Yes, the divisions of college football covered here at Balladeer’s Blog get started earlier than the others. Next Thursday the 24th will be the kickoff for the 2017 season.
AUGUST 24th’s GAMES IN THE NAIA:
The 15th ranked DICKINSON STATE BLUE HAWKS will host their Frontier Conference rivals the ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLIN’ BEARS.
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The EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS take it on the road against the number 9 team in the nation – the GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS.
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The WARNER UNIVERSITY ROYALS will likewise play Road Warriors as they travel to take on the UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS.
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Meanwhile THE AG BOWL will pit the number 17 DAKOTA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY TIGERS against the DAKOTA STATE TROJANS in a North Star Athletic Association matchup.
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And the UNIVERSITY OF PIKEVILLE BEARS will be on the road to take on their familiar foes the CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY TIGERS.
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AUGUST 24th’s GAMES IN THE NJCAA:
The Defending Champions – the GARDEN CITY COLLEGE BRONCBUSTERS – open the season hosting the ELLSWORTH COLLEGE PANTHERS.
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The HIGHLAND COLLEGE SCOTTIES, meanwhile, will travel to face the DODGE CITY COLLEGE CONQUISTADORS to begin their 2017 campaign.
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The NAIA’s LAWRENCE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY BLUE DEVILS – after a seven decade hiatus – will be fielding a football team! 
Ragnar the Dog is a nut for college football!
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 ### 
NEW YORK JETS 
GREEN BAY PACKERS 
ARIZONA CARDINALS 
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) 
NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) 
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. 
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The GARDEN CITY COLLEGE BRONCBUSTERS did battle with the ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE MATADORS for the national title. The 2016 El Toro Bowl saw the Broncbusters grab a 7-0 lead in the 1st Quarter, then take a 19-14 edge into the locker room at the Half. Neither team scored in the 3rd Quarter and the Matadors went up 22-19 in the 4th. Garden City scored a TD with 30 seconds left in the game but muffed the 2-point conversion attempt. Arizona Western failed to score and the Broncbusters won their 1st National Championship 25-22! 
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The BAKER UNIVERSITY WILDCATS managed a very dramatic 4th Quarter comeback to advance to the NAIA National Championship Game. The Wildcats hosted the EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEERS and after a 7-7 1st Quarter tie held a 24-17 advantage at Halftime. The Mountaineers took a 27-24 edge in the 3rd Quarter and extended that to 41-24 in the 4th. From there Baker University scored TWENTY-ONE UNANSWERED POINTS to win this Instant Classic by a score of 45-41! 
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS TOPPLED – The 10th seeded EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEERS traveled to face the top seeded Defending National Champions of NAIA football – the MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS. After a scoreless 1st Quarter the Mountaineers put the Knights on upset alert with a 10-0 Halftime lead. Following the break Eastern Oregon consummated the upset by bringing down Marian U in a 17-0 shutout. 
OVERTIME MAGNUM OPUS – The (8) LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS hosted the (9) GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS in a typically tight 8 seed versus 9 seed game. The Blue Raiders came back from being down 3-0 in the 1st Quarter to take a 17-10 lead into Halftime. The Vikings retook the lead 27-24 to end the 3rd Quarter, with a 4th Quarter Field Goal from Lindsey Wilson forcing OT with a 27-27 tie. The Blue Raiders scored 7 on their possession then shut out Grand View for a 34-27 triumph.
(1) MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS (Defending Champions) ### Conference Affiliation: Mid-States Football Association (Conference Champs, too)
will host the (16) ROBERT MORRIS (IL) UNIVERSITY EAGLES ### Conference Affiliation: Mid-States Football Association ### 2:00pm ET 
(2) BAKER UNIVERSITY WILDCATS ### Conference Affiliation: Heart of America Athletic Conference (South Division Champions) ### will host the 
(15) STERLING COLLEGE WARRIORS ### Conference Affiliation: Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (At-Large 6) ### 1:00pm ET 
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