INTERCOLLEGIATE FOOTBALL RESEARCHERS ASSOCIATION ™ The College Football Historian ™ ISSN: 1526-233x Vol. 1...No. 6 Established: Jan. 2008 Tex Noel, Editor ([email protected]) http://www.secsportsfan.com/college-football-association.html Greatest NCAA 1-AA The unsung defense, with Team? 1996 Marshall players like B.J. Cohen, a nine- year veteran of the Arena By Woody Woodrum League, and Billy Lyon, who played for the Packers and I meant to write awhile back Vikings, and other All- about the high scoring teams in Americans like corner Melvin Feb. issue. Cunningham and linebackers Larry McCloud, Jermaine Marshall's 1996, 15-0, I-AA Swafford, the Herd allowed only National Champions scored 210 points in 15 games, 658 points on the way to MU's outscoring opponents 43.9 - to - second title in five years (also 14.0, and many of those points in 1992). came for the opponents late in blowouts. With new head coach Bob Pruett taking over for Jim A total of 77 points were scored Donnan, Erik Kresser at QB, in fourth quarter by opponents, transferring in from Florida, one-third of the points given up Randy Moss at receiver, for the season. transferring in from Florida State, and some of the best The team had 18 All-Southern players in Marshall history (both Conference selections, 13 of Erik Thomas, a senior, and which were first-team freshman Doug Chapman, now selections. Moss was the SC with ESPN, rushed for over Freshman of the Year, with 29 1,000 yards: 1,296 and 1,238 touchdowns (at least one in yards, respectively), the Herd every game), 78 catches, 1,709 won every game by at least two yards, and senior receiver Tim touchdowns. The College Football Historian-2- 3 over Western Kentucky; 45-0 shutout of Tennessee- Martin added 74/868 and five Chattanooga; 56-21 over scores. Western Carolina; 56-25 over The Citadel; 42-17 over Kresser threw for 3,407 yards, Furman in the regular season 31 touchdowns against 11 finale. interceptions, and hit 60 percent passing. Eight of Marshall continued its scoring Marshall's all-time 44 All- in the NCAA 1-AA playoffs. A Americans were named in 59-14 opening round over 1996. Delaware set the tone for the remainder of the post-season. That season, Thomas Haskins of VMI was the SC Offensive Furman was next, falling 54-0; Player of the Year, but rushed then in the semi-finals, the Herd for only 73 yards, and threw a stopped the University of touchdown on a halfback pass, Northern Iowa 31-14; and in a MU 45-20 win in Lexington, defeated Furman 54-0 in the Va. semi-final round, before taking on defending 1AA National The SC Defensive Player of the Champion, Montana in the Year was Dexter Coakley of championship contest. Appalachian State, but Marshall rushed for 207 yards (Thomas Marshall didn’t have any trouble has 118 yards, Chapman 115) with the Grizzlies, winning 49- and passed for 245 more yards 29, leading 46-3 before pulling in a 24-10 win in Boone, in a off the dogs, while claiming its game that Chris Hanson second NCAA 1-AA National averaged a MU record 55.3 Championship. yards per punt. Several players off this team The team became only the third went to various pro football MU team all-time to start 8-0, leagues, including the NFL, and only the third team to beat AFL and CFL; included in this ASU in Boone since MU joined list were Moss, Kesser, Cohen, the SC in 1977. Lyon, Chapman, Ricky Hall, John Wade, Giradie Mercer, Wins were staggering: 55-27 Jason Starkey, Chris Hanson, over Howard in the opener; 37- bench as a red-shirt that The College Football Historian-3- season at QB. Jamie Wilson, John Grace, Tim Martin and Andre O'Neal. Bob Pruett, a 1965 graduate of the school, was in his first Another future NFL player, season as coach. Chad Pennington rode the WHICH TEAM IS THE 16. 1964 Concordia- BEST? Moorehead, MN NAIA I (1956-1969/1997- 8. 1956 St. Joseph’s, IN 2007) 9. 1962 Central St., OK by Patrick M. Premo 5. 1997 Findlay, OH 12. 1956 Montana St. In the last issue, we saw 1974 Texas Lutheran capture the 13. 1960 Lenoir-Rhyne, NC NAIA Division II (1970-96) all- 4. 1999 NW Oklahoma St. time best crown. 1974 Texas Lutheran then went on to 3. 1968 Troy St., AL accept the challenge of 1997 14.1966 Waynesburg, PA Mount Union, but lost 21-31. 1997 Mount Union (the NCAA 6. 1963 St. John’s, MN Division III champ) continues to 11. 1967 Fairmont St., WV advance in the Champions Round. This issue will feature 7. 2006 Sioux Falls, SD NAIA I (1956-1969 & 1997- 10. 1961 Pittsburg St., KS 2007) teams. As I stated previously, I am using Tex 15. 1958 NE St., OK Noel’s rankings to pair these 2. 2003 Carroll, MT champions, with the proviso that no individual school is ROUND ONE: represented more than once in each tournament. 2000 Georgetown, KY, won an extremely close game over Here are the top 16 teams as 1964 Concordia-Moorehead, rated by Tex: MN, 10-6. 1962 Central St., OK, thrashed 1956 St. 1. 2000 Georgetown, KY The College Football Historian-4- OK’s, dream with a 40-24 thumping. Moving into Round Joseph’s, IN, 28-0. 1956 three, the highest remaining Montana St. squeaked by 1997 seed is a 9 – the top 8 teams are gone in some shocking Findlay, OH, in a minor upset, upsets. [Personally, I think the th 24-21. In another upset, 13 teams of the first era were seed 1960 Lenoir-Rhyne, NC, superior to the teams of the second era, and the results th defeated 4 seed NW seem to back that up.] Oklahoma St. 28-20. 1968 Troy St., AL, won in a shoot out ROUND THREE: over 1966 Waynesburg, PA, 40-35. In a minor upset, 1967 1960 Lenoir-Rhyne, NC, won Fairmont St., WV, won over over 1962 Central St., OK, 31- 1963 St. John’s, MN, 35-27. 27 to move into the 1961 Pittsburg St., KS, championship game. 1967 defeated 2006 Sioux Falls, SD, Fairmont St., WV, lost to 1961 24-14 in another minor upset. Pittsburg St., KS, in another But the biggest upset of the first close game, 30-27. round came in the last game th when 15 seed 1958 NE St., THIRD PLACE: OK, crushed 2003 Carroll, MT, 34-10. A nine and a eleven seed meet for third place – and it is ROUND TWO: number nine, 1962 Central St., OK, prevailing over 1967 Upsets continue to abound as Fairmont St., WV, 27-15. the top seed, 2000 Georgetown, KY, is beaten CHAMPIONSHIP: badly by 1962 Central St., OK, 40-20. 1960 Lenoir-Rhyne, The all-time champ will either NC, and 1956 Montana St. put be a ten seed or a thirteen 82 points on the board with seed. In a high scoring game, Lenoir-Rhyne prevailing, 52-30. the thirteen seed, 1960 Lenoir- The last of the top four seeds Rhyne, NC, defeats the ten fell as 1967 Fairmont St., WV, seed, 1961 Pittsburg St., KS, narrowly defeated 1968 Troy 38-36 to claim the NAIA I St., AL, 21-20. 1961 Pittsburg (1956-1969 & 1997-2007) St., KS, ended 1958 NE St., Crown. (1978-2007). And after that, we The College Football Historian-5- will see the big boys in action! PROLOGUE: See you then! Remember, if you were to As promised, the NAIA I conduct these tournaments Champ from 1970-1996, 1976 again using my FAST-ACTION Texas A&I, takes on the NAIA I COLLEGE FOOTBALL Champ from 1956-1969/1997- BOARD GAME, your results will most likely vary. Just as 2007) 1960 Lenoir-Rhyne, NC, in real life, when two teams to determine the best NAIA play one another twice (or Division I team of all-time. more) in the same season, the 1976 Texas A&I is a field goal results are not always the favorite, but they win by more same. than that, taking it to Lenoir- Rhyne, 41-26. Looking for All-Time Scores of your favorite college CHAMPIONS ROUND: football team? Have you misplaced the scores and 1997 Mount Union is now dates of when your alma waiting for 1976 Texas A&I. mater defeated its biggest Texas is a 12 point favorite and rival while you were going to the team does not disappoint, school? winning 44-31. 1997 Mount Union’s aura of invincibility is The answers to all of these over – they were soundly can be answered by IFRA beaten by a very good team. member Richard Topp. He 1976 Texas A&I will now has record games, sites, advance to take on the next dates and locations of not winner. only major colleges; small colleges and also schools The next issue will feature the that no longer participate in HBCU (Historically Black college football. Colleges & Universities) teams (1956-2007); the following Email Richard at: issue will have the College [email protected] with Division (1958-1974), and then you request. the issue after that will feature the NCAA Division I-AA teams The College Football Historian-6- The Missouri Alumnus-Spring, Coach Faurot Goes out a 1994 Winner—on the last play Magazine (pages 18-20) of his career highlighted Coach Faurot’s career in Columbia. By Tex Noel/1st-N-Goal One game struck my (editor, The College attention—as how it ended: Football Historian) Missouri won on a safety on the final play of the game, Many college football games defeating rival Kansas, 15-13.