NAIA
COMEBACK KIDS – The WARNER UNIVERSITY ROYALS hosted the WEBBER INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY WARRIORS yesterday. The Royals were chasing the Warriors 3-0 to end the 1st Quarter and 10-3 come Halftime. Late in the 3rd Quarter Warner University tied things up at 10-10 before finishing off Webber International in the 4th by a final score of 24-17.
DYNAMIC DEFENDERS – The DORDT COLLEGE DEFENDERS took it on the road against the MIDLAND UNIVERSITY WARRIORS (should be the Lutherans). Neither team scored in the first 12 and a half minutes of the opening Quarter but the Defenders were on top 14-0 before the 2nd Quarter got underway. At the Half Dordt College was up 14-7 and 16-7 to end the 3rd. From there the Defenders won out 22-14.
AG BOWL – The 5th Annual Ag Bowl pitted the DICKINSON STATE BLUE HAWKS against the DAKOTA STATE TROJANS. A 14-7 1st Quarter lead for the Blue Hawks became a 14-14 tie by the midpoint of the game. After the break Dickinson State led the Trojans 20-14 in the 3rd Quarter, then carried through with a 26-14 triumph. Continue reading
Balladeer’s Bowl always pits the NAIA football champs against the NCAA D3 football champs. The results are in, and the NAIA champs got the victory. The MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS defeated the NORTH CENTRAL (IL) COLLEGE CARDINALS in Balladeer’s Bowl X. 
The MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS are the NAIA Champions for 2019. 
Readers of Balladeer’s Blog get to vote on the winner, to be announced on New Year’s Day, so NAIA and D3 boosters can begin their annual deluge of emails to me arguing for their choice. 
NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) 
USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association)
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA ARGONAUTS were not only THE story of the D2 playoffs once again but this time they sealed the deal against their opponents the MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS! A 14-14 1st Quarter tie turned into a 38-21 Argonauts lead by the Half. 
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The number 1 team in the nation – the MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST COLLEGE BULLDOGS – took on the 2nd ranked LACKAWANNA COLLEGE FALCONS for the NJCAA crown. A 7-0 Bulldogs lead in the 1st Quarter became a 13-10 advantage for the Falcons by Halftime. Neither team scored in the 3rd Quarter but Mississippi Gulf Coast exploded in the 4th to win the game 24-13. * THE BULLDOGS ARE NJCAA CHAMPIONS * 
BLUE SATURDAY – The LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS took it on the road against the KANSAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY COYOTES. The Blue Raiders went up 7-0 in the 1st Quarter and made that a 21-10 lead by Halftime. The Coyotes pulled to within 28-24 to end the 3rd Quarter before Lindsey Wilson College won it 35-24 in the 4th. 
GRAND VICTORY – The GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS welcomed the COLLEGE OF IDAHO YOTES in this 2nd Round game. A 3-0 1st Quarter edge for the Yotes became a 14-3 Vikings lead at the Half. The defenses dominated the 2nd Half with the College of Idaho’s 3rd Quarter Field Goal the only points scored. Grand View University notched a 14-6 victory.
SHUTOUT – The MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS played host to the UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS. The Knights achieved defensive perfection, leading the Patriots 6-0 in the 1st Quarter and 16-0 at the break on their way to a 30-0 shutout of their opponents. 
PATRIOTS ON THE ROAD – The UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS traveled to face the KEISER UNIVERSITY SEAHAWKS for their 1st Round game. A 7-0 1st Quarter lead for the Patriots became a 14-7 Seahawks advantage by Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended in a 21-21 tie before UC went on to win the game 28-24. 
COUGARS WITH THE UPSET – The SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS visited the NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS. The Red Raiders led 3-0 in the opening Quarter but the Cougars went on top 10-6 at the Half. Northwestern College pulled to within 16-13 in the 3rd Quarter before SXU went on to win it 25-20 in the 4th. 
Athletic Conference Champs and Defending National Champs) will host the (16) DICKINSON STATE BLUE HAWKS (North Star Athletic Association Champs)
The (2) MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS (MSFA Mideast Division 
Champs) will host the (15) REINHARDT UNIVERSITY EAGLES (Mid-South Conference Appalachian Division Champs) 
The (3) KANSAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY COYOTES (Kansas 
Collegiate Athletic Conference Champs) will host the (14) BAKER UNIVERSITY WILDCATS (Heart of America Athletic Conference South Champs) 
NAIA OVER NCAA D2 – Another NAIA team played giant-slayer against a higher division team yesterday. The NAIA’s ALLEN UNIVERSITY YELLOW JACKETS traveled to face the NCAA Division Two team the ELIZABETH CITY STATE VIKINGS. It took Overtime to do it, but in the end the Yellow Jackets prevailed by a final score of 32-29. 
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER THREE – Down in NCAA Division Three, the UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT OSHKOSH TITANS welcomed the number 3 team in the nation – the UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT WHITEWATER WARHAWKS. By Halftime the Titans held a 14-13 edge but the Warhawks went up 20-14 in the 3rd Quarter. In the 4th UW-Oshkosh roared back for a 27-20 victory. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER NINE – Staying in D3, the 17th ranked UNIVERSITY OF SAINT THOMAS TOMMIES took the field against the visiting number 9 BETHEL (MN) ROYALS. A 7-0 1st Quarter lead for the Tommies became a 14-7 lead at the Half. The 2nd Half was nearly all defense with the University of Saint Thomas adding a Field Goal in the 4th Quarter to win out 17-7. 
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