Playoffs! Small college finals and semi-finals

[SWC75]

NAIA FINALS MATCH-UP

The 61st annual NAIA Football National Championship, presented by Waste Pro, is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 17 in Daytona Beach, Fla. The City of Daytona Beach hosts the event at Municipal Stadium for the third-straight season. For fan and visitor information, click here. The game will be delivered live on ESPN3 starting at 6 p.m. EST.

BAKER (Kan.) 14-0 (700-287) ranked #2 / 16-15 (0)
Vs.
SAINT FRANCIS (Ind.) 12-1 (563-240) ranked #4 / lost to Marian 21-35 / 26-15 (0)

Comment: Both schools are veteran contenders for the NAIA title who have never won it. St. Francis is the Buffalo Bills of the NAIA, having lost in the finals from 2004-06. Baker lost the 1986 NAIA DII title, before the organization eliminated divisions. St. Francis didn’t even have a team until 1998, (Donovan McNabb’s senior year- think about that). Kevin Donley, the only coach they ever had, is 175-43 since then with ten 10+ win seasons in 19 years. Baker has the more impressive record numerically but so did Reinhardt, who had out-scored their opponents 53-12. Baker is currently at 50-21 and had to put on a furious rally to survive in the semi-finals. They have no common opponents.

 

[SWC75]

NCAA D3 SEMI-FINALS

Both semi-finals were low-scoring games, proving that there’s a still a role for defense in college football.

John Carroll had beaten both Mount Union, (during the regular season) and Wisconsin-Whitewater (in the playoffs), an incredible double achievement but they couldn’t beat Whitewater’s conference rival, WISCONSIN-OSHKOSH, falling short by a score of 3-10. The game was scoreless at halftime. One touchdown drive on the first possession of the second half put the Titans in the lead. Three Blue Streak turnovers were key:
Titans advance in defensive battle

MARY-HARDIN BAYLOR defeated Mount Union 14-12 in a comparative scoring fest. Their win ensured that for the first time since 2004, someone other than Mount Union or Whitewater will win the DIII championship – because for the first time since then, neither team will be in the final. It’s a return to what the D3 final used to be- a chance to see someone different each year as those scores in the Sunday paper came alive. MH-B was in the last such game, losing to Linfield. Whoever wins this final will win their first ever national championship. Ajay Fanene intercepted a screen pass with 2:32 left to snuff out the last chance for the Purple Raiders.
UMHB ends Mount Union's Salem reign

FINALS MATCH-UP

The Championship game is currently on ESPNUHD, (channel 370 on TWC in Syracuse).

MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR (Tx) 14-0 (642-202) ranked #1 / 31-14 (0)
Vs.
WISCONSIN-OSHKOSH 13-1 (536-181) ranked #4 / lost to Wisconsin-Whitewater 14-17 / 9-2 (0)

 

[SWC75]

D2 SEMI-FINALS

NORTHWEST MISSOURI won a pyrrhic victory over Ferris State, 35-20 in a game where their starting quarterback, wide receiver and a cornerback all got hurt in the first half and couldn’t return to the game. Two fourth quarter touchdown drives clinched the game after Ferris had closed to 21-20.
Northwest Missouri advances to national title game by beating Ferris State

NORTH ALABAMA got past Shephe4rd 23-13 in the other semi-final, setting up a Lions vs. Bearcats final., two schools with a combined eight national championships, although North Alabama’s came back in 1993-1995, before Northwest Missouri won their first. The Lions clawed their way to a 20-10 halftime lead before the defenses took over in the second half.
North Alabama's bite is worse than bark in win over Shepherd

FINAL MATCH-UP

The final will be played 4PM Saturday and can be seen on ESPN2 or Watch ESPN.

NORTHWEST MISSOURI 14-0 (653-177) ranked #1 / 46-15 (5)
Vs.
NORTH ALABAMA 11-1 (466-160) ranked #3 / lost to Jacksonville State 12-31 / 35-17 (3)

These are the two winningest programs in the history of the D2 playoffs.

 

[SWC75]

FCS QUARTER-FINALS

The Bison of NORTH DAKOTA STATE avenged their only regular season loss on the field where it happened, turning an 0-10 deficit into a runaway 36-10 win. They looked every bit like a team going after its 6th straight national championship. An incredible 20 play, 82 yard drive gave the Bison the elad over the Jackrabbits and turned the game completely around.
South Dakota State vs. North Dakota State - Game Recap - December 10, 2016 - ESPN

YOUNGSTOWN STATE got past Wofford 30-23 in double overtime but may have a hard time advancing much farther due to player suspensions. The game featured 5 lead changes, including the final one in OT as Tevin McCaster went over form the 2 in the second “inning”. The defense then stuffed Wofford for the win. Jody Webb ran for 213 yards and had 118 yards in kick returns for the winners.
Penguins Advance With 30-23 Double-OT Win Over Wofford

Unfortunately, several Youngstown players may be suspended for the semi-final game against Eastern Washington, who will be tough to beat even with a full roster:
Penguins Advance With 30-23 Double-OT Win Over Wofford

People were wondering if what they were watching was really happening in JAMES MADISON’S 65-7 annihilation of #1 ranked Sam Houston State. This game was 65-0 in the third period it looked like the Dukes could have won by 100 if they’d wanted to. The Bearkats came in as the highest scoring FCS team with 53 points a game but they were completely over-matched by the Dukes, (who had averaged 48 themselves). The game was 42-0 at halftime. James Madison had 607 total yards to 270.
Sam Houston State vs. James Madison - Game Recap - December 9, 2016 - ESPN

EASTERN WASHINGTON easily handled the Richmond Spiders on their snow-covered red turf 38-0. The Eagles recorded 6 sacks and forced 5 turnovers while out-0gianign the Spiders 451-205.
Richmond vs. Eastern Washington - Game Recap - December 10, 2016 - ESPN


SEMI-FINAL MATCH-UPS

JAMES MADISON 12-1 (645-287) ranked #5 / lost to North Carolina 28-56 / 11-11 (1)
At
NORTH DAKOTA STATE 12-1 (391-205) ranked #3 / lost to South Dakota State 17-19 / 55-13 (13)

YOUNGSTOWN STATE 11-3 (398-253) ranked #13 / lost to West Virginia 21-38, South Dakota State 10-24 and North Dakota State 3-24 / 31-10 (4)
At
EASTERN WASHINGTON 12-1 (555-331) ranked #4 / lost to North Dakota State 44-50 / 17-11 (1)

These teams have all won national championships before. The question is: can any of them beat the five time defending champion Bison? James Madison certainly looked like they could and so did Eastern Washington. I think Youngstown will have a hard time if the rumored suspensions come through.

The North Dakota State James Madison game is on ESPN2 as I write this. The eastern Washingotn-Youngstwon game will be on ESPNU tomorrow at 6:30PM.

 

[DeGrozz]

The NDSU/JMU game and the DIII National Championship game have both been entertaining. If you need a break from Christmas movies tonight, hit 'em up -- both games are close late.

 

[SWC75]

The Bison finally met their match vs. the Dukes. Amazing how the DIII defenses dominated in the semis and finals: 10-3, 14-12, 10-7!

 

[texascpa]

Why was I thinking the NDSU game was today?

 

[SWC75]

Check this ending out: Youngstown State vs. Eastern Washington - Game Recap - December 17, 2016 - ESPN

Catch of the year on a play that would have ended either team's season.

 

[MSOrange]

D2 SEMI-FINALS

NORTHWEST MISSOURI won a pyrrhic victory over Ferris State, 35-20 in a game where their starting quarterback, wide receiver and a cornerback all got hurt in the first half and couldn’t return to the game. Two fourth quarter touchdown drives clinched the game after Ferris had closed to 21-20.
Northwest Missouri advances to national title game by beating Ferris State

NORTH ALABAMA got past Shephe4rd 23-13 in the other semi-final, setting up a Lions vs. Bearcats final., two schools with a combined eight national championships, although North Alabama’s came back in 1993-1995, before Northwest Missouri won their first. The Lions clawed their way to a 20-10 halftime lead before the defenses took over in the second half.
North Alabama's bite is worse than bark in win over Shepherd

FINAL MATCH-UP

The final will be played 4PM Saturday and can be seen on ESPN2 or Watch ESPN.

NORTHWEST MISSOURI 14-0 (653-177) ranked #1 / 46-15 (5)
Vs.
NORTH ALABAMA 11-1 (466-160) ranked #3 / lost to Jacksonville State 12-31 / 35-17 (3)

These are the two winningest programs in the history of the D2 playoffs.

Glad the local team Northwest Missouri State won, but just like that, their coach is going to Abilene Christian. But they have been strong for awhile so I would hope they can pick right back up with a new guy.

 

[SWC75]

Glad the local team Northwest Missouri State won, but just like that, their coach is going to Abilene Christian. But they have been strong for awhile so I would hope they can pick right back up with a new guy.

They are the only one of the reigning "dynasties: Mount Union, Whitewater and North Dakota State being the others, that won it this year.

I think change can be a good thing. Small college playoffs are about putting the spot-light on teams that otherwise would be just another score in the Sunday paper. I like it when somebody we haven't seen before gets to play on national TV and have a moment of glory.