Week 9, time to grind out the final two weeks. You’re tired, you’re injured. But are you ready to reach deep down and finish strong! Let’s do this.
Game 1 ~ Michigan vs. Livingstone
Livingstone College is a historically black Christian school of 1,200 students located in Salisbury, North Carolina.
You’ve heard of Harlem in New York City, right? Would you be surprised to know that there is a literal father of Harlem. It’s Philip A. Payton. Yep, he’s a Livingstone graduate.
The first ever black intercollegiate football game was played between Livingstone College and Biddle College (now Johnson C. Smith University) ~ back in 1892 ~ on Livingstone’s campus. Indeed, Livingstone College is a milepost in the history of America’s Game.
Their teams are the Blue Bears. Be aware, if your football team backs away very slowly, a hungry blue bear may not charge you.
Game 2 ~ Southern Nazarene vs. North Carolina State
Out in Bethany, Oklahoma, you’ll find Southern Nazarene University, a liberal arts school of 2,100 students, spiritually guided by the Church of the Nazarene. Their motto is Character, Culture, Christ. I take that to mean a school that champions the highest virtues of God will build a spiritually successful culture built on solid character. Or, in order of motto, a student of strong character will seek to spread such qualities to the surrounding culture, and what better person to model such character after than Christ!
If you want to be a missionary, strongly consider SNU. You can major in it!
Their teams are the Crimson Storm, and their mascot is Thunder Cat. When traveling in Bethany on game day, please be safe. There are storms, red storms! Rumbling thunder. Oh that thunder! And a ferocious storm cat. Mrowr!
Game 3 ~ St. Norbert vs. Rice
St. Norbert College is a private Catholic school of 2,100 students located in De Pere, Wisconsin, just south of Green Bay. An aside, De Pere is pronounced dih-PEER, not duh-PEER. Residents of De Pere thank you.
Ready? St. Norbert was founded by a Dutch immigrant Norbertine priest named Abbot Bernard Pennings from the Premonstratensian Berne Abbey of Heeswijk in the Netherlands. If you can say that cleanly, you’ve earned an honorary degree from St. Norbert.
St. Norbert teams are the Green Knights. Since 2004, their men’s hockey team has won five national titles, while being runner up four times. When they don’t make the finals, they’re generally a stone’s throw away. Are you catching the Dutch Norbertine Wisconsin hockey vibes right now?
Game 4 ~ Navy vs. Utica
Utica College is a private university of 3,000 students located in Utica, New York. Have you ever been taught by superheroes? Meet Utica College. If you don’t come out of Utica with the intellectual confidence to take on the world and its problems, then superhero power was wasted on you.
Watch your passwords, Utica has a cybersecurity program. A good one.
Their teams are the Pioneers. When you want to remember Utica, try using an image. Maybe a pioneer superhero saving the world from computer crime. Or not.
Let the games begin!
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