Football Weekly Report ? No. 3
NAIA Game of the Week
No. 7 St. Francis (Ill.) (1-1) at No. 1 Saint Xavier (Ill.) (1-0)
Saturday, Sept. 8 | Chicago, Ill. | 6 p.m. CDT | Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field
• Defending national champion and top-ranked Saint Xavier (Ill.) puts its unbeaten record on the line in a Mid-States Football Association crossover game Saturday against No. 7 St. Francis (Ill.). Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CDT.
• Saturday's game is the 13th-straight year the two sides have met in the regular season with the Cougars winning 11 of the 12 contests, including a 34-30 victory in 2011. St. Francis' lone victory was a 24-21 decision on Sept. 11, 2008.
• Last year's game featured three ties and two lead changes until a Tom Lynch 45-yard field goal and a KJ Franklin eight yard touchdown run gave Saint Xavier a 34-24 lead with 1:23 left in the fourth. St. Francis scored less than a minute later to pull within four, but failed to overcome the deficit.
• Since 2008, Saint Xavier is 25-2 in home games and is riding a 22-game win streak at the friendly confines of Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field. The Cougars last loss came on Nov. 15, 2008 against then-No. 3 Saint Francis (Ind.), 47-30.
• Saint Xavier, who won its first national championship in 2011, returns 21 total starters from last year's team, including 10-of-11 starters on offense.
• 2011 NAIA National Championship Offensive Player of the Game Jimmy Coy returns for his senior season looking to defend his title as NAIA passing leader. Coy finished last season with an NAIA-best 4,261 passing yards - 324 yards more than second-ranked John Hollingsworth of Faulkner (Ala.) (3,937) - while ranking second in passing touchdowns with 42. Coy has not missed a beat this season, completing 35-of-53 attempts for 426 yards and five touchdowns in the Cougars 41-12 season opening victory against Olivet Nazarene (Ill.). The performance marks the sixth time he has thrown for at least 300 yards.
• Shane Zackery continues to lead the Saint Xavier wide receiver corps with 14 catches for 237 yards and two touchdowns against Olivet Nazarene (Ill.). He currently ranks amongst the top 10 nationally in receptions per game (14.0), receiving yards per game (237), all purpose yards per game (237), receptions (14), receiving yards (237) and scoring (TDs) (12). Last season, Zackery led the squad with 95 receptions for 1,208 yards and 18 touchdowns.
• Mike Feminis is in his 14th season as the head coach of the Saint Xavier football program and owns a 117-41 record.
• St. Francis enters Saturday 0-4 against defending NAIA national champions with losses coming against Carson-Newman (Tenn.) in 1990 (28-20), Central State (Ohio) in 1991 (28-21) and 1993 (43-23), and Georgetown (Ky.) in 2001 (41-7).
• The Fighting Saints are 12-11 in road contests since 2008, including the previously mentioned victory against Saint Xavier.
• Quarterback E.J. White, the Mid-States Football Association-Midwest Offensive Most Valuable Player a year ago, continues shine as one of the top NAIA offensive threats this season. Against NCAA Division II Ferris State, White completed 28-of-51 attempts for a career-high 373 yards and two touchdowns. He currently leads the NAIA in total offense (757) and total passing (615).
• Wide receivers Dustin Greenwell and Desmond Page have emerged have White's favorite targets this season with each player tallying 11 receptions in two games. Page currently leads the team with 262 receiving yards, while Greenwell is second with 143.
• As a team, the Fighting Saints rank in the top 10 in sacks allowed (1), passing offense (615), third down conversion percentage (55.9 percent), scoring offense (68), pass defense per game (85), penalty yards per game (88.5), first downs per game (25.5), passing offense per game (307.5) and total offense per game (469.0).
• St. Francis head coach Joe Curry is in his first season with the Fighting Saints. He previously served as the team's defensive coordinator for seven seasons.
• For live audio provided by Saint Xavier and WXAV 88.3 FM Chicago, click here.
• For live video provided by Saint Xavier, click here.
• For additional game notes on St. Francis football, click here.
• The NAIA Football Game of the Week is selected by fans via the official NAIA Facebook page - Play NAIA. Game of the Week voting will begin on Monday evenings after the Top 25 announcement with the winner posted Wednesday morning. Click HERE to visit the Play NAIA Facebook page.
This Week Around the Top 25
• This week (Sept. 3 - Sept. 9) features 19 Top 25 teams in action in addition to the two squads featured in the NAIA Game of the Week. Those contests include:
o Thursday - Faulkner (Ala.) (1-0) at No. 4 Georgetown (Ky.) (1-0)
o Saturday - No. 2 Carroll (Mont.) (1-1) at Montana Tech (1-1); No. 3 Marian (Ind.) (2-0) at Siena Heights (Mich.) (1-1); No. 9 Missouri Valley (1-0) at No. 5 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) (1-0); No. 20 St. Ambrose (Iowa) (1-0) at No. 6 Saint Francis (Ind.) (2-0); No. 10 Northwestern (Iowa) (1-0) at No. 8 Morningside (Iowa) (1-0); No. 11 Ottawa (Kan.) (0-1) at Kansas Wesleyan (0-1); Luther College at No. 14 William Penn (Iowa) (2-0); No. 15 Grand View (Iowa) (1-1) at Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) (0-2); Montana State-Northern (0-1) at No. 16 Eastern Oregon (1-0); Mayville State (N.D.) (0-0) at No. 17 Valley City State (N.D.) (0-1); Evangel (Mo.) (1-0) at No. 18 Baker (Kan.) (2-0); No. 19 Cumberlands (Ky.) (1-0) at No. 22 Cumberland (Tenn.) (1-0); Dakota State (S.D.) (0-1) at No. 21 Doane (Neb.) (1-0); Bacone (Okla.) (1-1) at No. 22 Langston (Okla.) (0-1); McPherson (Kan.) at No. 24 Bethany (Kan.) (1-0); Union (Ky.) (0-1) at No. 25 Campbellsville (Ky.) (0-1).
• Last week's (Aug. 27 - Sept. 2) results:
o Thursday, Aug. 30 - Ferris State (Mich.) def. No. 7 St. Francis (Ill.), 35-24; No. 8 Morningside (Iowa) def. No. 17 Valley City State (N.D.), 42-7; No. 10 Northwestern (Iowa) def. Southwestern (Kan.), 49-0; Drake (Iowa) def. No. 15 Grand View (Iowa), 28-8.
o Saturday, Sept. 1 - No. 1 Saint Xavier (Ill.) def. Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), 41-12; Portland State (Ore.) def. No. 2 Carroll (Mont.), 38-20; No. 3 Marian (Ind.) def. No. 11 Bethel (Tenn.), 31-7; No. 4 Georgetown (Ky.) def. Bluefield (Va.), 77-9; No. 5 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) def. Central Methodist (Mo.), 34-14; No. 6 Saint Francis (Ind.) def. Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 39-31; No. 9 Missouri Valley def. McPherson (Kan.), 27-13; No. 13 Benedictine (Kan.) def. Sterling (Kan.), 59-6; No. 14 William Penn (Iowa) def. Bethel (Kan.), 54-0; No. 16 Eastern Oregon def. Montana Tech, 26-23; No. 18 Baker (Kan.) def. Peru State (Neb.), 34-13; No. 19 Cumberlands (Ky.) def. Belhaven (Miss.), 21-10; No. 20 St. Ambrose (Iowa) def. Trinity International (Ill.), 43-6; No. 21 Doane (Neb.) def. Briar Cliff (Iowa), 41-28; No. 22 Cumberland (Tenn.) def. Kansas Wesleyan, 31-10; Arkansas-Pine Bluff def. No. 22 Langston (Okla.), 17-14; No. 24 Bethany (Kan.) def. SAGU (Texas), 13-12; Pikeville (Ky.) def. No. 25 Campbellsville (Ky.), 14-7.
• No. 8 Morningside dominated No. 17 Valley City State, 42-7, in the second installment of the 2012 NAIA Football Game of the Week. The Mustangs offense rolled to 428 yards of total offense, while the defense limited the Vikings to 244 yards, including only 50 yards on the ground. Morningside running back Jon Halvorson led the way with 158 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while first-time starter Joel Nixon passed for 163 yards and three scores.
• Five ranked teams fell last week with No. 7 St. Francis losing, 35-24, against NCAA Division II Ferris State (Mich.); No. 15 Grand View losing, 28-8, at NCAA Division I FCS Drake; No. 2 Carroll falling, 38-20, at NCAA Division I FCS Portland State; No. 22 Langston losing to NCAA Division I FCS Arkansas-Pine Bluff; No. 25 Campbellsville falling to Pikeville, 14-7.
• The 2012 NAIA Big River Bowl - Sept. 1 at Sawyers Stadium in Dyersburg, Tenn.
o No. 22 Cumberland (Tenn.) def. Kansas Wesleyan, 31-10
o No. 3 Marian (Ind.) def. No. 11 Bethel (Tenn.), 31-7 - game was ended early due to weather
o For more information on the Big River Bowl, click here.
• For a complete look at the 2012 NAIA football schedule, click here.
• For this week's NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Poll, click here.
| Top 25 Consecutive Poll Leaders (through 2012 Preseason Top 25) | |
| School | Record |
| 1. Saint Francis (Ind.) | 156 |
| 2. Carroll (Mont.) | 141 |
| 3. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) | 69 |
| 4. Morningside (Iowa) | 62 |
| 5. Saint Xavier (Ill.) | 51 |
| 6. Ottawa (Kan.) | 48 |
| 7. Missouri Valley | 29 |
| 8. Marian (Ind.) | 26 |
| 8. William Penn (Iowa) | 26 |
| 10. Georgetown (Ky.) | 20 |
| No. 1 Poll Leaders (Since 2000) | |
| School | Record |
| 1. Carroll (Mont.) | 56 |
| 2. Sioux Falls (S.D.) | 55 |
| 3. Georgetown (Ky.) | 23 |
| 4. Northwestern Oklahoma State | 11 |
| 5. Saint Xavier (Ill.) | 9 |
For the Record
• Edward Waters' (Fla.) 66-34 victory over Point (Ga.) marked the third-consecutive season that two NAIA schools have combined for 110 points in a game. (information provided by Tex Noel, Intercollegiate Football Researchers Association)
• No. 10 Northwestern (Iowa) extends its nation-leading win streak to nine games with a 49-0 victory over Southwestern (Kan.) on Aug. 30. The Red Raiders set a new school record with 649 yards of total offense (398 passing, 251 rushing), breaking the previous mark on 639 yards, which had stood since 1982. Brandon Smith led the ground attack with 120 yards on 15 carries, while Davis Bloemendaal completed 20-of-32 passes for 336 yards and four touchdowns. Bloemendaal's performance earned him NAIA National Offensive Player of the Week honors. No. 1 Saint Xavier (Ill.) owns the second longest win streak of seven.
• Saint Francis (Ind.) head coach Kevin Donley tied Frosty Westering's NAIA wins record of 256 with a 39-31 come from behind victory against NCAA Division III Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Sept. 1. The victory improves his all-time record to 256-116-1. Donley's first opportunity to break the record comes on Saturday when his Cougars host No. 20 St. Ambrose (Iowa).
• Dickinson State's (N.D.) Hank Biesiot rests one win shy of tying the record with a 255-103-1 record following a 30-19 loss against Rocky Mountain (Mont.) on Sept. 1. Dickinson State returns to action on Saturday when they travel to Montana Western.
• There are four programs making their NAIA varsity debut in 2012: Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.), made famous by the bright-red turf of its new field, Point (Ga.), Bluefield (Va.) and Wayland Baptist (Texas). Lindenwood-Belleville won its season opener, 43-37, against Avila (Mo.) on Sept. 1, while Point (0-2) and Bluefield (0-2) remain in search of that elusive first victory. Wayland Baptist is the last of the newcomers to officially start the season, hosting NCAA Division II Adams State (Colo.) on Saturday.
National Statistics (Through Sept. 5)
• St. Francis' (Ill.) E.J. White leads the NAIA in total offense through two weeks of action with 757 yards. The junior quarterback set a season-high with 412 yards of total offense, including career-high 373 passing yards, against NCAA Division II Ferris State (Mich.) on Aug. 30. White also leads the NAIA in passing yards with 615 and is eighth in passing yards per game with 307.5
• Lamont Wims of Robert Morris (Ill.) is the nation's leading rusher with 273 yards on 47 attempts.
• Siena Height's (Mich.) running back Travis Damron owns an NAIA-best 36 points on six touchdowns (all rushing). Damron owns back-to-back three-touchdown performances against Robert Morris on Aug. 25 and Iowa Wesleyan on Sept. 1.
• Stacey Berg of Dakota State (S.D.) leads all NAIA receivers with 334 yards, while Daniel Beals of Trinity International (Ill.) is first with 15 receptions.
• Defensively, Dorian Smith of Graceland (Iowa) has an NAIA-leading three interceptions and Howard McDonald of Eastern Oregon owns the top spot for tackles per game with a 21.0 average.
• Team Offensive Leaders
o Scoring Offense: Benedictine (Kan.) - 101 points
o Total Offense per Game: Northwestern (Iowa) - 649.0 yards per game
o Rushing Offense: William Penn (Iowa) - 722 yards
o Passing Offense: Dakota State (S.D.) - 619 yards
o Turnover Margin: Three tied - 3.0 turnover margin
o First Downs per Game: Northwestern (Iowa) - 34.0 first downs per game
o Third Down Conversion: Georgetown (Ky.)/Northwestern (Iowa) - 66.7 percent
o Fourth Down Conversion: Multiple teams tied - 100 percent
• Team Defensive Leaders
o Scoring Defense per Game: Northwestern (Iowa)/Taylor (Ind.) - 0.0 points per game
o Total Defense per Game: Taylor (Ind.) - 25.0 yards per game
o Rushing Defense per Game: Taylor (Ind.) - -11.0 yards per game
o Passing Defense per Game: Marian (Ind.) - 20.0 yards per game
o Sacks: Rocky Mountain (Mont.) - 9.5 sacks
• For a complete look at the NAIA statistical leaders, click here.
List of NAIA Schools Participating in Football - Click HERE
NAIA Football Winningest Active Coaches - Click HERE
NAIA Football All-Time Winningest Coaches - Click HERE
NAIA Regular-Season Record Book - Click HERE
Looking Ahead to the National Championship
The 57th annual NAIA Football National Championship will take place at Barron Stadium in Rome, Ga., for the fifth-straight season. The 2012 championship will be contested on Dec. 17. The NAIA Football Championship Series is scheduled for Nov. 17, 24 and Dec. 1 at campus sites.
NAIA Football National Championship Information - Click HERE
National Championship Superlatives| Most Postseason Appearances | |||
| School | No. | Record | Last Time |
| 1. Carroll (Mont.) | 20 | 39-14 | 2011 |
| T2. Georgetown (Ky.) | 17 | 24-14 | 2011 |
| T2. Westminster (Pa.)* | 17 | 31-11 | 1997 |
| 4. Sioux Falls (S.D.)* | 16 | 36-12 | 2010 |
| T5. Dickinson State (N.D.) | 15 | 6-15 | 2010 |
| T5. Northwestern (Iowa) | 15 | 20-13 | 2006 |
| T5. Pacific Lutheran (Wash.)* | 15 | 24-12 | 1996 |
| T5. Lindfield (Ore.)* | 15 | 16-12 | 1994 |
| T9. Findlay (Ohio)* | 13 | 21-9-1 | 1997 |
| T9. Central Arkansas* | 13 | 12-10-2 | 1992 |
| Most Wins in Football Championship Series | |
| School | Record |
| 1. Carroll (Mont.) | 39-14 |
| 2. Sioux Falls (S.D.)* | 36-12 |
| 3. Westminster (Pa.)* | 31-11 |
| T4. Pacific Lutheran (Wash)* | 24-12 |
| T4. Georgetown (Ky.) | 24-14 |
| 6. Findlay (Ohio)* | 21-9-1 |
| T7. Northwestern (Iowa) | 20-13 |
| T7. Carson-Newman (Tenn.)* | 20-6-1 |
| 9. Saint Francis (Ind.) | 19-12 |
| T10. Linfield (Ore.)* | 16-12 |
| T10. Texas A&I* | 16-1 |
| Programs with Most National Championship Titles | ||
| School | Years | No. |
| 1. Texas A&I* | 1959, 69-70, 74-76, 79 | 7 |
| T2. Carroll (Mont.) | 2002-05, 07, 10 | 6 |
| T2. Westminster (Pa.)* | 1970, 76-77, 88-89, 94 | 6 |
| 4. Carson-Newman (Tenn.)* | 1983-84, 86, 88-89 | 5 |
| T5. Findlay (Ohio)* | 1979, 92, 95, 97 | 4 |
| T5. Sioux Falls (S.D.)* | 1996, 2006, 2008-09 | 4 |
For the complete NAIA Football National Championship Record Book - Click HERE
