Four NAIA Football Squads Featured in College FanzT

Sports Network "First Down Classic"

Saturday August 29th in Suburban Kansas City

Grand Island, Nebraska - August 18, 2009 - The third annual College FanzT Sports Network "First Down Classic" features two exciting football games pitting four of leading NAIA football programs in a doubleheader Saturday, August 29th in suburban Kansas City.

The first-ever meeting between Avila University and Doane College is scheduled for 1 p.m. Central at Platte County R3 High School's Pirate Stadium in Platte City, Missouri.   

The nightcap features McKendree University and Ottawa University (also meeting on the gridiron for the first time) in a contest that begins at 7 p.m. Central.

College Fanz is the world's largest online college sports community launched by ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen .   

Both games of the College Fanz Sports Network "First Down Classic" will be the inaugural season premiere of the College Fanz NAIA Football Game of the Week broadcast, available live on http://www.CollegeFanz.com .

The Doane College Tigers (out of Crete, Nebraska) are coached by Matt Franzen, entering his third season as head coach.   Doane won the "First Down Classic" last season with a 15-12 victory over William Jewell College on a 47-yard game winning field goal by freshman Dustin Groteluschen. The Tigers won just four games a year ago, but return 11 starters on offense and seven on defense.

The Eagles of Avila University ( Kansas City, MO) are appearing in the "First Down Classic" for the first time. Head coach Bruce Young will have the challenge of leading a young squad that does have experience, with 17 returning starters (nine on offense, eight on defense).   Despite just winning two games in 2008, the Eagles set a new record with eight Heart of America Athletic Conference selections. Avila returns six of the eight to lead the team this season.

Ottawa University ( Ottawa, KS) is competing in the "First Down Classic" for the first time, and hopes to capitalize on their 8-2 record last season that led the Braves to a second place finish in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.   Head coach Kent Kessinger's Ottawa squad led the KCAC last season averaging 441.2 yards per game. The Brave defense was at the top of the conference after giving up just 1,695 passing yards last season. Their defense will be lead by linebacker Ross Diehl, who collected 9.5 sacks last season.

Also making their "First Down Classic" debut are the McKendree Bearcats ( Lebanon, IL.   They return 14 starters from last year's squad, seven on offense and seven on defense. Head coach Carl Poelker enters his 28 th season as a college head coach (and 14 th season with the Bearcats) looking to improve on a 6-4 finish from 2008. The Bearcats finished in a three-way tie for second in the Mid-States Football Association Midwest League standings. McKendree finished last season riding a three-game win streak and will try to carry that momentum over to this season.

In the 2007 "First Down Classic," MidAmerica Nazarene defeated Azuza Pacific, 59-38, while in 2008 Doane defeated William Jewell, 15-12.   This year's "First Down Classic" is the first doubleheader, but like the others, will be played in Platte County R3 High School's Pirate Stadium in Platte City, Missouri (located approximately five miles from Kansas City International Airport.

College Fanz is the world's largest online college sports community, with students, alumni, and other fans of college sports. Founded by Bill Rasmussen, the innovator who launched ESPN in 1979, College Fanz boasts over 22,000 web pages devoted to more than 1,450 colleges and universities throughout the United States competing in over 225,000 NCAA and NAIA athletic events.    Victory Sports Network , the leading voice of NAIA college sports, is now part of the College Fanz Sports Network .   Additional information is available at http://www.CollegeFanz.com .