2002 Carroll Fighting Saints football team

2002 Carroll Fighting Saints football
NAIA national champion
Frontier champion
ConferenceFrontier Conference
Record12–2 (7–1 Frontier)
Head coach
Home stadiumNelson Field
Seasons
← 2001
2003 →
2002 Frontier Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 1 Carroll (MT) $^   7 1     12 2  
No. 15 Montana Western ^   7 1     9 3  
Montana Tech   3 5     4 7  
Rocky Mountain   2 6     2 8  
MSU Northern   1 7     1 9  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll

The 2002 Carroll Fighting Saints football team was an American football team that represented Carroll College as a member of the Frontier Conference during the 2002 NAIA football season. In their fourth season under head coach Mike Van Diest, the Saints compiled a 12–2 record (7–1 against conference opponents) and won the NAIA national championship, defeating Georgetown (Kentucky), 28–7, in the NAIA National Championship Game.[1] It was the first of six national championships between 2002 and 2010.

The team played its home games at Nelson Field at Helena, Montana.

Schedule[edit]

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 7Rocky Mountain
W 20–3
September 14Central Washingtondagger*
  • Nelson Field
  • Helena, MT
L 8–26
September 28MSU NorthernHavre, MTW 37–0
October 5Montana Tech
  • Nelson Field
  • Helena, MT
W 28–7
October 12at Rocky MountainBillings, MTW 31–7
October 19Montana WesternDillon, MTW 36–21
October 26at Eastern Oregon*La Grande, ORW 44–13
November 2MSU Northern
  • Nelson Field
  • Helena, MT
W 47–14
November 11at Montana TechButte, MTW 7–2
November 16Montana Western
  • Nelson Field
  • Helena, MT
L 17–35[2]
November 23at Dickinson State*Dickinson, ND (NAIA first round)W 42–23[3]
November 30Southern Oregon*
  • Nelson Field
  • Helena, MT (NAIA quarterfinal)
W 35–31[4]
December 7at Sioux Falls*Sioux Falls, SD (NAIA semifinal)W 20–17[5]
December 21vs. Georgetown (KY)*W 28–75,878[6]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming

References[edit]

  1. ^ "2002 National Championship Football". Carroll College. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  2. ^ "Bulldogs bite Carroll". The Independent Record. November 17, 2002. p. 1B – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Saints move on". The Independent Record. November 24, 2002. p. 1B – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Saints rally past SOU". The Independent Record. December 1, 2002. pp. 1B, 3B – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "On to Tennessee". The Independent Record. December 8, 2002. pp. 1B, 3B – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Tigers title try tackled". The Jackson Sun. December 22, 2002. p. 10B – via Newspapers.com.