2002 Carroll Fighting Saints football team

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.

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  
Montana State–Northern   1 7     1 9  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll

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

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 7Rocky Mountain
W 20–3
September 14Central Washington *
  • 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
  •  Homecoming

References

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  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.