HEADLINES
NAIA CONQUERS NCAA D2 YET AGAIN – Like 1aa teams upsetting 1a teams each week usually brings at least one NAIA football team toppling a team from the NCAA’s Division Two. Yesterday the MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS visited D2’s TRUMAN STATE BULLDOGS and more than doubled-up on the higher division team by a final score of 35-17.
DOWN GOES NUMBER THREE – Meanwhile NCAA Division Two’s 7th ranked MIDWESTERN STATE MUSTANGS hosted the number 3 team in the nation – the UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA ARGONAUTS. Another Mustangs team delivered a nationwide shock-wave as Midwestern State proceeded to crush the Argonauts to the tune of 38-17.
WHAT, YOU COULDN’T SCORE ONE HUNDRED? – In the NJCAA the DODGE CITY COLLEGE CONQUISTADORS took the field against the visiting GORDON’S SPORTS ACADEMY ARTISTS. The Conquistadors were apparently playing basketball while their opponents played soccer. Dodge City College utterly mutilated Gordon’s NINETY-THREE to NOTHING!
NUMBER SIX TAKES A FALL – Every year Balladeer’s Blog covers the intense gridiron rivalry between the NAIA and NCAA Division Three. Yesterday the NAIA’s UN-ranked CARROLL (MT) COLLEGE FIGHTING SAINTS welcomed D3’s number 6 LINFIELD COLLEGE WILDCATS. The Fighting Saints led 7-0 at the break, then followed through with a 21-14 triumph. Continue reading
VICTORY BOWL – Each year the season-ending event in the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) is the Victory Bowl. This year’s edition pitted the CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY TIGERS against the SOUTHWESTERN ASSEMBLIES OF GOD UNIVERSITY LIONS. The Lions led this catfight 7-6 in the 1st Quarter and 21-19 at Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with the Tigers on top 32-21 before they went on to win it 41-28. 
UPSET IN BALDWIN CITY – The 11th seeded GEORGETOWN (KY) COLLEGE TIGERS visited the 6 seeds – the BAKER UNIVERSITY WILDCATS – in this First Round clash. A 14-13 1st Quarter lead for the Tigers became a 26-20 Wildcats edge by the Half. The 4th Quarter started with Georgetown College back on top 34-33, and a Safety gave them a 36-33 victory. 
TOP SEEDS IN A THRILLER – The top seeds – the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS – welcomed the 16th seeded BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS. After a lengthy lightning delay the Alpha and Omega of this year’s NAIA playoffs finally squared off. The Ravens gave the Cougars almost more than they could handle, but in the end the University of Saint Francis moved on to the Second Round with a 26-21 win. 
TEN OVER SEVEN – Yes, it seems that no matter what the sport, 10 seed over 7 seed upsets are virtually a postseason tradition. In this particular game the 10th seeded NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS faced the 7 seeds – the LANGSTON UNIVERSITY LIONS. The Red Raiders proceeded to shock, then obliterate their hosts to the tune of FIFTY-FIVE to SEVEN! 
ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY RULES THE WORLD – Several times a year NAIA football teams manage upsets of teams from NCAA Division TWO! Yesterday saw multiple instances, too, like the ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM battling the Division 2 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY CLAN (as in Scottish Clan). The Firestorm won this Instant Classic by a final score of 34-28. 
TAYLOR UNIVERSITY TOPPLES D2 AS WELL – For newbies to these divisions these NAIA over NCAA Division 2 upsets are like when 1AA teams upset 1A teams. In this game the TAYLOR UNIVERSITY TROJANS did battle with D2’s MALONE UNIVERSITY PIONEERS. Spectators got more than their money’s worth in this matchup, too, which saw the Trojans emerge with a 28-21 victory. 
LANGSTON CRUSHES DIVISION TWO – The NAIA’s LANGSTON UNIVERSITY LIONS took on NCAA Division Two’s LINCOLN (MO) UNIVERSITY BLUE TIGERS in The LU Classic. The Lions dominated the Blue Tigers on both sides of the ball, defeating them 30-14 in their own house. REMEMBER: Any wins over D2 teams count as 2 wins each in my weekly NAIA vs NCAA Division Three tally. 
NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) 
We have 2016’s first gridiron championship in the divisions covered by Balladeer’s Blog, which names Warner University the NCCAA Champs. The Royals took the Victory Bowl banner, too! 
CLOSE CALLS FOR A PAIR OF NUMBER TWOS – In D2 the 2nd ranked GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS needed Double Overtime to put away their hosts the SAGINAW VALLEY STATE CARDINALS by a score of 62-56 ### And D3’s number 2 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT WHITEWATER WARHAWKS had to survive a 27-20 Overtime duel with the visiting UW-RIVER FALLS FALCONS. 
NUMBER SIX FALLS IN A DEFENSIVE EPIC – Over in the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) the BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS paid a visit to the number 6 team in the nation – the GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS. This text-book example of stellar gridiron defense ended in a 7-3 upset win for the Ravens. 
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER SEVEN – Yesterday the unranked MICHIGAN TECH HUSKIES welcomed the number 7 team in the nation – the ASHLAND UNIVERSITY EAGLES. The Huskies defied all the prognosticators and made believers out of everyone by toppling the stunned Eagles in a 27-24 game for the ages! 
HANGING NINETY – The 6th ranked GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS traveled to face the CULVER-STOCKTON COLLEGE WILDCATS. The Vikings – apparently sharing Balladeer’s Blog’s weariness with teams called Wildcats, Eagles, Tigers and Bulldogs – proceeded to fold, spindle and mutilate their opponents. In the end Grand View University emerged with a NINETY to NOTHING win. 
DAVENPORT CONQUERS THE WORLD – As usual an NAIA team toppled a team from a higher division in yesterday’s action. The NAIA’s DAVENPORT UNIVERSITY PANTHERS squared off against the visiting QUINCY UNIVERSITY HAWKS from NCAA Division TWO. This was a true game for the ages, with the Panthers squeezing out a 14-10 upset. 
THAT WAS NUMBER FIIIIIIVE! – The unranked WEST TEXAS A&M BUFFALOES welcomed the number 5 team in the nation – the MIDWESTERN STATE MUSTANGS. For 4 bruising Quarters these two teams went blow for blow but there could only be one winner. That winner turned out to be the Buffaloes, who dragged down the Mustangs by a score of 35-27. 
NAIA OVER NCAA – The lone NAIA vs NCAA battle this week saw the NAIA’s PRESENTATION COLLEGE SAINTS welcome the FINLANDIA UNIVERSITY LIONS out of the NCAA. The Saints showed the Lions how football is played, eviscerating them by a score of SEVENTY-FOUR to NOTHING! So far in 2016 the NAIA has won three weeks, the NCAA has won one week and two weeks have been a tie. 
USCAA GAME OF THE WEEK – Meanwhile in the USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association) the WILLIAMSON COLLEGE OF THE TRADES MECHANICS took the field against the visiting GATTACA (NJ) COLLEGE STRAYERS. The Mechanics dominated in the game, doubling up on Gattaca College 28-14. 
NUMBER EIGHT FALLS AT HOME – The Number 18 HARDING UNIVERSITY BISON traveled to take on the 8th ranked HENDERSON STATE REDDIES yesterday. To the shock of the entire country the Bison proceeded to dismember the Reddies on their own field, manhandling them to the tune of 35-3. 
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