Northwest Missouri State Bearcats advance to 5thStraight D2 NationalChampionship Game
 

They beat California of PA just now by the score of 56-31. The Bearcats will play against Grand Valley State in the title game for the 3rd time in 5 years, and they'll be playing in general for the 4th time in 5 years.

The Grand Valley fans are already sandbagging, saying that this was a reloading year for GV. That Northwest should be the clear favorite. And perhaps they are. But Northwest has lost 4 consecutive National Title games, two of them to Grand Valley. I can't see Northwest winning. Myf aith has been shattered. Logic tells me that the Bearcats will win next Saturday, but my broken heart says no.

Either way, watch this game on ESPN or ESPN2 next Saturday. High-quality football, I promise you.

Yeah, there have been some heart-breakers, so it's hard to keep getting your hopes up every year.... I was at NW for the B2B, but haven't ever made it to Florence.

I'm thinking about it. :hmmm:

Bearcat Stats from tonight's dominant semifinal win:
521 yards total offense
LaRon Council -- 20 carries for 216 yards (10.8 YPC, lol) and 1 TD
Backup RBs Billy Creason and Jordan Simmons had 53 and 29 yards respectively (both had a 4.8 YPC). Each had one rushing TD.
Blake Bolles -- 16 for 22, 219 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Jake Soy -- 4 catches for 48 yards but 3 TD

Yes it must be much better being a Chiefs fan.

I feel like... you're doing something here.

Great win, blocked punt to end the half set-up by a good time out call by the coaches, amazing block, and great job scooping for the score without going down to take it in. It turned the tide of the game, didn't look like their defense wanted to be there in the second half. Defense made some crucial stops and the offense started rolling. Great win, now we need to beat Grand Valley, and its gonna be tough, just like it has been in the past. Go 'Cats.

+1

Rematch from a few years ago. Northwest and Grand Valley State are always there

Go Billcats, go!

When Northwest loses this Saturday, the nickname "Billcats" will become offensive to Bills fans.

Grand Valley State fans are a bunch of punks. I remember several years ago going to the championship game with UND against them. At the bars the night before their fans were such dumbasses, talking about how their offense was unbeatable... they could beat half the Division I teams... yadda yadda

UND had the #1 defense in Div II that year. We absolutely blanketed their "unstoppable" offense. It was so much fun.

Go Bearcats.

GV got over it, clearly. They went on after that 2001 loss to win the title game in 2002 and 2003 (the '03 win was against UND, too). They then won back-to-back titles a second time in 2005 and 2006.

I know next to nothing about MIAA football. How did NWMSU build such a dominant program?

Recruitment bolstered by national exposure from televised playoff games. We get Texas players. We scavenge Kansas City. Maryville, MO's HS team is consistently good and the best players want to stay in town to be Bearcats. But mostly Northwest 1.) recruits Iowa better than Kirk Ferentz. Northwest always seems to get Iowa's best HS QBs for some reason. and 2.) When Bill Callahan did away with Nebraska's walk-on program Northwest got many of the best players of the group that used to forsake D2 & FCS offers for a chance to walk-on for the Huskers. So now Northwest has a valuable pipeline to Nebraska talent.

The best coaching staff in D2 helps tremendously, too. All those players wouldn't play to their full potential if not for a brilliant squad of coaches. Mel Tjeerdsma is the mack-daddy.

Yeah, but I didn't travel down for that championship, so let's just not talk about that one