What is it with this college football season? Tonight will be the THIRD regular season clash between the number 1 and number 2 teams in the divisions covered by Balladeer’s Blog. A few weeks ago we had two such matchups in one afternoon as the NAIA’s Top 2 teams and the NJCAA’s Top 2 teams collided. This latest gridiron Armageddon takes place in Florence, AL as the Delta State Statesmen travel to face the North Alabama Lions. The Statesmen played in last December’s D2 Title game but lost to UMD and the Lions are coached by THE Terry Bowden, the Continue reading
Tag Archives: Sport
ONE VERSUS TWO IN D2 TONIGHT: DELTA STATE AT NORTH ALABAMA
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COOL HELMET: HASKELL INDIAN NATIONS UNIVERSITY INDIANS
Location: Lawrence, KS
Site: http://www.haskell.edu/index.html
Comment: Haskell plays college football in the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) and regular readers of my blog have seen the institution’s name in plenty of my sports reports. HINU is the premier institution of higher education for Native Americans throughout the CONUS and Continue reading
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NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM OCTOBER 8TH
FIGHTING SAINTS UPSET NUMBER 4 STATESMEN – The NAIA’s 15th ranked ST FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS brought down the mighty number 4 WILLIAM PENN STATESMEN in a pigskin Ragnarok yesterday. The final score in this game with national and MSFA implications was a tight 36-35. The Fighting Saints faithful await the next poll rankings with baited breath.
EDWARD WATERS AND LANGSTON RULE THE WORLD – Each week usually gives us at least one NAIA team toppling a higher division team but yesterday we had two. The EDWARD WATERS TIGERS won an Instant Classic against D2’s LIVINGSTONE BLUE BEARS by a score of 14-13. The NAIA’s LANGSTON LIONS pulled off their THIRD upset of a D2 team this season, bringing down the PANHANDLE STATE AGGIES 41-23.
RANGERS AND THE STORM (For you Doors fans) – I had put the NAIA’s 10th ranked SOUTHERN NAZARENE CRIMSON STORM on upset alert yesterday and was proven right when they fell on the road at the NW OKLAHOMA STATE RANGERS. The Crimson Storm led 12-6 at one point but the Rangers’ Black Cloud defense stepped up big, shutting SNU out for the rest of the game. The Crimson Storm wound up losing 28-12.
HYLININGSFEST HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA – The number 14 BETHANY SWEDES were celebrating both Homecoming and Hyliningsfest yesterday . That way you don’t have to do your holiday shopping separately for each event. The ST MARY SPIRES played Grinch to the celebrating Swedes, however, by upsetting the home team in a nail-biting 35-32 Instant Classic.
TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – In addition to the above mentioned upsets, the 17th ranked EASTERN OREGON Continue reading
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCOREBOARDS FOR OCTOBER 8TH
In the NAIA the William Penn University Statesmen are ranked 4th in the nation and continue saying “Just TRY to leave us out of the playoffs this year”. Last year WPU ended the year ranked at 11 but were unjustifiably left out of the 16 team NAIA playoff field. (That’s right, the divisions of college football covered by Balladeer’s Blog settle things with a playoff!) The Statesmen are on the road today against the 15th ranked St Francis (IL) Fighting Saints in a crucial Mid States Football Association matchup. Both teams lead their respective divisions of “The Association” as Jim Rome would call it, and are unbeaten in conference play.
Keeping to the theme of games between ranked teams today, the 9th ranked Morningside Mustangs, back on track to take the Great Plains Athletic Conference title following their upset at the hands of the Nebraska Wesleyan University Prairie Wolves a few weeks ago, host the 13th ranked Doane Tigers, who upset Midland University last week. The number 25 Cumberland Bulldogs meanwhile are at the 22nd ranked Shorter Hawks with the loser obviously knocked out of the rankings completely. Only one team is ranked in what I think may be the most exciting game of the day as the number 10 Southern Nazarene University Crimson Storm are on the road against the ever-tough Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers.
D2 treats us to a Show Me State showdown between the 7th ranked Northwest Missouri Bearcats and the number 14 Central Missouri Mules. D3’s only matchup between ranked teams finds the 15th ranked Cortland State Red Dragons at the number 11 Montclair State Red Hawks. And now, links to updating scoreboards for the divisions I cover:
NAIA – http://www.victorysportsnetwork.com/sport/0/14.php
D3 – http://d3football.com/scoreboard/composite
D2 – http://www.d2football.com/scores/
NJCAA – http://www.njcaa.org/sports_schedules.cfm?category=Schedules%2FScores&sid=11&divid=0&slid=5
SCFA – http://www.scfafootball.com/statistics/scoreboard.html
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLLS: WEEK OF OCTOBER 4TH
Coach Mike Feminis and his Saint Xavier University Cougars remain the pride of Chicago as they retain the top spot in the NAIA Top 25 for the 4th consecutive week. The 5-0 Cougars from the land of Koz (As in Rich Koz) once again received all of the 1st place votes. Meanwhile, there are new number 1’s in 2 of the polls after some upsets this past Saturday.
NAIA – 1. SXU Cougars … 2. Marian Knights (highest ranking in team history) … 3. CC Fighting Saints (defending champs) … 4. William Penn Statesmen … 5. MVC Vikings … 6. Georgetown (KY) Tigers … 7. St Francis (IN) Cougars … 8. MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers … 9. Morningside Mustangs … 10. Southern Nazarene University Crimson Storm … 11. Benedictine Ravens … 12. Azusa Pacific Cougars … 13. Doane Tigers … 14. Bethany Swedes … 15. St Francis (IL) Fighting Saints … 16. Dakota Wesleyan Tigers … 17. Eastern Oregon Mountaineers … 18. St Ambrose Fighting Bees … 19. Ottawa (KS) Braves … 20. VCS Vikings … 21. Bethel (TN) Wildcats … 22. Shorter Hawks … 23. Rocky Mountain College Battlin’ Bears … 24. Midland Warriors … 25. Cumberland Bulldogs
NCAA DIVISION 3 – 1. Whitewater Warhawks (defending champs) … 2. Mt Union Purple Raiders (The Warhawks and the Purple Raiders have played each other in the past 6 D3 championship games in a row, splitting 3 each) … 3. St Thomas Tommies … 4. MHBU Crusaders Continue reading
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NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM OCTOBER 1ST
DON’T MUSS WITH GUS – D2’s 16th ranked PITTSBURG (KS) STATE GORILLAS brought down the number one team, the NORTHWEST MISSOURI BEARCATS by a score of 38-35 in the aptly- named Fall Classic. The neutral site game between these two MidAmerica Intercollegiate Athletics Association rivals is played at Arrowhead Stadium, and the crowd in attendance was treated to a classic comeback. Gus the gorilla’s team faced a double digit deficit late in the game but, refusing to give up, Pitt State emerged with the type of signature win the program has been lacking since its trip to the D2 championship game nearly a decade ago. A field goal from Chase McCoy as time expired gave the Gorillas the win.
ARMAGEDDON IN FORT WAYNE – The NAIA’s gridiron showdown today between its Top 2 teams was full of thrills and hard hits. The number 1 SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS defended their top ranking for the third week in a row, defeating the 2nd place team, the SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS, in their own house by a score of 42-31. As in the Fall Classic above, the winning team at one point trailed by double digits before turning the tables. The SXU Cougars are the football pride of Chicago so far in 2011!
NUMBER ONE TAKES A FALL – The NJCAA’s 2nd ranked team, the BLINN COLLEGE BUCCANEERS, where Cam Newton played his college ball before transferring to Auburn, dethroned the top- ranked defending champs, the NAVARRO COLLEGE BULLDOGS in a 31-26 game for the ages. The Buccaneers move to 5-0 on the season and look to become the new number 1 in the next poll.
TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – The unranked ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLING BEARS stopped the meteoric ascent of the 9th ranked EASTERN OREGON MOUNTAINEERS. RMC handed the home team a surprising 51-17 beatdown and at 17, the DOANE TIGERS brought down the 14th ranked MIDLAND WARRIORS in a 43-39 shootout.
TOP 25 UPSETS – D3 – The 5th ranked BETHEL (MN) ROYALS were upset at home by the ST OLAF OLES in a tight, nailbiting 30-28 affair … The number 7 team, the WHEATON THUNDER, fell on the road to the Continue reading
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCOREBOARDS FOR OCTOBER 1ST: NAIA, D3, D2, NJCAA, SCFA AND NCFA
Among the high-profile games today will be this year’s edition of the Fall Classic between D2’s top-ranked NORTHWEST MISSOURI BEARCATS and the number 16 PITTSBURG (KS) STATE GORILLAS. As usual, this neutral site matchup is being held at Arrowhead Stadium. We’ll have some Cougar on Cougar violence today as the NAIA’s number 1 SXU COUGARS take it on the road to battle the 2nd ranked SFU (IN) COUGARS in one of those glorious but rare “1 vs 2” regular season battles. In fact in the NAIA there hasn’t been a regular season matchup with the top 2 teams since 1999.
Meanwhile, coming off a bye week, D3’s top-ranked defending champs, the WHITEWATER WARHAWKS, host their conference rivals the PLATTEVILLE PIONEERS. Someone’s “0” will definitely go today as the NAVARRO COLLEGE BULLDOGS, the number 1 team in NJCAA football, travel to take on the 2nd ranked BLINN COLLEGE BUCCANEERS. Both teams come in to this crucial matchup at 4-0 on the season. That’s right, we have no less than TWO games today pitting the first and second ranked teams in their division against each other! The SCFA’s new number 1 team, the SADDLEBACK GAUCHOS host the CERRITOS FALCONS in a late west coast game.
THE ONE VS TWO ARMAGEDDON IN THE NAIA TODAY KICKS OFF AT NOON EDT. DON’T MISS THE BIGGEST BATTLE BETWEEN COUGARS SINCE THE JOAN COLLINS VS LINDA EVANS CATFIGHTS!
And now, links to updating scoreboards for the divisions of college football covered by Balladeer’s Blog:
NAIA – http://www.victorysportsnetwork.com/sport/0/14.php
D3 – http://d3football.com/scoreboard/composite
D2 – http://www.d2football.com/scores/
NJCAA – http://www.njcaa.org/sports_schedules.cfm?category=Schedules%2FScores&sid=11&divid=0&slid=5
SCFA – http://www.scfafootball.com/statistics/scoreboard.html
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THE THOROBREDS BATTLE THE GOLDEN RAMS IN THE CIRCLE CITY CLASSIC
I’m in the mood to showcase these retro helmets of the Kentucky State Thorobreds, who are celebrating their 125th year this season. The Thorobreds are 3-1 so far and hoping to keep their momentum going this weekend at the 28th Annual Circle City Classic. The Classic is played at a neutral site, Lucas Oil Stadium, in Indianapolis, and pits Kentucky State against their SIAC rivals the Albany (GA) State Golden Rams. The Fleeces, as I call them for short, bring an identical 3-1 record plus their Dirty Blue Defense and Gold Rush O-Line to the game. Both teams are Continue reading
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP 25 POLLS FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27TH
Well, the new polls are out for the divisions of college football that Balladeer’s Blog covers. I’ll have the entire Top 25 lists in a moment, but first, since this is the last poll for September let’s take a closer look at our number 1 teams at present.
NAIA – The unanimous number 1 team continues to be the Saint Xavier University Cougars. Coach Mike Feminis, AKA Coach Fem, knows football even better than he knows B-Movies, all of which makes him one of my favorite coaches in college sports. This past weekend the Cougars completely dismantled the Trinity International Trojans by a score of 49-14. The Menlo Oaks, making a name for themselves this year by consistently defeating NCAA Division 3 teams, make their first appearance in the 2011 Top 25, as do the Evangel Crusaders and the VCS Vikings.
NCAA DIVISION 3 – The Whitewater Warhawks maintain their stranglehold on the top spot, with the Mt Union Purple Raiders naturally right behind them at number 2. For newbies to D3 football, the Warhawks and Purple Raiders are the Yankees and Red Sox of the sport and have played each other in the D3 national championship game for the past 6 years in a row. Each team has won 3 during that run. Will it be “Purple Bowl VII” this December 16th, or will another team manage to rise up in the playoffs and actually beat one of these two powerhouses?
NCAA DIVISION 2 – The Northwest Missouri Bearcats, after a cruel and heart- breaking offseason, are getting it done on the field and are number 1 for the 2nd week in a row. This week the Bearcats prepare for the Fall Classic against the Pittsburg (KS) State Gorillas coming up on Saturday. At 2, 3 and 5 in Division 2 are 3/5’s of the pitifully few remaining teams in the Gulf South Conference, formerly the SEC of D2 football. In second place are Terry Bowden’s North Alabama Lions, in the 3 spot are the Lions’ GSC rivals, the Delta State Statesemen and the VSU Blazers are at number 5.
NJCAA – The Navarro College Bulldogs, the defending champions of NJCAA football, retain the top spot. The ‘dogs from Corsicana, TX have rarely been challenged so far this season outside of opening night, when they needed overtime to win the rematch with the Butler (KS) Grizzlies, the team they defeated for the title on December 5th. The Blinn College Buccaneers, where Cam Newton played college ball before transferring to Auburn, clung to the 2 spot, with the Arizona Western College Matadors and the Iowa Western Reivers hanging around the Top 5.
SCFA – The Saddleback Gauchos are the new number 1 in the SCFA poll, after the former number one, and the defending champs, the Mt San Antonio College Mounties, were upset by the Riverside Tigers on Saturday. The 4th place Tigers garnered 2 number 1 votes after bringing down Mt SAC and 3 more went to the 2nd place team, the El Camino Warriors. The Mounties themselves fell to number 5, just behind the team that unseated them, and coming in at the 3 spot are the Fullerton Hornets. Mt SAC is the only team in the Top 5 with a Continue reading
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NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM SEPTEMBER 24TH
A MILESTONE FOR SIOUX FALLS – The UNIVERSITY OF SIOUX FALLS COUGARS won their first gridiron victory since leaving the NAIA for D2 after last season. Yesterday they logged a road win over the MINOT STATE BEAVERS, themselves recently moved over to D2 from the NAIA. The final score in this game that will live on in USF history was 38-23.
THE WALSH CAVALIERS RULE THE WORLD – The NAIA’s WALSH CAVALIERS took it on the road yesterday and brought down D2’s URBANA BLUE KNIGHTS in a very memorable 22-20 gridiron epic.
NUMBER ONE TAKES A FALL – The SCFA’s top-ranked team, the MT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE MOUNTIES, who are also the defending champs in that division, fell from the ranks of the unbeaten following a 29-26 loss to the RIVERSIDE TIGERS.
STAGG BOWL IS READY FOR PRIME TIME – It may not be a game result from yesterday, but it’s a significant development in NCAA Division 3 football. The D3 championship game, better known as the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, is moving from Saturday to Friday night. This year the game will be played at 7 pm ET on December 16th. This marks the first prime time airing of the Stagg Bowl since 2001.
TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – The 11th ranked MORNINGSIDE MUSTANGS, still smarting from being toppled from the 3 spot last week after being upset at home by the NEBRASKA WESLEYAN PRAIRIE WOLVES, took down the 9th ranked MIDLAND WARRIORS. The Mustangs earned this bounce back win on the road in a 28-27 Instant Classic that spoiled Midland’s Homecoming … The unranked BETHEL (TN) WILDCATS defeated the 15th ranked CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS in their own house by a tight score of 35-28 … At number 17, the ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLING BEARS suffered their 2nd loss of the season at the hands of the unranked road warriors, the MONTANA STATE- NORTHERN LIGHTS in a 35-32 game for the ages.
TOP 25 UPSETS – D3 – Just one week after needing overtime to polish off the OTTERBEIN CARDINALS, the 9th ranked OHIO NORTHERN POLAR BEARS struggled against another unranked team, the MUSKINGUM MUSKIES. The Muskies wound up Continue reading
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