated

Comment: Of all the Continue reading →

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June 22, 2013 · 3:37 pm

ASA COLLEGE AVENGER MOVES ON TO THE NFL

Avengers

Avengers

The ASA College Avengers football team has only been around for a handful of years but last year made their first Bowl appearance and now they’ve already gotten their first player into the NFL!

Gilbert Pena, standout defensive lineman for the Avengers, was signed as an undrafted free agent by the storied Green Bay Packers franchise. Pena is a Yonkers, NY native and delayed the start of his college career by 4 years to care for his mother as she battled cancer.

Gilbert was an impact player for Head Coach Dennis Orlando’s ASA College team and earned all-conference honors after a Continue reading →

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January 4, 2013 · 12:12 am

COOL FOOTBALL HELMET: MONTANA STATE-NORTHERN

MSU- Northern LightsMONTANA STATE-NORTHERN LIGHTS

Location: Havre, MT

Division: NAIA

Conference Affiliation: Frontier Conference

Comment: MSU-Northern cleverly decided to call their sports teams the Lights because of the “Northern” at the end of their university’s name. An unfortunate side effect is that people often mistakenly think their teams are called the “Northern Lights” and that they Continue reading →

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December 26, 2012 · 5:18 pm

NAIA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS DEFEAT THE NCAA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW

Marian University KnightsThe votes are all in for the 3rd edition of Balladeer’s Bowl in which my readers get to vote on who would win if the NAIA college football champs played the NCAA Division 3 football champs. D3 needed a Joe Namath moment for this 3rd go-round but none materialized as the NAIA champs made it 3 Balladeer’s Bowl victories in a row.

The MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS came in as the NAIA title holders with the storied MOUNT UNION PURPLE RAIDERS carrying the banner of D3 football. 263 voters felt the Knights would defeat the Purple Raiders with just 212 voting for Mt Union. D3 can take solace from the fact that this was the most votes their team has gotten thus far in this hypothetical matchup. 

Here’s a look at the winners and losers of all 3 Balladeer’s Bowl games:

Balladeer’s Bowl 3: MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS defeated the Mount Union Purple Raiders

Balladeer’s Bowl 2: Continue reading →

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December 22, 2012 · 5:07 pm

COOL FOOTBALL HELMET: BACONE COLLEGE

Bacone WarriorsBACONE COLLEGE WARRIORS

Location: Muskogee, OK

Division: NAIA

Conference Affiliation: Central States

Comment: Even if you’re not an Okee from Muskogee you’ve got to love these thoroughly intimidating helmets! Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog are familiar with the tendency of the Bacone Warriors to Continue reading →

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December 20, 2012 · 9:04 pm

BALLADEER’S BOWL 3: NAIA FOOTBALL CHAMPS VS THE NCAA CHAMPS

Marian U Knights helmetMount Union Purple RaidersBalladeer’s Blog regularly chronicles the intense gridiron rivalry between the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) and the NCAA Division 3. Each year I allow my readers to vote in Balladeer’s Bowl about who would win if the NAIA champions played D3’s title winners. This year that means the MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS from the NAIA and the MOUNT UNION PURPLE RAIDERS from D3. Will it be 3 victories in a row for the NAIA team? As always, to avoid multiple votes by the same people you can cast your vote by emailing me at Continue reading →

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