St. Cloud State won’t have to get rid of football after all, an FBS problem child gets benched in D-II too, some coaching news, and scores and schedules broken down by conference after the jump.
Gulf South: (Region Two)
Super Region 2 Quarterfinal: (6)North Alabama 43, at (3)Valdosta State 20
(2)Delta State idle
North Alabama played without junior WR Jarmon Fortson, who was suspended by Terry Bowden for missing classes. Fortson, you may remember, was sent packing this summer by incoming Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher.
It didn’t take West Alabama long to settle on a successor to the retiring Bobby Wallace, as they promoted offensive coordinator Will Hall to the top spot this week. Hall masterminded a top-20 offense, including a top-10 passing attack. Hall, of course, had a distinguished playing career as well; he was the 2003 Harlon Hill Award winner as a quarterback at North Alabama.
Saturday:
Super Region 2 Semifinal: (6)North Alabama (9-3) at (2)Delta State (8-3)
Mid-America: (Region Four)
Super Region 4 Quarterfinal: at (3)Northwest Missouri State 28, (6)Missouri Western 24
Super Region 4 Quarterfinal: at (4)Central Missouri 55, (5)West Texas A&M 35
Saturday:
Super Region 4 Semifinal: (4)Central Missouri (10-2) at (1)Abilene Christian (11-0)
Super Region 4 Semifinal: (3)Northwest Missouri State (10-1) at (2)Texas A&M-Kingsville (10-1)
Kanza Bowl (Topeka, KS): Midwestern State (8-3) vs. Washburn (7-4)
Mineral Water Bowl (Excelsior Springs, MO): Concordia-St. Paul (8-3) vs. Pittsburg State (5-6)
Great Lakes IAC: (Region Three)
Super Region 3 Quarterfinal: at (4)St. Cloud State 42, (5)Hillsdale 28
Super Region 3 Quarterfinal: at (3)Grand Valley State 35, (6)Colorado Mines 13
Dave Walkowsky resigned as head coach at Tiffin Monday. Walkowsky came to Tiffin in 2008 after serving as an assistant at Toledo and Washington State, but after only two wins in three years it was clear a change was needed.
Saturday:
Super Region 3 Semifinal: (3)Grand Valley State (11-1) at (2)Augustana (SD) (10-1)
South Atlantic: (Region Two)
Super Region 2 Quarterfinal: at (4)Wingate 63, (5)Morehouse 41
Saturday:
Super Region 2 Semifinal: (4)Wingate (9-2) at (1)Albany State (10-0)
Northern Sun: (Region Three)
Super Region 3 Quarterfinal: at (4)St. Cloud State 42, (5)Hillsdale 28
(1)Minnesota-Duluth and (2)Augustana (SD) idle
This is huge, huge news: the student body at St. Cloud State approved an increase in athletic fees this week, which will enable the school to cover the budget shortfall which had raised the ugly spectre of a team making the playoffs one year and not even having a football team the next. The fee increase amounts to about $22 a semester for a full-time student, and utterly wipes out the projected athletic department budget deficit for the next two years.
Minnesota-Crookston has relieved head coach Shannon Stassen and his entire staff, after nine seasons. Stassen, who led the school into Division II from the NAIA, had a career record of only 12-85, and the Golden Eagles haven’t won an NSIC game in over two years.
Saturday:
Super Region 3 Semifinal: (4)St. Cloud State (10-2) at (1)Minnesota-Duluth (11-0)
Super Region 3 Semifinal: (3)Grand Valley State (11-1) at (2)Augustana (SD) (10-1)
Mineral Water Bowl (Excelsior Springs, MO): Concordia-St. Paul (8-3) vs. Pittsburg State (5-6)
Great Northwest: (Region Four)
Season complete.
Lone Star: (Region Four)
Super Region 4 Quarterfinal: at (4)Central Missouri 55, (5)West Texas A&M 35
(1)Abilene Christian and (2)Texas A&M-Kingsville idle
Angelo State has declined to renew the contracts of head coach Dale Carr and his entire coaching staff after six seasons. Carr led the Rams to the playoffs in his first season, but the squad fell to a 8-23 record the following three years. The team improved to 6-5 last season and 5-5 this year in the incredibly stacked South Division, but the improvement was apparently insufficient for the administration’s taste.
Saturday:
Super Region 4 Semifinal: (4)Central Missouri (10-2) at (1)Abilene Christian (11-0)
Super Region 4 Semifinal: (3)Northwest Missouri State (10-1) at (2)Texas A&M-Kingsville (10-1)
Kanza Bowl (Topeka, KS): Midwestern State (8-3) vs. Washburn (7-4)
Pennsylvania: (Region One)
Super Region 1 Quarterfinal: (6)Bloomsburg 28, at (3)California (PA) 24
(1)Kutztown and (2)Mercyhurst idle
Saturday:
Super Region 1 Semifinal: (4)Shepherd (10-1) at (1)Kutztown (10-1)
Super Region 1 Semifinal: (6)Bloomsburg at (2)Mercyhurst
West Virginia: (Region One)
Super Region 1 Quarterfinal: at (4)Shepherd 40, (5)Shaw 6
Saturday:
Super Region 1 Semifinal: (4)Shepherd (10-1) at (1)Kutztown (10-1)
Rocky Mountain: (Region Three)
Super Region 3 Quarterfinal: at (3)Grand Valley State 35, (6)Colorado Mines 13
Western State fired head coach Pat Stewart, OC C.J. Teply, and offensive line coach David Pena. All three coaches had come to Western from Nebraska-Kearney six years ago.
Saturday:
Season complete.
Southern: (Region Two)
Super Region 2 Quarterfinal: at (4)Wingate 63, (5)Morehouse 41
(1)Albany State idle
Thanksgiving:
Tuskegee (8-2, 7-2) at Alabama State (7-3, FCS) (non-conference)
Saturday:
Super Region 2 Semifinal: (4)Wingate (9-2) at (1)Albany State (10-0)
Pioneer Bowl (Columbus GA): St. Augustine’s (8-2) vs. Fort Valley State (8-2)
Northeast Ten: (Region One)
Season complete.
Central: (Region One)
Super Region 1 Quarterfinal: at (4)Shepherd 40, (5)Shaw 6
Saturday:
Pioneer Bowl (Columbus GA): St. Augustine’s (8-2) vs. Fort Valley State (8-2)
Great Lakes FC:
Season complete.
Independents:
NCCAA Victory Bowl: North Greenville 42, Campbellsville 16
at Lamar 44, Oklahoma Panhandle State 6
Saturday:
Season complete.