Division II Football

Pittsburg State (Kansas) won its second Division II national championship in school history on Saturday, beating Wayne State (Michigan) 35-21 in the championship game in Florence, Alabama.

Pitt State took advantage of five Wayne State turnovers in the game, helping the Gorillas to their first national title since 1991.  Pitt State lost in the title game three times in the 20 years between championships.

The scoring began on the opening kickoff as Wayne State's Josh Renel returned the ball 93 yards for a touchdown, becoming just the second player in Division II history to return the opening kickoff of the championship game for a score.

Wayne State took the lead 14-13 in the second quarter when Pitt State's Paul Robinson burst through the line to block a 22-yard field goal attempt by the Warriors.  Arles Herrion scooped up the ball and returned it for a touchdown, giving PSU a 20-14 lead.  

The Gorillas expanded that lead to 27-14 by halftime, giving PSU the most first-half points scored by a team in the championship game since 2000.

The second half was a defensive struggle, as the two teams traded punts before Wayne State finally found the end zone with just 5:11 remaining in the fourth quarter to cut Pittsburg State's lead to six.

Pitt State immediately answered with a touchdown of its own with a two-point conversion for a 35-21 lead with just 2:34 left in the fourth quarter.  When Pitt State's Elijah Olabode picked off WSU's Mickey Mohner's pass, the victory was sealed for the Gorillas.

Pittsburg State finished the season 13-1 while Wayne State fell to 12-4.

The Pittsburg State Gorillas will battle the Wayne State Warriors on Saturday for the NCAA Division II Championship. This is first time these two schools will have played one another, and it's sure to be a great battle. 

If you miss college football, this is a game worth checking out. Sure, there are few bowl games, but there's nothing better than watching two teams go head-to-head with the title on the line. 

The Warriors have had an improbable run, reaching the title game despite being ranked No. 6 in their region, which is the lowest seed. 

They've won four straight road games in the playoffs, and their confidence is sky high despite being underdogs. The Gorillas, on the other hand, were ranked No. 2 in their region and No. 7 in the nation.

Pittsburg State has history on its side, as its the winningest all-time NCAA Division II program. The Gorillas have outscored their postseason competition 121-61, which means the Warriors are in for a true test. 

With that said, let's take a look at some specifics of this Division II Championship Game. 

When: Saturday, Dec. 17 at 11 a.m. ET 

Where: Braly Municipal Stadium, Florence, AL

Watch: ESPN 2, ESPN3.com 

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The line is currently off, but we will update when and if information becomes available

Wayne State Player To Watch 

Jeremy Jones is a senior safety for the Warriors, and he was recently selected for the AFCA All-American team. 

Jones led the team with 85 tackles and nine interceptions. In the second round of the playoffs, Jones recored three interceptions for a total of 144 yards, which set a school record. 

The Warriors will need the ballhawk to deliver a fantastic performance on Saturday in order to slow down the mighty Gorillas. 

Pittsburg State Player To Watch 

Quarterback Zac Dickey will need to be on his A-game and avoid committing turnovers. The senior QB has carried the ball 194 times for a team-high 1,097 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

He has also thrown for for 2,100 yards and 16 touchdowns. A poor showing from Dickey, and the Gorillas don't stand a chance. 

Dickey is the heart and soul of the team, and this being his final game ever he'll make sure he puts the team on his back and keeps them competitive for all four quarters. 

Keys to Wayne State Win

The Warriors have to find a way to slow down Dickey, or else they'll be in for a long night. Dickey has been on fire lately, and if Wayne State can't stop him, it won't be hoisting the trophy when it's all said and done. 

Running backs Josh Renel and Toney Davis have both rushed for over 1,300 yards on the year for the Warriors, and they'll need to keep fighting hard to chew the clock.

The longer the Warriors have the ball, the better their chances are of winning the game. Keeping Dickey and the Gorrillias off the field will do wonders for Wayne State.

Keys to Pittsburg State Win

This game rests on the play of Dickey, as well as the offensive line. They've done a good job of blocking up front, and all they need is one more outstanding game to win it all.

The Gorillas defense must also find a way to create turnovers, which is something they've been very good at this season. Pittsburg State is tied for fourth in the country in turnovers gained with 37, and is also 17th in run defense, only allowing an average of 108 yards per game. 

Another key is for the Gorillas run defense to prevent Renel and Davis from having monster performances.

Twice this year both running backs have recorded over 100 yards in a single game. Renel's highest total this season was 193 yards back in October, and Davis ran for 326 yards in the opening playoff game against St. Cloud. 

The Gorillas defense sure has their hands full on Saturday, but if they can shut down both of these guys they'll win with ease. Of course, that's much easier said than done. 

Prediction

This should be a hard fought battle by both teams, coming down to which squad wants it more in the fourth quarter. The Gorillas haven't been tested too much these playoffs, and the Warriors will benefit from that because they've gained valuable experience on the road this postseason.

Unfortunately, the road ends here for Cinderella. The Gorillas' stingy defense will force turnovers, and that will be difference maker in Saturday's contest. 

Pittsburg State 42, Wayne State 35 

After 11 weeks of football, the 2011 Division II Playoffs get underway on Saturday, November 19 on campus sites across the nation.

The 2011 season has been a year of surprises, upsets and shockers, and the playoffs promise to continue that trend. For the first time in recent memory, there is no clear-cut favorite in the field of 24, nor does the field contain some of the perennial powers we're used to seeing in November.

Both Grand Valley State and Valdosta have missed the playoffs—something that hasn't happened since the 1999 season. Valdosta State had made nine of the last 11 playoff fields, while Grand Valley State saw its Division II-record 10 year streak come to an end in 2011.

In each of the four “Super Regions,” six teams are selected, with the top two seed receiving first-round byes. The team with the higher seed will host the playoff games until the national semifinal round, when the selection committee will meet again to reseed the teams.

In each region, the winner of the (6) vs. (3) game will meet the region's top seed in round two, while the winner of the (4) vs. (5) contest will meet the second seed in the region.

This season, the semifinal round will be between the champions of Super Regions Two and Four and Super Regions One and Three.

The NCAA Division II Football National Championship is set for December 17 at the traditional site of Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama.

Click here for the NCAA's interactive Division II Football Championship bracket.

Round One:

Super Region One

(6) Concord (7-3) at (3) Kutztown (10-1)

(5) California (9-2) at (4) Elizabeth City (8-3)

(2) New Haven (10-1) bye

(1) Winston-Salem (11-0) bye

Super Region Two

(6) Albany State (8-3) at (3) North Greenville (9-2)

(5) North Alabama (8-2) at (4) West Alabama (8-3)

(2) Mars Hill (8-2)

(1) Delta State (9-2)

Super Region Three

(6) Wayne State (8-3) at (3) St. Cloud State (9-2)

(5) Saginaw Valley State (7-3) at (4) Minnesota-Duluth (9-2)

(2) Nebraska-Kearney (10-1) bye

(1) Colorado State-Pueblo (11-0) bye

Super Region Four

(6) Abilene Christian (8-2) at (3) Washburn (9-2)

(5) Northwest Missouri State (9-2) at (4) Missouri Western (9-2)

(2) Pittsburg State (10-1)

(1) Midwestern State (11-0)

When the Division II No. 1 Delta State Statesmen play host this Saturday to the visiting No. 20 University of West Alabama Tigers, there will much on the line.

Of course there are playoff implications for both teams, but there is much that doesn't meet the eye in 8,000 seat McCool Stadium.

Coach Ron Roberts led the Statesmen to the D-2 National Championship game last season, and lost to the University of Minnesota-Duluth on a last second field goal. Since then, Delta State at 8-1, has but one blemish on its record—a one-point loss to D-1 Northwestern State in the second game of the season.

However, since that time the Statesmen have averaged nearly 40 ppg and, although they went into OT versus North Alabama, no one else has been close.

Delta State will be looking to continue their winning ways. But more importantly, they will be looking to secure home field advantage for the upcoming D-2 playoffs.

They will also be looking to give Coach Roberts his fourth Gulf South Conference title in five years and with a win Saturday, a title run would also give Roberts 50-wins in five seasons at the helm in Cleveland.

The 7-2 West Alabama Tigers enter the matchup eager to prove that the past two winning seasons haven't been a fluke. Following a heart-breaking last second 22-21 loss to conference foe Valdosta State, the Tigers defeated in-state rival, and then No. 5 North Alabama last week 31-26.

The Tiger squad has guaranteed the school their first three-season winning streak since 1983. 

First-year coach and 2003 Harlon Hill Award winner Will Hall will hope to lead the team to the school's first-ever home playoff game, where they are 5-0 this season. He and the Tiger squad will also be making their first playoff appearance since reaching the playoffs second round in 2009, and only the school's second since 1975.

Delta State will have much on the line, including their seven-game winning streak, when they kickoff this weekend. But, West Alabama will have much to play for and this year it's more than just pride.

The University of North Alabama announced they would begin the six-year transition process of moving their athletic program from NCAA Division II to Division I this season.

UNA has been a dominant program in D-II for the last 40 years. With six national championships—three in football, two in basketball and one in volleyball—the Lions have had more success than most schools. Add their numerous Gulf South Conference titles and you have a stellar athletic program that is the pride of the Tennessee Valley, perhaps of Alabama or even the South. But even in the sports crazed South the move from Division II to Division I just doesn't seem to make sense.

Reason 1: Alabama is already home to 10 Division I athletics programs. Recruiting just got a lot more difficult, competitive and expensive. Convincing parents across the nation to send their child to Alabama or Auburn, easy. Convincing them to come to North Alabama, much more difficult. You're also looking at recruiting in a much greater area to secure the level of talent required to compete at the Division I level. Lastly, UNA currently has 47 D-I transfers on its roster, and accounts for a great deal of their most talented players. Transferring from D-I to D-II is easy. Moving from FBS to FCS, much more difficult.

Reason 2: UNA currently offers six men's and six women's sports. Division I requires seven for each sex. The sports most likely to be added are women's golf and men's rifle. Women's golf already has nearly 1,000 unused scholarships annually across the US. Adding a sport that other schools already have a hard time recruiting athletes to play just doesn't seem like a good idea.

Reason 3: This might be the biggest reason of all—money, money, and more money. The extra, and expanded, team travel. The mode of travel. UNA can put the football team on buses and road trip to their current conference rivals. That simply can't be done in the Ohio Valley Conference. Recruiting is more expensive with the additional area needed to be covered. Coaches salaries will be exorbitantly higher in Division I; the average head football coach's salary in D-II is $75,000 while the average salary in D-I is $1.3 million. Add to that the increased facility requirements and UNA isn't just making a big jump, it's a quantum leap.

The loss of long-time Division II rivals like West Alabama, Delta State and Valdosta State may, in time, be replaced by new ones in Division I. But it will take much longer and a lot more money to take the Lions to the level of athletic success in Division I that they have enjoyed over the last 40 years in Division II.

The Division II Football Top 25 was not a safe place to be this past weekend, as a huge number suffered losses. That is, No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth, No. 3 Abilene Christian (TX), No. 5 Texas A&M-Kingsville, No. 6 Albany State (GA), No. 9 Saint Cloud State (MN), No. 15 Grand Valley State (MI), No. 17 Carson-Newman (TN), No. 20 Colorado School of Mines, No. 22 Michigan Tech and No. 23 New Haven (CT).

With 10 of the 25 ranked teams losing, the Top 25 is sure to see a massive shake-up when the poll is released on Tuesday.

Perhaps most shocking was the 7-0 upset of No. 1 and defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth by unranked Wayne State College (NE). The only score of the game came on a blocked punt that was returned for 36 yards and a touchdown as the third quarter came to a close.

The win by the Wildcats snaps the nation's longest active win-streak (17 games), a 23-game road winning streak and also broke UMD's 31-game conference win-streak in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Since joining the NSIC in 2008, UMD had never lost a conference game.

It was Wayne State's first ever victory over UMD. The two teams have played 11 times, dating back to 1993. The last time UMD failed to score was in a 26-0 defeat at the hands of North Dakota in 2004.

Other games of note from this past weekend include No. 4 North Alabama's win over No. 3 Abilene Christian, 23-17, and unranked West Texas A&M's upset of No. 5 Texas A&M-Kingsville, 42-21.

No. 6 Albany State's defeat at the hands of No. 12 Valdosta State (GA) by a score of 30-27, and unranked Winona State (MN) topping No. 9 Saint Cloud State by 29-16 are also in the mix.

No. 15 Grand Valley State's second-straight loss—the first time since 2004 that the Lakers have dropped back-to-back games—to unranked Indianapolis (IN) by 34-33 in the final seconds, as well as No. 17 Carson-Newman's 20-7 defeat at the hands of unranked Lenore-Rhyne (NC) round out the weekend's upsets.

The stands were rocking for the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association opener between St. Augustine's College (NC) and Virginia Union University—but it wasn't the 100 brave souls that attended the game that caused the bleachers to move. It was the wind.

Eric Kolenich from the The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch described the scene. “The wind gusted violently from north to south, shaking the bleachers and whistling across the field. The sideways rain felt like pushpins against the skin. The American flag flapped mercilessly from side to side and looked as if it would rip from its pole.”

It was probably one of the more bizarre decisions; a season-opening football game was not canceled due to Hurricane Irene. Instead, the game was played in driving rain, tropical storm-strength winds, and overall dangerous conditions. Funny enough, Virginia Union originally had to petition the NCAA to even hold the game. A new NCAA rule prohibits football games to take place prior to the Thursday before the first Saturday of the season.

Virginia Union head coach Michael Bailey summed it up. “We knew there'd be rain, but you don't stop football for rain.”

In Bailey's opinion, you only stop a game for “lightning and tornadoes.” But apparently not hurricanes. “This wasn't the first time we've played in rain,” Bailey quipped. Maybe not, but it's probably the first hurricane. Bailey also serves as VUU's athletic director, and the decision to play the game was made jointly with VUU's president, Claude Perkins.

So how did the two teams fare?

By all accounts, not well. There were only five completed passes in the game, There were a combined 12 first downs. A combined 31 yards passing. A grand total of 240 yards of offense. A combined 10 fumbles. Of the nine punts attempted in the game, the average was less than 17 yards per punt (and two punts went for minus yardage). There were no punt returns. Both teams were a combined 3-for-25 on third downs, and when they decided punting wasn't a viable option, they moved to fourth down conversions, on which they were a combined 1-for-13. In the end, Virginia Union won, 12-0, on two touchdowns. Not surprisingly, Virginia Union didn't even attempt to kick the PATs. Both two-point tries were failures.

When the game was over, the visitors from St. Augustine's left for the showers, only to find collapsed ceiling tiles and water pooling on the floor.

It's a game no one who was there will likely ever forget, but probably for all of the wrong reasons.