HEADLINES
YET ANOTHER NAIA TEAM DEFEATS AN NCAA D2 TEAM – The NAIA’s CONCORDIA (MI) CARDINALS took it on the road to face the NCAA Division Two team the MALONE UNIVERSITY PIONEERS. The higher division Pioneers were at home, too, but none of that mattered as the Cardinals showed Malone how football is played in the NAIA. Concordia won the game 42-27.
DIVISION TWO OVER DIVISION ONE – NCAA Division Two’s MOREHOUSE COLLEGE MAROON TIGERS likewise played at a higher division team yesterday. In this case the Maroon Tigers traveled to face NCAA Division One’s UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF GOLDEN LIONS. By Halftime Morehouse had the Golden Lions on Upset Alert with a 28-20 lead and followed through with a 34-30 victory.
NUMBER FIVE GOES DOWN – In the NJCAA the HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS were on the road against the number 5 team in the nation – the INDEPENDENCE COLLEGE PIRATES. A 14-7 Blue Dragons lead in the opening Quarter turned into a 37-7 advantage at the break and ultimately a 37-27 win for Hutchinson College.
USCAA OVER NCAA – The NEWPORT NEWS APPRENTICE SCHOOL BUILDERS (formerly the Shipbuilders) from the USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association) visited the NCAA Division Three GREENSBORO COLLEGE PRIDE. The Builders converted a 7-0 1st Quarter lead into a 26-6 Halftime advantage. From there NNAS coasted to a 34-13 triumph. Continue reading
Per the Glitternight index Balladeer’s Blog has named the WILLIAMSON COLLEGE OF THE TRADES MECHANICS football’s National Champions of the USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association).
LANGSTON TOPPLES THE NCAA – Yet another NAIA college football team has upset a team from the NCAA Division Two. For newbies to these levels that is like when a 1AA team upsets a 1A team. The LANGSTON UNIVERSITY LIONS traveled to face the NCAA’s LANE COLLEGE DRAGONS yesterday and defeated them in a 27-21 game for the ages.
THAT WAS NUMBER FIIIIVE! – The UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA-WESTERN BULLDOGS welcomed the number 5 team in the nation – the MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS. The Bulldogs proceeded to celebrate their scheduled Booster Bash by dragging down the 5th ranked Orediggers 42-35 in an undeniable thriller.
OTHER UPSETS IN THE RANKINGS – The DORDT COLLEGE DEFENDERS took it on the road against the 12th ranked DOANE COLLEGE TIGERS and prevailed by a final score of 21-16 ### And the (17) STERLING COLLEGE WARRIORS marked Homecoming with a mild upset of the visiting (16) TABOR COLLEGE BLUE JAYS in a 23-21 Instant Classic.
NUMBER TWO TAKES A FALL – In NCAA Division Two the number 15 ASHLAND UNIVERSITY EAGLES hosted the 2nd ranked FERRIS STATE BULLDOGS. The defense for the Eagles was nearly perfect in this game which sent a rupture through the D2 rankings. When all was said and done Ashland University had defeated the Bulldogs by a score of 20-3.
CUMBERLAND NEARLY CONQUERS DIVISION ONE – Yesterday the NAIA’s CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY PHOENIX came tantalizingly close to being the latest NAIA team to topple an NCAA Division ONE program. The Phoenix were on the road against the Presbyterian College Blue Hose and saw a 7-7 1st Quarter tie become a 17-7 Halftime lead for the Blue Hose. The 3rd Quarter ended in a 20-20 deadlock but Presbyterian College slipped by Cumberland U in the 4th, 27-20.
TOP TEN TANGLE – In NCAA Division Three the number 10 team in the nation – the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT THOMAS TOMMIES – did battle with the 6th ranked SAINT JOHN’S UNIVERSITY JOHNNIES. The largest crowd in D3 history watched as the Tommies led the Johnnies 7-3 in the 1st Quarter and 17-10 at the Half. From there the University of Saint Thomas held on for a thrilling 20-17 victory.
MORNINGSIDE CONQUERS THE NCAA – Each week of college football season often sees various NAIA college teams upsetting NCAA Division Two teams. This is like when 1AA teams upset 1A teams. Yesterday the NAIA’s MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS faced the NCAA’s Division Two team the TRUMAN STATE BULLDOGS. The Mustangs held a commanding 28-10 Halftime lead but needed to hold on for a 35-30 victory.
NUMBER FOUR TAKES A FALL – Meanwhile in NCAA Division Three the UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT STOUT BLUE DEVILS welcomed the number 4 team in the nation – the UNIVERSITY OF SAINT THOMAS TOMMIES. A 7-6 1st Quarter lead for the Tommies became a 14-14 tie at the Half. After the break the Blue Devils outscored UST 11-8 for an earth-shaking 25-22 upset.
NUMBER SEVEN GOES DOWN – In NCAA Division Two the WEST TEXAS A&M BUFFALOES played host to the nation’s 7th ranked COLORADO STATE AT PUEBLO THUNDER WOLVES. The Buffaloes were trailing the Thunder Wolves 7-3 in the 1st Quarter and 21-11 at the midpoint. Neither team scored in the 3rd Quarter, with the Buffaloes notching 13 points in the 4th to win the game 24-21.
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.
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)
NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association)
USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association)
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.