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Blog

Dickinson Red Devils & Lafayette Leopards Make a Play for a National Championship

December 19, 2018 By Jeff Zogg

The two teams with the most votes in the current Helmet Bowl II National Championship Round are in the Eastern Regional and seeing that it is regional championship week, they currently face each other.

The Dickinson Red Devils verses the Lafayette Leopards. Both hail from Pennsylvania. Along Interstates 81 and 79, just 117 miles separate the two schools. The Red Devils are DIII while the Leopards are an FCS school. Still, Lafayette is the underdog in this contest.

This is a cornerstone of Helmet Bowl. Every division, every conference, every school, every helmet. A level playing field. Voters decide. One Champion.

Of course, six other teams vie for the Championship. First, though, one of these teams much get past the other.

Dickinson Red Devils

When Dickinson Assistant Athletic Director Christian Payne first heard about Helmet Bowl II, he huddled with his coaches, looked over the Red Devil’s modern helmet, and decided to go for it.

A year ago they didn’t know about Helmet Bowl and finished with a dismal ZERO points in the Centennial Conference.

This year, they've dominated. They knocked off the McDaniel Green Terror, then the Moravian Greyhounds to face last year’s Conference Champion Johns Hopkins in this years Championship. They gathered nearly twice the votes as the Blue Jays  to win the Centennial Conference.

And continued that domination when they qualified for the Helmet Bowl II National Championship bracket. They beat the Tufts Jumbos and Misericordia Cougars and lead the Championship in votes. Then this week they squeaked by a strong effort by the Kentucky Christian Knights to face the Lafeyette Leopards in the East Regional Final.

Now Prowl the Leopards

The Leopards are building their own case for National Championship contention. This week they dispatched the defending Helmet Bowl National Champion Gallaudet Bison by a handful of votes. The Bison stormed into the championship round a year ago and were well on their way to challenging for a repeat. Lafayette somehow found a way to pull ahead.

It was the second close match the ‘Pards won. In Round 2, they won just by 20 votes against the New Jersey Lions. In Round 1 they won strong against the Kentucky State Thorobreds.

Lafayette entered the National Championship bracket after waltzing through three rounds to win the Patriot League Conference Championship.

“It's been fun,” said Anthony Martin, Director of Equipment at Lafayette. “When we talked about Helmet Bowl a few months ago, I said ‘Let's try to win it – at least the Patriot League.' I've been shocked at our success – it's the people around us.”

Martin, in his second year, spent six years on the staff at Oregon State. This year, at the beginning of the season, his staff and the coaches upgraded the helmet by adding chrome to the standard red L. Then, they added the Leopard head for the rivalry against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks – the longest football rivalry in college football.

The helmet brought little success (so far) for the Leopards on the field, but it has done quite well in Helmet Bowl.

“We will keep pushing and pushing.”

Now they face the total vote leader Dickinson Red Devils.

Red Devils Helmet

“The helmet came about when our coaches looked at what we had and wanted a modern portrayal and wanted to look good to play well,” Payne said. “We wanted to do something different.”

It started with Riddell. Head Football Coach Brad Fordyce recalls that Riddell's Matt Schilajew lead a design team in 2016 to come up with a primary and the alternative helmet voters are loving in Helmet Bowl.

“We use it for rivalry games and senior day,” Fordyce wrote us at Helmet Tracker.

The Red Devils improved their on-field success by one win this year, and hope to build on continued success and good looks in the year to come. Recruits want to look good and play well and the helmets bring home the message, Payne said.

Attention to Detail

“This helmet embodies what the program is all about – being sharp, attention to detail – attacking each day with a focused mentality,” Payne said.

We know a great helmet goes far in Helmet Bowl. But it isn’t everything. The votes must be gathered. How does Dickinson do it?

“Our parent club is doing an awesome job organizing the votes,”Payne tells us. “They are coming up with tactics and sharing with family and friends and voting.”

Payne and his cohorts have created two videos to support their campaign and post constantly on social media.

National Championship Doorstep

Now, both the Red Devils and Leopards are two wins away from the National Championship matchup. What would it mean to hoist the Helmet Bowl trophy?

“A national championship would continue the success of Red Devil football in a new way,” Payne says. “The fact that everyone has embraced Helmet Bowl and rallied around us shows the creation here of something new and a celebration of our history that is helping us reach the next level.”

Dickinson has been around for a bit. It was launched by signer of the Declaration of Independence Benjamin Rush in 1893 – the first college established in the newly formed United States of America.

“A Helmet Bowl National Championship goes along with the growth and competitiveness of our program,” Payne said. “We’ve won 9 Conference Championships and the Red Devils are always competitive – they do what they do with purpose.”

Martin, at Lafayette, understands. The Leopards won a National Championship in 1896, 1921, and again in 1926. Nearly 100 years have the Leopards itching again for glory.

“It's not a panel that is judging the best helmet,” he said. “It would be a great thing to win it all.”

Winners win.

Top 10 Things To Know Going into Round 3 of the Helmet Bowl National Championship

December 10, 2018 By Jeff Zogg


10. The Defending Helmet Bowl National Champions are still in it! Gallaudet University, which pulled out a come-from behind, upset win a year ago over heavily favored San Diego State Aztecs, squeaked by the Saint Augustine Falcons in Round 2. Now they face the motivated Lafayette Leopards to advance to the Regional Championship.

9. The South Dakota Coyotes sneaked by the Grand View Vikings by just TEN votes to achieve a spot in Round 3 of the Helmet Bowl II National Championship.

8. The Dickinson Red Devils once again lead all teams in number of votes in Round 2, just as they did in Round 1.

7. The Boise State Broncos scored the largest win in Round 2– by far. Next: Dickinson Red Devils, Tulsa Hurricanes, Kentucky Christian Knights.

6. The closest wins in Round 2? South Dakota State Coyotes (10votes), Rose-Hulman Fightin' Engineers (13 votes), Texas State San Marcos Bobcats (15 votes), Lafayette Leopards (20 votes), West Virginia State Yellow Jackets (25 votes). Three other contests were decided by less than 100 votes!

5. Voting in Helmet Bowl II, with four rounds left, has exceeded the entire Helmet Bowl I voting! Thank you Equipment Managers, Sports Information Directors, and voters!

4. Top vote getting teams in Round 1 and 2 totaled:

Dickinson Red Devils
Boise State Broncos
Kentucky Christian Knights
Maine Black Bears
Florida A&M Rattlers
Tulsa Hurricanes
Gallaudet Bison
Lake Erie Storm
Lafayette Leopards

3. Two teams (so far) have started Round 3 with new helmet images! What? Iowa State replaced their red lid with a black one, and the Howard Payne Yellow Jackets, who beat a very strong Florida International helmet, submitted a different image of the same helmet – a better, much better image.

2. Top vote getting teams in Round 2:

Dickinson Red Devils
Boise State Broncos
Florida A&M Rattlers
Maine Black Bears
Gallaudet Bison
Kentucky Christian Knights
Tulsa Hurricanes
Howard Payne Yellow Jackets
Lafayette Leopards

1. An unworldly contest. The Dickinson Red Devils seem unstoppable, but the Kentucky Christian Knights know what it means to go to battle against the unseen. Epic contest here in Round 3.  

Round 1 Voting Rank

December 4, 2018 By Jeff Zogg

Round 1 of the Helmet Bowl II National Championship is in the books and 32 teams advance. Here is the ranked list of teams who garnered the most votes.

Dickinson Red Devils 
Northwood Timberwolves
Lake Erie Storm
Saint Augustine Falcons
Kentucky Christian Knights
Western Michigan Broncos
Robert Morris Colonials
Maine Black Bears
University of Texas Permian Basin Falcons
West Virginia State Yellow Jackets
Florida A&M Rattlers
Florida International Golden Panthers
Boise State Broncos
New Jersey Lions
Iowa State Cyclones
Gallaudet Bison
South Dakota State Coyotes
Lafayette Leopards
Misericordia Cougars
Stetson Hatters
Grand View Vikings
Texas State San Marcos Bobcats
Rose-Hulman Fightin' Engineers
Howard Payne Yellow Jackets
Oregon Ducks 
College of Idaho Coyotes
Southeastern Oklahoma Savage Storm
Liberty Flames
St. Francis Fighting Saints
Western New England Golden Bears
Ottawa Braves

Top 10 Strategies to Win the Helmet Bowl II National Championship

December 3, 2018 By Jeff Zogg

A Winning Team Spirit Contributed to German Win over Argentina

Let's face it, no one waltzes into the Helmet Bowl National Championship. Three yards and a bucket of blood? Probably not. But it takes a certain amount of intention and strategy to win. No National title is a walk in the park. The best things in life are never easy.

We’ve crowned more than 150 Conference Champions and are well into our second National Championship contest. We see what it takes to win.

Here are the Top Ten things you can do to have the best chance to go deep in the Helmet Bowl National Championship.

1. Friends, Friends of Friends, and lots of them

You need the help of those who have big social networks—lots of followers. You know those crazy extroverts. They share everything, all the time. Reach out to celebrities, large group accounts, crazy fans, and whoever may have the attention of your fans.

2. Alumni, Parents, and Grandparents

Those who came before you care. They care a lot. They write checks, buy the swag, wear the gear. And, they will vote! Get in touch with your Alumni office or Association and ask them to send out your Helmet Bowl information. Moms and Dads who sport those “My kid and my money go to State” bumper stickers love to vote. Is there a parents’ group or association? And their folks will vote, too. You would be surprised how much time grandma spends online.

Through the looking glass. Charles Platiau / Reuters

3. Vote like a Marathoner, not a Sprinter

Unlike most elections, voting in Helmet Bowl runs seven days a week for six weeks. That means you can vote every day and on as many different devices you can find. We don't limit the number of votes from each voter. Vote! And, you don’t have to get up at the butt crack of dawn to train.

4. Befriend your Sports Information Director

SIDs are highly trained professionals who understand marketing and communications. They know how to grab the attention, spread the word. They know influential people, and have great contacts with the news media—local, regional, and national. Never underestimate their capabilities. They like to win, too.

Boise State Helmet 2018

5. Have a Great Looking Helmet

Your helmets may shine in the equipment room and look great on the field, but the voters see them online. Many teams fail to submit a sharp, high-res helmet image. What works best? A side shot of your helmet on a field or a bench. A recent poll tells us most people vote for their favorite team, then vote on the best looking helmet  

6. The Other Sports

Your basketball fans may not know a chin strap from a jock strap, but they love supporting your teams and they will vote. Get your arena staff to get a graphic up on the half-time scoreboard. Post a flyer in the wrestling meet entrance and where the swimming and diving fans grab a candy bar.

Time Magazine Cameron Crazies and fans of the Duke Blue Devils cheer prior to their game against Wake

 7. The Athletes

These guys are the competitors. You’ve done a nice job getting them to vote in the locker room, but how about having them invite their fans? Get that QB or CB to tweet about your Helmet Bowl effort. Get that power forward to tell their followers about Helmet Bowl. Get your star sprinter for the track team to encourage their social media followers to run to the polls. They'll like the exposure and attention.

8. Size Does Not Matter

We created Helmet Bowl on a level playing field. Big, medium, or small, you have a shot at this National Championship. With more than 750 teams from more than78 conferences, this contest is for everyone. Last year a small D3 school beat a D1 on the last day of the contest. We find the big schools are sometimes too busy being big. 

The Rocky Mountain Collegiancollegian.com

9. On-Campus Outlets

Who runs your campus newspaper? Is there an in-house television circuit or video feed that carries announcements? Can you get your student managers to create a marketing class assignment out of your Helmet Bowl effort? Make a couple of phone calls, yeah.

ESPN

10. Your Conference Foes

Look, you may hate (too strong?) them on the field a couple times a year, but you won the Helmet Bowl II Conference Championship. They will want you to represent and make a strong showing. Enlist your Equipment Management brethren in your conference to give you a boost. While you’re at it, contact your Conference office and ask them to join your cause. Your Conference office will want those bragging rights!

Helmetbowl II Main Page

Helmet Bowl II Conference Champions Crowned

November 19, 2018 By Jeff Zogg

Helmet Bowl added Muskies, Olfs, Flames, Rattlers, Hatters, and Fighting Saints to the list of Conference Champions for the first time.

Pitt won the ACC by TWO votes!

Texas Permian Basin Falcons won the Lone Star Conference by ONE VOTE!

And, we discovered late Monday we have a TIE! In the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference the Upper Iowa Peacocks TIED with the Minnesota State Moorhead Dragons – both GREAT helmets – but only one can qualify for the Helmet Bowl National Championship.

This, and the playoff for the Mid-South Conference (which had too many teams for our 16-team brackets) will be announced soon.

Later this week, seeding for the Helmet Bowl II National Championship bracket will be revealed and you will be able to fill out your predictive brackets at Helmet Bowl.

The 64 Conference Champions with the most total votes qualify for the National Championships.

The National Championship bracket launches Monday, November 26 at 3 pm CST.

Thanksgiving

At Helmet Tracker, we are thankful for family who support our business and the fun of Helmet Bowl.

Carter Rands, Helmet Tracker intern and K-State student manager

We are also thankful for college football Equipment Managers and their efforts to supply Helmet Bowl with the best images of their team's helmet.

We also give thanks for you, the voters in Helmet Bowl. You increased voting in the Helmet Bowl Conference play by more than 5 times the number of votes as last year!

Thank you!

Numbers

You DO NOT want to meet these teams in the National Championship bracket.

One team far outranked others in terms of total votes through the four rounds of the Conference play – the Maine Black Bears.

Other teams nearly within shouting distance:

Iowa State Cyclones

Dickinson Red Devils

Florida International Golden Panthers

We will see some tough regional matchups, some impossible choices, and some great contests in the National bracket.

Conference Champions Repeat

Just 12 teams repeated their Helmet Bowl I Conference Championship. Congratulations to these back-to-back winners!

New Jersey Lions – New Jersey Athletic Conference

Gallaudet Bison (DC) – Eastern Collegiate Football Conference

Ottawa Braves (KS) – Kansas Collegiate Athletic

Oregon Ducks (OR) – Pac 12

Idaho State Bengals (OR) – Big Sky

Northwest Missouri Bearcats (MO) – Mid-America Intercollegiate  

College of Idaho Coyotes – Frontier

Finlandia Lions (MI) – Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

Misericordia Cougars (PA) – Middle Atlantic Conference

Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils (MS) –Southerwestern Athletic Conference

Kennesaw State Owls (GA) – Big South

Valdosta State Blazers (GA) – Gulf South

Helmet Bowl II Conference Champions

We start with EVERY college football helmet. In Helmet Bowl II, we seeded the top four teams in every conference and let teams go after each other in head-to-head, single-elimination brackets.

These teams battled through three, sometimes four rounds and emerged victorious and undefeated!

A Helmet Bowl II Conference Championship mini-helmet, courtesy of Schutt Sports and Helmet Tracker, will be sent to the Equipment Manager of each Conference Championship team!

Congratulations!

Lafayette Leopards– (PA) Patriot League

Florida A &M Rattlers – Mid-Eastern Conference

Robert Morris Colonials (PA) – Northeast Conference

Dickinson Red Devils (PA) – Centennial Conference

Maine Black Bears (Maine) – Colonial Athletic Association

Stetson Hatters (FL) – Pioneer Football League

Iowa State Cyclones (IA) -Big 12

Penn Quakers (PA) – Ivy League

Lake Erie Storm (PA) – Great Midwest Athletic

West Virginia State Yellow Jackets – Mountain East

Limestone Saints (SC) – South Atlantic Conference

Kentucky State Thorobreds (KY) – Southern Intercollegiate Athletic

North Central College Cardinals (IL) – College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

Rose –Hulman Fightin’ Engineers (IN) – Heartland Collegiate Athletic

Fitchburg State Falcons (MA) – Massachusetts State Collegiate

Alvernia Golden Wolves (PA) – Middle-Atlantic Conference

Tufts Jumbos (Mass) – New England Small College Athletic

Worchester Polytechnic Engineers (Mass) – New England Womens & Mens Athletic

Emory & Henry Wasps (VA) – Old Dominion Athletic Conference

Waynesburg Yellow Jackets (PA) – Presidents’ Athletic Conference

Brevard College Tornados (NC) USA South Athletic Conference

Liberty Flames (VA) – Independent

Redlands Bulldogs (CA) – Southern California Intercollegiate

Grand View Vikings – (Iowa) – Heart of America

Linfield College Wildcats (OR) – Northwest Conference

Colorado Mesa Mavericks – Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference

Dakota Wesleyan Tigers (SD) – Great Plains Athletic Conference

St. Francis Fighting Saints (IN) – Mid States Football Association

Boise State Broncos (ID) – Mountain West

Southeastern Oklahoma Savage Storm (OK) – Great American Conference

Humbolt State Lumberjacks (CA) – Great Northwest Athletic Conference

Central College Dutch (IA) – American Rivers Conference

Westminster Blue Jays (MO) – Upper Midwest Athletic Conference

Western New England Golden Bears (Mass) – Commonwealth Coast Confer

Missouri S&T Miners – Great Lakes Valley Conference

South Dakota Coyotes – Missouri Valley

Wooster Fighting Scots – (Ohio) – North Coast Athletic Conference

Alfred Saxons – (NY) – Empire 8

Dakota State Trojans (SD) – North Star Athletic Association

Pittsburgh Panthers (PA) – Atlantic Coast Conference

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (NJ) – Big Ten

Western Michigan Broncos (MI) – Mid-American Conference

Northwood Timberwolves (MI) – Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics

Stonehill Skyhawks (Mass) – Northeast 10 Conference

Seton Hill Griffins – Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference

Rochester Yellowjackets (NY) – Liberty League

Beloit Buccaneers (WI) – Mid-West Athletic Conference

Saint Olaf Oles (MN) – Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic

Lakeland Muskies (WI) – Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

Mount Union Purple Raiders (OH) – Ohio Athletic Conference

Wisconsin (Platteville) Pioneers (WI) – Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic

Tulsa Hurricannes– American Athletic Conference

Rhodes Lynx – (TN) – Southern Athletic Association

Men football 2018-2019.(Vanderbilt University/Joe Howell)

Vanderbilt Commodores (TN) – SEC

Texas State San Marcos Bobcats (TX) – Sun Belt

Kentucky Christian Knights (KY) – Mid South Conference

Pikeville Bears- Mid South Conference

Florida International Golden Panthers (FL) – Conference USA

Tennessee State Tigers – TN – Ohio Valley Conference

Furman Paladins (SC) – Southern Conference

Lamar Cardinals (TX) – Southland Conference

Saint Augustine Falcons (NC) – Central Intercollegiate Athletic

Texas A&M Commerce Lions – Lone Star Conference

University of Texas Permian Basin Falcons – Lone Star Conference

Howard Payne Yellow Jackets (TX) – American Southwest Conference

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