TOG Game of the Night: There was another big game in Division II we could have selected (#6 Colorado State-Pueblo 44, #24 West Texas A&M 34), but we’re going with the showdown in California, Pennsylvania. CalPA’s Peter Lalich threw for 275 an four scores last night, but with time running out the 17th-ranked Hillsdale Chargers found themselves with a first down at the Cal five yard line. The Vulcan defense stiffened, though, and after two incompletions and a four-yard run the Chargers were facing fourth-and-goal from the one yard line with time for one last play. Anthony Mifsud tried to lob a pass into the end zone, but Vulcan DB Rontez Miles batted it away as the gun sounded, preserving a 30-22 win for California.

More goodies after the jump:

Victim The First: The first FCS/FBS upset of the night belonged to the McNeese State Cowboys, who ripped off 24 points in the middle two quarters to build a 24-6 lead on Middle Tennessee State. A furious fourth-quarter comeback attempt by the Blue Raiders fell short, and the Southland’s Cowboys not only scored a divisional upset, but did so on the road.

Victim The Second: Idaho’s year just keeps getting worse, and they may start re-thinking that decision to remain in FBS as an independent at this rate. Eastern Washington, who won the 2010 FCS championship before having 2011 derailed by injuries to the entire offensive line, reloaded at QB with former SMU snap-taker Kyle Padron. So it’s not surprising that they’re good, and probably also not surprising that the Eagles marched into Idaho’s Kibbie Dome and marched right back out with a 20-3 win.

Blowout of the Night: North Dakota celebrated their entry into the Big Sky with the biggest blowout of the evening at any level, trouncing South Dakota Mines 66-0. The Sioux, or whatever we’re calling them this week, outgained the Hardrockers 653-142, allowed only 24 yards on the ground, and had four touchdowns in the air and five on the ground. On the downside, they only forced one turnover all night and had 10 penalties for 97 yards. That is to say, North Dakota earned this blowout the hard way: they smashed SDSMT’s dicks in the dirt. Oddly, other than Jake Miller’s 178 yards on 12 carries, nobody’s stat line pops out and makes you go “whoa”. That’s because the entire roster got in on the act. Four guys carried for 49 or more yards and all scored at least once; 10 players caught passes, four for scores.

Not That Big an Upset: D-II Shorter knocked off FCS Campbell 31-20l D-II Saint Joseph’s (IN) upset FCS Valparaiso 36-34. Don’t get overly excited, however; both losing teams play in the Pioneer League, meaning they actually have fewer players on scholarship (zero) than either winning team. Still, always nice to see the black line upset.

It Wasn’t Supposed to Be Like This: Towson returned a ton of starters from last year’s CAA-championship squad. Winning the CAA isn’t easy. Some folks expected a backslide since last year’s run represented a miracle improvement; I pointed at the returning starters and the fact that they were, you know, really good last year rather than just lucky. So last night’s drubbing at the hands of a pedestrian (albeit FBS) Kent State team… is a little disappointing. On the other hand, both teams are responsible for what will certainly be a top-10 highlight at season’s end:

Don’t Look Now, But: D-II Truman State beat Southwest Baptist 24-14. That in itself isn’t much to get worked up over, but while that was going on Northwestern Oklahoma State got bushwacked 55-3 by Ouachita Baptist. That indicates Northwestern Oklahoma State is not very good at all this year. Truman plays NWOSU in two weeks. Next week, Truman plays Lincoln (MO). In other words, Truman State, long hapless, is staring a 3-0 start right in the kisser, which is just mind-boggling. Meanwhile, up north, D-II Sioux Falls upset #16 Saint Cloud State 32-19. Prior to last year’s mediocre transitional season, Sioux Falls had run off a 42-game winning streak playing in the NAIA. So a solid win on the road at a ranked opponent who made the playoffs last year? The Northern Sun needs to be very, very wary of their new playmate now.

Our Canadian Overlords: D-II Simon Fraser officially became the first foreign team to step on the field with the NCAA seal of approval last night, and celebrated that distinction by ripping apart D-III Pacific (OR) 51-14. Yes, Pacific’s D-III, and are still a relatively new program altogether. So this doesn’t mean a great deal. But Canada is now 1-0 against the USA. Time to get crackin’, northwest.

Thunder on the Plains: NAIA #8 Morningside is probably going to get a bump in the polls after blasting #17 Valley City State 49-7. VCSU isn’t a “bad” team, and Morningside rolled all over them like a steamroller over grass. The big key here is going to be at playoff time now; VCSU was the best hope for an independent to crack the field, so there’s probably another at-large spot going to be open for conference members who didn’t win their respective titles.

All the top-25 scores from the lower divisions on Thursday:

FCS:
at #4 Montana State 33, Chadron State [D-II] 6
at Kent State [FBS] 41, #7 Towson 21
#12 Eastern Washington 20, at Idaho [FBS] 3
#14 New Hampshire 38, at Holy Cross 17
at #15 Delaware 41, West Chester [D-II] 21

D-II:
#1 Pittsburg State 41, at Northeastern State 20
#2 Minnesota-Duluth 45, at Southwest Minnesota State 20
at #3 Northwest Missouri State 33, East Central 3
at #6 Colorado State-Pueblo 44, #24 West Texas A&M 34
at #11 California (PA) 30, #17 Hillsdale 22
at #12 Kutztown 58, Saint Anselm 6
Sioux Falls 32, at #16 Saint Cloud State 19
at #18 Missouri Western State 38, Central Missouri 26
at #20 Washburn 24, Nebraska-Kearney 14
at #21 Humboldt State 38, Colorado Mesa 19

D-III:
at #15 Wheaton (IL) 48, Benedictine (IL) 7

NAIA:
Ferris State [D-II] 35, at #7 Saint Francis (IL) 24
at #8 Morningside 49, #17 Valley City State 7
at #10 Northwestern (IA) 49, Southwestern (KS) 0
at Drake [FCS] 28, #15 Grand View 8