*** DIVISION THREE ***
WHITELAW BOWL – The 2017 edition of the Scotty Whitelaw Bowl pitted the ITHACA COLLEGE BOMBERS against the SALISBURY UNIVERSITY SEA GULLS. The two teams were tied 7-7 after 1 Quarter of play but the Sea Gulls were on top 10-7 by Halftime. That had become a 17-7 advantage as the 4th Quarter started. From there the Bombers came alive for TWENTY unanswered points to win the game 27-17.
LYNAH BOWL – The ALFRED UNIVERSITY SAXONS battled the STEVENSON UNIVERSITY MUSTANGS in the James Lynah Bowl. The Mustangs grabbed a quick 3-0 1st Quarter edge but by the break the Saxons held a 21-3 lead. In the 2nd Half Alfred University kept their opponents at arm’s length for a 29-16 victory.
NEW YORK BOWL – The very first New York Bowl presented a team from the Empire 8 Conference – the CORTLAND STATE RED DRAGONS – against a team from the Liberty League – the UNION COLLEGE DUTCHMEN. The Red Dragons dominated early, leading the Dutchmen 14-7 in the 1st Quarter and 28-7 at the Half. Union College came roaring back, however, causing Cortland State to hold on for a 35-28 triumph. Continue reading
THE MISSISSIPPI BOWL 
The Number Two ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE MATADORS. 
SALT CITY BOWL 
The EASTERN ARIZONA COLLEGE GILA MONSTERS 
VALLEY OF THE SUN BOWL 
The MESA COLLEGE THUNDERBIRDS 
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER TWO – The NAVARRO COLLEGE BULLDOGS took it on the road against the undefeated 2nd ranked team in the nation – the TYLER COLLEGE APACHES. Navarro trailed the Apaches 14-0 in the 1st Quarter and 26-13 at Halftime. After the break the Bulldogs made their move, shutting out Tyler College the rest of the way while notching 7 points in the 3rd Quarter and 17 in the 4th. Navarro College pulled off the mammoth upset by a final count of 37-26. 
AND ANOTHER UPSET IN THE TOP TEN – The storied ASA COLLEGE AVENGERS welcomed the number 10 LACKAWANNA COLLEGE FALCONS. After a scoreless 1st Quarter the Avengers and the Falcons were tied up at 7-7 by the Half. An action-packed 3rd Quarter saw ASA College go on top 19-14 and a Safety in the 4th cemented a 21-14 win for the Avengers. 
DRAGGING DOWN NUMBER ELEVEN – The 16th ranked GEORGIA MILITARY COLLEGE BULLDOGS played host to the number 11 team in the nation – the COLLEGE OF DUPAGE CHAPARRALS. The visiting Chaparrals held a 16-7 lead over the Bulldogs at Halftime but scored one lone Field Goal in the entire 2nd Half. Georgia Military College, meanwhile, added 9 points in the 3rd Quarter and 14 in the 4th for a 30-19 triumph. 
DOUBLING UP ON THE COMPETITION – The DAKOTA COLLEGE AT BOTTINEAU LUMBERJACKS found themselves on the road against the RIDGEWATER COLLEGE WARRIORS and routed them 34-17 ### And the (1) EAST MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE LIONS hammered the visiting ITAWAMBA COLLEGE INDIANS to the tune of 48-24.
SHOOTOUT IN ARIZONA – This game pitted the MESA COLLEGE THUNDERBIRDS against the home-standing GLENDALE COLLEGE GAUCHOS. Neither team scored in the 1st Quarter, yet by Halftime the Thunderbirds held a 45-38 lead! After the break the Gauchos outscored Mesa College 23-21 but the T-birds still went back home with a SIXTY-SIX to SIXTY-ONE victory. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER THREE – The 14th ranked BLINN COLLEGE BUCCANEERS welcomed the number 3 team in the nation – the TRINITY VALLEY COLLEGE CARDINALS – on Saturday. The Buccaneers and Cardinals were tied 14-14 in the 1st Quarter but Blinn College grabbed a 24-17 lead by Halftime. A 24-24 tie to end the 3rd Quarter ultimately became a 31-27 triumph for the Buccaneers, who are still unbeaten for 2017. 
AND NUMBER FOUR COMES TUMBLING AFTER – The BUTLER (KS) GRIZZLIES battled the 4th ranked IOWA WESTERN COLLEGE REIVERS. A 14-0 1st Quarter lead for the Grizzlies was cut to a mere 14-13 edge by the break. Butler College made it a 21-13 game in the 3rd Quarter, with the Reivers scoring a Touchdown in the 4th but missing the 2-point conversion attempt. The Grizzlies won it 21-19. 
HUTCH EDGES THE DEFENDING CHAMPS – The storied HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS took it on the road against the Defending National Champions – the number 11 GARDEN CITY COLLEGE BRONCBUSTERS. The opening Quarter ended in a 7-7 tie with the Blue Dragons on top 14-7 at Halftime. Hutchinson College led the Broncbusters 28-21 to start the 4th Quarter and from there held on for a 31-28 road upset. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER THREE – The INDEPENDENCE COLLEGE PIRATES welcomed the defending National Champions – the number 3 GARDEN CITY COLLEGE BRONCBUSTERS. The score was tied at 14-14 by Halftime but from there the Pirates outscored the Broncbusters 13-9 to pull off a nation-shaking 27-23 upset. 
VICTORIOUS VERMILION – The VERMILION COLLEGE IRONMEN took the field against the MINNESOTA TECH SPARTANS on Saturday. The Ironmen trailed the Spartans 7-0 after 1 Quarter of play but knotted things up at 7-7 by the break. The 3rd Quarter ended with Vermilion College on top 14-7 and from there the Ironmen won it 28-7. 
NUMBER ONE SURVIVES A CLOSE CALL – Last night the number 1 team in the nation – the dynastic NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS – took it on the road against the WASHBURN UNIVERSITY ICHABODS. This game went right down to the wire, with the Bearcats holding on in the end for a 20-14 victory in this Instant Classic. 
STUNG BY THE HORNETS – Meanwhile, NCAA Division Two’s 11th ranked EMPORIA STATE HORNETS had no trouble at all with the visiting UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT KEARNEY LOPERS. The Hornets dominated the reeling Lopers on both sides of the ball for a FORTY-FIVE to THIRTEEN blowout win. 
HOME-STANDS – The SCOTTSDALE COLLEGE FIGHTING ARTICHOKES hosted the GLENDALE COLLEGE GAUCHOS on Saturday and manhandled them by a score of 37-7 ### Meanwhile the NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA A&M GOLDEN NORSEMEN lambasted the visiting NEW MEXICO MILITARY INSTITUTE BRONCOS (should be the Cavalry) 40-7 ### And the MESABI RANGE COLLEGE NORSE clobbered the MINNESOTA STATE SPARTANS 42-15. 
WHEN TITANS CLASH – The 12th ranked team in the nation – the IOWA WESTERN COLLEGE REIVERS – played host to the HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS. By Halftime the Reivers held a 21-7 advantage over the Blue Dragons. After the break Iowa Western College had to withstand Hutchinson’s furious comeback attempt to emerge with a 27-21 victory. The Reivers improve to 2-0, Hutch is now 1-1. 
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. 
NUMBER THREE GETS KNOCKED OFF – In D2 the UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS GREYHOUNDS welcomed the number 3 team in the nation – the GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS. The dynastic Lakers appeared to be in the driver’s seat with a 13-0 1st Quarter lead, but by Halftime the Greyhounds had made it a 13-10 game. 
AND NUMBER FIVE CAME TUMBLING AFTER – Over in the NAIA the 24th ranked SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS clashed with the nation’s number 5 team – the MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS. A 1st Quarter 6-0 edge for the Cougars turned into a commanding 26-7 lead by the Half. 
OUR DIVISION CAN BEAT UP YOUR DIVISION – 2017’s first round of NAIA football vs NCAA Division 3 football resulted in a split. 
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