NUMBER ONE TAKES A FALL – In the only number 1 vs number 2 matchup that really mattered, the NAIA’s top ranked ST XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS fell on the road to the team Balladeer’s Blog has been warning the world about since the 2010 preseason: the number 2 MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS (logo at left). The formerly potent Cougar offense could only muster 9 points against the Marian defensive machine and the Knights, the presumptive new number 1 in the next poll, won comfortably 27-9. The Cougars fall to 9-1, while the Knights are a perfect 10-0.
ST FRANCIS (IL) RULES THE WORLD – Once again, an NAIA football team has taken it on the road and defeated a team from the NCAA’s Division One …. yes, DIVISION ONE!!! The ST FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS traveled to face the Georgia State Panthers and emerged with an overtime win! The final score was 30-27. In recent years we’ve seen NAIA football programs teach NCAA D1 teams a lesson in the form of the AZUSA PACIFIC COUGARS routing the San Diego Toreros in their own house and, when the University of Sioux Falls was still in the NAIA, they dismembered D1’s North Dakota Fighting Sioux. The Fighting Saints decided they wanted in on the action themselves, I guess.
ANOTHER NUMBER ONE TAKES A FALL – After two weeks that saw the NJCAA’s top- ranked BLINN COLLEGE BUCCANEERS survive close calls, their high- wire act caught up with them. The TYLER APACHES went on the road and brought down the team that Cam Newton played for before transferring to Auburn in overtime by a score of 37- 34.
NUMBER TWO TAKES A FALL – NCAA Division 2’s 2nd ranked team, the PITTSBURG (KS) STATE GORILLAS, fell at home to the number 9 WASHBURN ICHABODS 43-25. The Ichabods have got to be kicking themselves that they didn’t come out ready to play like this when they took on Northwest Missouri a few weeks ago.
NUMBER THREE TAKES A FALL – Yesterday also saw the number 3 team in D2 fall. The aforementioned NORTHWEST MISSOURI BEARCATS lost on the road at the unranked MISSOURI WESTERN GRIFFONS by a score of 31-28. This win provides the Griffons with at least some satisfaction in a season that started out with them ranked and expecting great things, only to see unexpected losses accumulate beginning in early September.
PLAYOFFS GET UNDER WAY – That’s right, the divisions of college football covered by Balladeer’s Blog settle their season on the field. In NJCAA football, the post- season kicks off today in Region 6. The 2 seeds, the HUTCHINSON BLUE DRAGONS, will host the 3rd seeded COFFEYVILLE RED RAVENS, while the top seeds for the region, the BUTLER (KS) GRIZZLIES, will host the 4th seeded DODGE CITY CONQUISTADORS. Enjoy some rare Sunday college football with these games today!
TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – The 9th ranked BENEDICTINE RAVENS fell at the number Continue reading →
This week’s coverage of the Jerry Sandusky/Joe Paterno scandal at Penn State pre-empted my coverage of the events in the divisions of college football that Balladeer’s Blog usually covers. Starting with the NJCAA, where the post- season began last weekend the 8th ranked Hutchinson Blue Dragons (logo at left) routed their 1st round opponents the Coffeyville Red Ravens, setting up the Deja Vu Bowl tomorrow. In a rematch of last year’s Region VI championship game the Blue Dragons will face their archrivals the number 3 Butler (KS) Grizzlies, who took down the Dodge City Conquistadors last Sunday to advance to the region’s title game.
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