My induction into NAIA football occurred in August of 1996 in Blair, Nebraska on the campus of Dana College. My brother was an incoming freshman for the Vikings and I was part of his draft team. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I would absolutely love this level of football. The massive, yet somewhat controlled chaos of fall draft was underway. Seniors greeting each other and introducing themselves to the freshmen. The energy, the horrible smell in the dorm, the barely adequate facilities, and a ragtag bunch of coaches trying to hold it all together. The NAIA bit me that day and two years later, unknowingly dragged me into this world of NAIA football you know today.

28 falls later, here we are. There are horrible smells in the dorm, there are ragtag coaches, but more importantly, there are 97 campuses with hope, dream, and passion for what will happen in the coming months.

The NAIA preview is complete. The ratings are out, the watch lists are out, and the conference splits are under the microscope. Now it’s time to shut up and play some football. Show me what you’ve got! (Rick and Morty character voice)

Is this week zero or week -1? I think it’s -1 because more teams play next week, but not all of them. The full season starts September 7, but I digress. For simplicity’s sake, let’s call it zero.

There are only two games on the schedule and both are exciting, but perhaps not for the right reasons.

No. 4 College of Idaho welcomes Lincoln (Calif.) on Saturday night in Caldwell, Idaho. The Oaklanders are a relatively new program that is not affiliated with the NAIA or NCAA. They are an affiliated (WASC) four-year institution, so the game counts toward the COI’s regular season wins, stats, etc. It should give us a taste of what QB Andy Peters can do with a few new faces on offense, and give the Yotes’ defense some needed reps before they get into the meat of their schedule.

Will this be a big game? I don’t think so, but I don’t know. Lincoln is a bit of a wild card when it comes to recruiting and returning players. The program itself has made national headlines that have raised an eyebrow or two. They have talent on their roster, so the Yotes better not go into this game sleepwalking. Ultimately, I see the Yotes handling Lincoln with ease.

Webber International will host the University of Fort Lauderdale. The UFL is affiliated with the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), but not the NCAA or NAIA. The Eagles had a football program for a time, but officially launched the newest version of one in 2021. They were 3-5 last season, with walkover wins over Gordon State and Atlantis. The other win came against North American, an NAIA program.

WIU is coming off a 3-7 season with 14 returning starters. They have experience at quarterback and other positions. This game should be easy for the Warriors and the experience on their roster to handle. The key will be tweaking the defense to limit UFL so the Warrior offense can get a good idea of ​​what it could accomplish this season.

This is it. This is the game. There are local practice games happening all over the NAIA this week, and I have no doubt that many of you will be attending them and not looking at the NAIA scoreboard. Enjoy one last week of bliss before things get really serious.

The schedule for VSN is getting tighter until next week. We will keep our regular schedule of reviewing and previewing the action in NAIA football. Our weekly schedule will look something like this:

• Sunday night, 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT: NAIA Football with Dannelly and Donley. Our weekly podcast covering all things NAIA football.
• Monday: Release of the VSN NAIA Football Top 25
• Tuesday: Around the NAIAtion – a closer look at what’s happening in NAIA football
• Wednesday: Chips Picks. Every game in NAIA football predicted by Jason Dannelly
• Thursday/Friday: Possible interviews with coaches about this week’s games.
• Saturday: Match reports and updates.