As 2022 nears its end here’s one last round of congratulations to the college football champions from all the divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog.
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)
National Champions – NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS
Runners-Up – Keiser University Seahawks
2021 Champions – Morningside College Mustangs
NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association)
My National Champions – OTTAWA UNIVERSITY (AZ) SPIRIT
Runners-Up – Olivet Nazarene University Tigers
2019 Champions – Concordia University (MI) Cardinals (No champs in 2021 or 2020) Continue reading
LANE COLLEGE CONQUERS DIVISION ONE – NCAA Division Two’s LANE COLLEGE DRAGONS visited NCAA Division One’s TENNESSEE STATE TIGERS. A 13-10 Dragons edge at Halftime turned into a 20-17 lead to end the 3rd Quarter. The Tigers forced Overtime with a 20-20 tie to end Regulation, then scored 7 points in the extra session. Lane College took a gamble by going for 2 after notching a TD of their own and SUCCEEDED for a gutsy 28-27 Upset. 
TOPPLING NUMBER SIX – Staying in D2 for a moment, the MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE CHOCTAWS took it on the road against the number 6 team in the nation – the UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA WOLVES. The Wolves held a 21-10 advantage at the Half and a 28-23 lead in the 3rd Quarter. In the 4th the Choctaws came from behind to win this Instant Classic 39-38. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER SEVEN – Over in the NAIA the ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM welcomed the country’s number 7 team – the OTTAWA UNIVERSITY (AZ) SPIRIT. The Spirit were on top 24-9 at the break, but the Firestorm cut that to a 31-23 deficit in the 3rd Quarter before pulling out a 40-38 comeback victory in the 4th. 
THREE OVER TWO – In the NAIA the number 3 team in the nation – the MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS – traveled to face the 2nd ranked NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS. The Mustangs led 14-10 in the 1st Quarter but the Red Raiders went up 26-24 by Halftime. Morningside College went back on top 34-33 to end the 3rd Quarter before cementing the Upset in the 4th with a 55-49 win. 
NUMBER FIVE TAKES A FALL – Staying in the NAIA for a moment, the CENTRAL METHODIST UNIVERSITY EAGLES welcomed America’s 5th ranked BAKER UNIVERSITY WILDCATS. The Eagles put the Wildcats on Upset Alert at the break with a 7-6 edge, then led 14-12 in the 3rd Quarter and won out in the end 21-19. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER SIX – Over in NCAA Division Two the SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA STATE SAVAGE STORM visited the country’s number 6 team – the OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY TIGERS. The Savage Storm parlayed a 7-0 opening Quarter lead into a 28-7 advantage at the Half. After the break SOSU held off the Tigers to win the game 35-21. 
EIGHTY-FOUR – Down in NCAA Division Three the LAKE FOREST COLLEGE FORESTERS played host to the BELOIT COLLEGE BUCCANEERS yesterday. By the midpoint of the game the Foresters held an amazing 56-3 lead. They never looked back from there, ultimately triumphing by a final score of EIGHTY-FOUR to THREE. 
GENERALS CONQUER DIVISION TWO – NCAA Division Three’s WASHINGTON & LEE UNIVERSITY GENERALS took it on the road to face NCAA Division Two’s EMORY & HENRY COLLEGE WASPS. (This is like when an FCS team upsets an FBS team) A 7-7 1st Quarter tie became a 21-14 edge for the Wasps at Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with the Generals up 24-21 before winning the game 30-28. 
TUSSLE IN THE TOP FOUR – Up in NCAA Division Two the number 2 team in the nation – the VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS – welcomed the 4th ranked UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA WOLVES. The Blazers held a 27-13 lead by the Half. The Wolves pulled to within 33-27 in the 3rd Quarter, with their rally falling just short in the 4th as Valdosta State held on for a 36-34 victory. 
EASY AS ONE, TWO, THREE – Over in the NAIA the (1) LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS won 41-30 at the (22) BETHEL (TN) WILDCATS ### The (2) NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS obliterated the visiting (20) DORDT UNIVERSITY DEFENDERS 63-28 ### And the (3) MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS utterly annihilated the UNIVERSITY OF JAMESTOWN JIMMIES 70-7. 
SHENANDOAH CONQUERS DIVISION TWO – NCAA Division Three’s SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY HORNETS borrowed a page from assorted NAIA teams by toppling a higher division team. The Hornets welcomed NCAA Division Two’s EMORY & HENRY COLLEGE WASPS and in the ensuing defensive epic pulled out a 9-7 victory. 
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER THREE – In NCAA Division Two the COLORADO MESA UNIVERSITY MAVERICKS welcomed the number 3 team in the nation – the COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES OREDIGGERS. After a 7-7 1st Quarter tie the Orediggers were up 21-16 at Halftime. From there the Mavericks shut them out and won the game 26-21. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER FIVE – Over in the NAIA the number 11 MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS faced the visiting 5th ranked CONCORDIA (MI) UNIVERSITY CARDINALS. A 13-7 Knights lead at the Half became 19-7 to end the 3rd Quarter and ultimately a 25-7 victory for Marian U. 
NUMBER ONE TAKES A FALL – In NCAA Division Two the 15th ranked UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA WOLVES visited the number 1 team in the nation – the defending champion UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA ARGONAUTS. The Wolves led 17-9 at Halftime but the Argonauts pulled to within 24-23 to end the 3rd Quarter. In the 4th, West Georgia won out 30-26.
TAKING DOWN NUMBER FOUR – Back to NCAA Division Two for this clash between the WASHBURN UNIVERSITY ICHABODS and the visiting 4th ranked NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS. The 1st Half was a defensive struggle, with the Ichabods on top by just 3-0 at the Half. That became a 10-7 edge in the 3rd Quarter and ultimately a 17-16 Upset triumph in the 4th. 
RANDOLPH-MACON CONQUERS DIVISION TWO – NCAA Division Three’s RANDOLPH-MACON COLLEGE YELLOW JACKETS borrowed a page from the NAIA by toppling a higher division team yesterday. The Yellow Jackets edged NCAA Division TWO’s EMORY & HENRY COLLEGE WASPS in a 34-31 thriller. 
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER SIX – Up in the NAIA the 14th ranked INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS hosted the number six team in the nation – the MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS. The Wildcats put the Knights on Upset Alert from the beginning, with a 17-0 lead in the opening Quarter. They never looked back from there, ultimately winning a 41-7 blowout. 
NUMBER EIGHT TAKES A FALL – Staying in the NAIA for a moment, the BETHEL (TN) WILDCATS welcomed the 8th ranked GEORGETOWN (KY) COLLEGE TIGERS. A 7-7 1st Quarter tie remained unchanged at Halftime before the Tigers went up 16-7 in the 3rd Quarter. In the explosive 4th Quarter the Wildcats came from behind for a 25-24 triumph. 
TOPPLING NUMBER SIX – In NCAA Division Two, the UNIVERSITY OF CHARLESTON GOLDEN EAGLES played host to the number 6 team in the nation – the NOTRE DAME COLLEGE FALCONS (School Motto: “No, not THAT Notre Dame”). The Golden Eagles put the Falcons on Upset Alert with a 17-14 Halftime lead and ultimately won the game 38-28. 
NUMBER NINE FALLS, TOO – Staying in D2 for a moment, the 23rd ranked UNIVERSITY OF WEST ALABAMA TIGERS took it on the road against the country’s number 9 UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA WOLVES. A 24-17 lead for the Tigers at the break ended up in a 38-20 Upset victory for them. 
HISTORY IN THE NCCAA – The ERSKINE COLLEGE FLYING FLEET, in their very first year of intercollegiate football, notched their first ever victory yesterday. It came against their guests the VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY OF LYNCHBURG DRAGONS. The Flying Fleet were chasing the Dragons 7-3 in the opening Quarter but were on top 24-7 come Halftime. They never looked back on their way to a 59-13 blowout. 
HILLSDALE HOME STAND – The storied HILLSDALE COLLEGE CHARGERS took the field against the visiting MISSOURI S&T MINERS. The Miners led the Chargers 10-7 in the opening Quarter and 24-17 at Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with Missouri S&T in front 31-24 before Hillsdale College came back in the 4th for a 38-31 victory. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER SEVEN – NCAA Division Two’s 22nd ranked HARDING UNIVERSITY BISON welcomed the number 7 team in the nation – the OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY TIGERS. A 14-7 1st Quarter edge for the Bison became a 24-7 advantage by the Half. After the break both teams scored 14 more points as Harding University upset OBU 38-21. 
BLUEFIELD CONQUERS DIVISION TWO – The NAIA’s BLUEFIELD COLLEGE RAMBLING RAMS took it on the road against the NCAA Division Two team the EMORY & HENRY COLLEGE WASPS. For newbies this is like when 1AA teams take on 1A teams. Trailing 38-17 in the 4th Quarter the Rambling Rams came back to win 46-45!
GIANT-KILLERS – This week 3 NCAA Division 3 teams imitated the NAIA’s usual schtick of defeating teams from higher divisions. The UW-OSHKOSH TITANS won 28-10 at D2’s NORTHERN MICHIGAN WILDCATS ### Meanwhile the LINFIELD COLLEGE WILDCATS hammered D2’s SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY CLAN 56-20 ### And the WHITWORTH UNIVERSITY PIRATES edged D2’s LINCOLN (CA) UNIVERSITY OAKLANDERS 31-29. 
HISTORY WAS MADE – The BLUEFIELD STATE BIG BLUE managed the FIRST victory for their revived intercollegiate football program! After losing last week the Big Blue visited the ELIZABETH CITY STATE VIKINGS. Bluefield State trailed 21-0 in the 1st Quarter but tied things up 21-21 by Halftime. The Vikings went up 27-21 in the 3rd but the Big Blue came back to win it 35-27. 
MARATHON GAME OF THE WEEK – This particular designation goes to the clash between the SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY RIVER HAWKS and their hosts the FRANKLIN & MARSHALL COLLEGE DIPLOMATS. It took FIVE OVERTIMES before the River Hawks emerged with a 30-28 victory. 
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