First Down Classic

First Down Classic
Stadium	various locations
Location
Operated	2007-present
Conference tie-ins	NAIA
Sponsors
College Fanz, Victory Sports Network

The First Down Classic is the only National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics endorsed Pre-Season bowl game. It began operations in 2007, taking over for the defunct Wheat Bowl that operated from 1995 until 2006. In 2009, two separate games were played under the same name "First Down Classic".

Year	Winner	Score	Loser	Score	Location
2007	MidAmerica Nazarene	59	Azusa Pacific	38	Pirate Stadium * Platte City, Missouri[1]
2008	Doane	15	William Jewell	13	Pirate Stadium * Platte City, Missouri[2]
2009 (game 1)	Avila	9	Doane	6	Pirate Stadium * Platte City, Missouri[3]
2009 (game 2)	Ottawa	31	McKendree	21	Pirate Stadium * Platte City, Missouri[4]
2010	Ottawa	24	Baker	15	Peoples Bank Field * Ottawa, Kansas[5]
2011	Baker	41	Ottawa	16	Liston Stadium * Baldwin City, Kansas[6]

Game details

2010

	1	2	3	4	Total
Baker	0	0	0	14	14
Ottawa	7	0	7	10	24

The start of the 2010 NAIA football season began at Ottawa University in the College Fanz First Down Classic game between Ottawa and Baker. This game marked the first time the two schools met in football for 17 years. Ottawa began the game by returning the kickoff for a touchdown and let the entire game to a 24-14 victory.^[7]

2011

	1	2	3	4	Total
#10 Ottawa	13	4	0	0	17
#23 Baker	14	3	10	14	41

Nationally ranked at #23, Baker University upset #10 ranked Ottawa University in the 2011 match-up played at Liston Stadium in Baldwin City, Kansas. Ottawa scored first when Shane Gimzo completed a 9 yard run for a touchdown with 9:02 remaining in the first quarter. It was the only lead Ottawa would hold for the entire game, which they lost when Baker's Tyler Hatcher ran the kickoff return for 82 yards for a touchdown and Andrew Kimrey completed the PAT kick. Later that same quarter, Baker's Reggie Harris ran a 62 yard punt return for a touchdown to take the lead.

Ottawa managed to get close several times with the score at the end of the first half with Baker leading 16–17.^[8]

Baker managed to hold Ottawa scoreless in the second half of play while scoring three touchdowns and a field goal. Baker recovered two fumbles and intercepted two passes to win with a final score of 41–16.^[9]

^[8]

References

1. ^ Victory Sports Network "MidAmerica Nazarene Tops Azusa Pacific 59-38 in VSN First Down Classic" by Jason Dannelly, August 25, 2007
2. ^ Victory Sports Network "Groteluschen's Kick Sends Doane Past Jewell, 15-12" by Jason Dannelly, August 30, 2008
3. ^ Victory Sports Network "Avila Downs Doane 9-6 in 2009 FDC Game #1" by Jason Dannelly, August 29, 2009
4. ^ Victory Sports Network "Ottawa University Senior Quarterback Ethan Haller Throws Four Touchdown Passes to Lead the Braves to a 31-21 Victory over McKendree University" by Jason Dannelly, August 29, 2009
5. ^ Victory Sports Network First Down Classic
6. ^ Victory Sports Network First Down Classic
7. ^ DakStats 3000 Baker University at Ottawa University
8. ^ ^{a b} "Ottawa (Kan.) at Baker (Kan.)". DakTronics 3000. Daktronics, Inc.. August 27, 2011. http://www.dakstats.com/WebSync/Pages/BoxScores/BoxScores.aspx?association=10&sg=MFB&sea=NAIMFB_2011&team=2204&compID=30479. Retrieved August 28, 2011. 
9. ^ Gillispie, Jimmy (August 11, 2011). "Baker football rolls past Braves in season opener". Baldwin City Signal. http://signal.baldwincity.com/news/2011/aug/28/baker-football-rolls-past-braves-season-opener/. Retrieved August 28, 2011.