One team can clinch their conference title this week, although that title no longer carries with it an automatic bid to the NAIA playoffs. An NAIA coaching legend notched career win #250, and a couple of undefeateds were upset as the season tips into its second half.

Five games entirely within the top 25 this week, plus another big game involving a top-5 team facing a pesky foe:

#2 Marian (IN) at #6 Saint Francis (IN)
#21 Rocky Mountain at #3 Carroll (MT)
#4 Missouri Valley at #9 Benedictine (KS)
#5 Georgetown (KY) at 4-2 Pikeville
#15 Southern Nazarene vs #7 MidAmerica Nazarene (at Cessna Field, Wichita KS)
#8 Morningside at #13 Dakota Wesleyan

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Big games last week were of course headed up by the #1 vs #2 matchup between conference-mates Saint Xavier and Saint Francis (IN). Xavier prevailed, and the new #2 is also an MSFA member, Marian (IN). This week, there’s a relative dearth of hot matchups in the NAIA:

3-1 Taylor at #2 Marian
#4 William Penn at #15 Saint Francis (IL)
#13 Doane at #9 Morningside
#25 Cumberland (TN) at #22 Shorter

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The truly important news is on the very next line, in bold, among the games of the week:

#1 Saint Xavier at #2 Saint Francis (IN)
#22 Montana State-Northern at #4 Carroll (MT)
#11 Southern Nazarene at 3-1 SW Assemblies
#25 Evangel at #12 Benedictine (KS)
#14 Midland at #17 Doane
3-1 Pikeville at #19 Campbellsville

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A relatively placid weekend in the NAIA, although the #3 team in the nation stumbled.

Big games to note:
#18 Shorter at #7 Georgetown (KY)
#22 Baker at #6 Missouri Valley
#11 Morningside at #9t Midland
Montana State-Northern at #17 Rocky Mountain

And now, the good stuff:

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Since the NAIA didn’t release their first in-season poll until this week, there were some “upsets” that really weren’t (I’m looking at you, pre-season #7 Dickinson State).

But there was one that most definitely was: #1 Carroll (MT) has been knocked off their throne. Details, and our first real look at the NAIA this year, after the jump.
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I know I said I was holding off on the NAIA this week, and I am, but I did want to tip off a few games of interest.  (One reason I held off was that there still weren’t updated rankings, but I figured out today, stupid me, that they’re not releasing the first post-preseason poll until next week.)

So after the jump, a list of games this week involving ranked teams, with the caveat that at least one of these teams would not be ranked this week had there been a poll. (I’m looking at you, 0-2 #10 Ottawa, although to be fair they did lose both games to other ranked squads.)

All games Saturday

Eastern Oregon (1-0) at #1 Carroll (MT) (1-0)
#2 Saint Xavier (1-0) at #24 Saint Francis (IL) (1-0)
#3 MidAmerica Nazarene (1-0) at #11 Missouri Valley (1-0)
#4 Saint Francis (IN) (0-0) at Saint Ambrose (1-0)
#5 Morningside (1-0) at #14 Northwestern (IA) (1-0)
Quincy (1-0) at #6 Marian (IN) (2-0)
Valley City State (0-1) at #7 Dickinson State (0-2)
#8 William Penn (2-0) at Luther (0-1; D-III)
#21 Kansas Wesleyan (0-1) at #10 Ottawa (0-2)
Bethany (KS) (1-0) at #12 McPherson (0-1)
#13 NW Oklahoma State (0-1) at Colorado State-Pueblo (1-0; D-II)
#15 Azusa Pacific (0-1) at La Verne (D-III; 0-0)
Virginia-Wise (1-0) at #16 Cumberlands (KY) (1-0)
#17 Midland (1-0) at Nebraska Wesleyan (1-0)
#18 Cumberland (TN) (1-0) at Campbellsville (1-0)
Haskell (0-2) at #19 Southern Nazarene (1-0)
Shorter (0-0) at #20 Webber International (0-1)
#25 Grand View (1-1) at Drake (0-1; FCS)

Tags: naia