Gridiron Notes: 2008 Regular Season Debut

Welcome to the first-ever regular season edition of "Gridiron Notes", the column that focuses on the little known facts on college football's smallest programs.

Throughout the 2008 season, right up until the national champions are crowned in all of the so-called "lower divisions" of college football, "Gridiron Notes" will not only recap some of the previous week's action, but also take a look at the obscure histories and traditions that small college football the game it is throughout the U.S.

So, without any further ado, let's get started!

No upset this time around: For the second straight season, the three-time defending NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly NCAA Division I-AA) national champion Mountaineers from Appalachian State University opened the year against an opponent from the former NCAA Division I-A (now NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision).

Only this time, however, they faced off against the defending FBS (or Bowl Championship Series, if you will) national champion LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge, La. on a Labor Day Weekend that was filled with angst over what will Hurricane Gustav would do.

In the end, LSU did in 2008 what Michigan didn't do in 2007: not only take care of business, but not even leaving the game close from wire-to-wire. The final score: LSU 41, Appalachian State 13.

In losing to LSU, the Mountaineers were held to just 52 yards rushing on 28 carries. Quarterback Armanti Edwards completed only 13 of 31 passes for 155 yards. Like the old saying goes, "you can't win 'em all, can you"?

D-II Surprises: It was a rough weekend for some of the top teams at the NCAA Division II level in Week 1.

In South Carolina, defending national champion Valdosta State (Ga.) ended Newberry's 15-game winning streak. But it didn't come without a struggle, as the Blazers held on for a 14-9 win.

A pair of special teams mistakes gave the home team a chance the victory, but were unable to recover an onside kick in the closing seconds. Looks like VSU will be spending its "bye week" working on its punting game, as one of those miscues resulted in a Newberry safety. The Blazers open GSC play at Southern Arkansas on Sept. 13.

While Valdosta State barely hung on to improve to 2-0 on the season, the team the Blazers beat for last year's D-II title wasn't as fortunate over the Labor Day Weekend.

The Bearcats of Northwest Missouri State University saw their 17-game home winning streak stopped by the Wildcats of Abilene Christian (Tex.) in a 44-27 upset win.

ACU scored 30 unanswered points after trailing 21-7 at the end of the first quarter, en route to the victory.

Still, don't feel too sorry for Northwest Missouri State. After all, the Bearcats did lose to Nebraska-Omaha, only to win 12 straight game before losing to Valdosta State in last year's title game. Can the Bearcats bounce back, and put together another similar streak? We shall see.

Quick Hitter History: NCAA Division III Birmingham-Southern (Ala.) and FCS non-scholarship Campbell (N.C.) squared off in what proved to be their first football games in what seemed like, well, ages.

After going 1-7 in a "trial season" last year, the Panthers began their first full campaign since 1939 on a winning note, as they stunned the Fighting Camels on the road, 12-6.

Believe it or not, prior to the 2008 season, the last time a Campbell football team took the field was back in 1950, as a junior college. In fact, the school was forced to suspend the sport due to the Korean Conflict. But not before the Fighting Camels won three straight North Carolina state JUCO titles from 1946-48.

On the other hand, before dropping football at the end of the 1939 season, Birmingham-Southern actually had its share of moments on the gridiron, as they had an all-time won-lost record of 87-80-16 between 1918 and 1939, even putting together a perfect 9-0 season in 1934. It'll be interesting to see if both B-SC and Campbell will be able to build new football traditions in the years to come.

Sources:

Mountaineers Drop 2008 Opener to LSU, 41-13 (courtesy of Appalachian State University Sports Information)

http://www.goasu.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=104458&SPID=12811&DB_OEM_ID=21500&ATCLID=1572236

Blazers Top Newberry 14-9 (courtesy of Valdosta State University Sports Information)

http://www.vstateblazers.com/news/release-detail.php?story_id=708

Birmingham-Southern College Football 1918-1939 (.pdf file courtesy of Birmingham-Southern College Sports Information)

http://www.bscsports.net/Pdfs/football/2006/7/13/BSC%20Football.pdf

Birmingham-Southern vs Millsaps (Final Statistics, courtesy of Birmingham-Southern College Sports Information)

http://www.bscsports.net/Sports/football/2007/fb10.htm

ACU Ends Northwest's Home Win Streak (courtesy of Northwest Missouri State University Sports Information)

http://www.nwmissouri.edu/sports/football/2008/pressreleases/08fb0830b.htm

Northwest Football: Through The Years (from 2008 Media Guide, courtesy of Northwest Missouri State University Sports Information)

http://www.nwmissouri.edu/sports/football/2008/mediaguide/08fbmg16.pdf

History of Campbell Football (from 2008 Media Guide, courtesy of Campbell University Sports Information)

http://www.gocamels.com/fls/15300/pdf/2008fb_mg.pdf?&SPSID=79535&SPID=7303&DB_OEM_ID=15300

Fourth-quarter rally pushes Panthers past Campbell in season opener, 12-6 (courtesy of Birmingham-Southern College Sports Information)

http://www.bscsports.net/News/football/2008/8/30/fb08-30-08.asp?path=football