Gridiron Notes: 2008 Small College Football Preview (Part 2)
The Defending National Champions (And Runners-Up)!
In this installment, we have some things you didn't know about the defending national champions in each division, as well as the teams they defeated to win it all in 2007. So, without further ado, let's get started.
NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly NCAA Division I-AA)
Appalachian State: Fresh off of a third straight national championship, the first team in FCS history to do so, the Mountaineers (13-2 in 2007) will begin their quest for a fourth straight national title in 2008. Head Coach Jerry Moore will begin his 20th season at the ASU helm with a career record of 167-70, easily making him the winningest coach in school history. Before Moore arrived in 1989, the Mountaineers were 349-226-28 (.593)
But before the historic upset win over Michigan, perhaps the most memorable wins in Appalachian State history came against current BCS conference members South Carolina (1975), and Wake Forest (1983, 1989, 1998, and 2000). Over the last three years, the Mountaineers have an impressive record of 39-6 (.867).
This year, Appalachian State will attempt to do the one thing that's never been done in FCS history: win a fourth straight national championship. Of course, in order for that to happen, the Mountaineers must survive a tough test against defending Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly NCAA Division (I-A), or BCS champion LSU, in a nationally televised contest on Aug. 30 at 5 p.m. EDT. At least the folks at ESPN were paying attention this time around.
Delaware: The team that Appalachian State defeated for last year's FCS national championship has a rich championship tradition itself, as the Blue Hens have won six national championships dating back to 1946, with the most recent crown coming in 2003 (FCS). Coming into the 2008 season, U Del has an all-time record of 629-399-44 (.607) over 116 seasons of football.
NCAA Division II
Valdosta State: The Blazers have won two national championships over the last four years, the most recent one under second year head coach David Dean (2007). As in their first national championship season, 2004, VSU finished 13-1, however, the Blazers lost their 2004 season opener, 24-22, at Albany State (Ga.), only to win 13 straight games to close out the campaign, including a 38-24 quarterfinal playoff re-match.
In contrast, the 2007 edition of the Blazers won their first five games before losing to Delta State (Miss.), 35-31, in the sixth game of the season, then won their final eight games of the year, culminating in a dramatic 25-20 win over Northwest Missouri State.
As the 2008 season approaches, there's just one question to be answered in Blazer Nation: Can the Blazers repeat as national champions? The upcoming season will tell the story.
Northwest Missouri State: Although they won back-to-back national titles in 1998 and 1999, respectively, the Bearcats have come up empty in the last three title games, as they lost to Grand Valley State (Mich.) twice (2005 and 2006), and to Valdosta State (2007). Northwest Missouri State finished winless in head coach Mel Tjeerdsema's first season (0-11 in 1994), but hasn't had a losing season since.
NCAA Division III
Wisconsin-Whitewater: After back-to-back losses in national championship games in 2005 and 2006, the third time finally proved to be the charm, as they knocked off the same program that had beaten them in the previous two title games, Mount Union for last year's crown. Prior to last year's first-ever NCAA Division III national championship, the Warhawks finished as a national runner-up at the NAIA level in 1966. Like David Dean at Valdosta State, Lance Leipold won a national championship in his first season as head coach (2007). In the last three years alone, Whitewater has finished the season with identical 14-1 records, although two of those losses came to Mount Union in the "Stagg Bowl", or the Division III title game. Last season, the Warhawks lone came to NCAA Division II St. Cloud State (Minn.). That makes a combined 42-3 (.933) over the last three years. Leipold has a chance to improve upon that winning percentage by going unbeaten, and possibly winning a second straight national title, as his career winning as a head coach is the same as the Warhawks record the last three years, as mentioned above.
Mount Union: Even with last year's title game loss, the Purple Raiders from Alliance, Ohio are an outstanding 261-20-3 under 23rd year head coach Larry Kehres, and are an even more impressive 216-10-3 record since 1990. That includes, of course, nine national championships in the last 15 years (1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006). Prior to Kehres' arrival in 1986, Mount Union was an average 381-361-34 (.502) between the 1893 and 1985 seasons. Even so, the sting of that championship defeat last season still lingers, and probably will remain, at least until the Purple Raiders win another national championship. Will another title be brought back to Alliance, Ohio? Who knows?
NAIA
Carroll College (Mont.): The Saints come into the 2008 season looking to win an unprecedented sixth national championship season in seven years. They won four straight national titles from 2002-2005, joining NCAA Division III Augustana (Ill.) as the only teams in college football history to win four straight crowns. Had they not lost to St. Xavier (Ill.) in the 2006 playoffs, the Saints very well could have won six straight championships.
Sioux Falls (S.D.): The Cougars won it all in 2006, only to lose the title to Carroll in 2007. They do have one thing going for them, though, heading into 2008: winners of six of the last eight Great Plains Athletic Conference championships. And they hope to make it seven out of nine conference titles this year, in hopes of winning their second national championship in three years.
Sources:
Appalachian State University--History and Traditions (from 2008 Media Guide)
Carroll College (Mont.)--Official Football Website
www.carroll.edu/athletics/football/
Delaware, University of--2008 Football Quick Facts
www.udel.edu/sportsinfo/football/2008fboutlook.pdf
Mount Union College--2008 Football Media Guide
Northwest Missouri State University--2008 Football Media Guide (Northwest History, Year-By-Year Results)
www.nwmissouri.edu/sports/football/2008/mediaguide/08fbmg16.pdf
Sioux Falls, University of--Official Football Website
www.usiouxfalls.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=172
Valdosta State University (Ga.)--2008 Football Media Guide (Blazer Record Book)
www.vstateblazers.com/mfootball/publications/fbmg61-88.pdf
Wisconsin-Whitewater, University of--Football History
Published by blazerbobcat
A native of Albany, Georgia, Walter currently writes for the Albany Journal as a staff writer/general assignment reporter. He also works part-time as a studio engineer at Cumulus Broadcasting of Albany, whi... View profile
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