Funkerstation » game at Kansas City to get Nelson some work be

HOUSTON -- For the first time in 12 seasons, Mount Union will not appear in the Division III championship game.In its place, Mary Hardin-Baylor will play in its first Stagg Bowl since 2004 -- the season before Mount Unions 11-year streak began.Mary Hardin-Baylor converted a first down on fake punt with 45 seconds left and the Crusaders upset defending champion Mount Union 14-12 on Saturday in the Division III semifinals.The Crusaders last title game ended in a 28-21 defeat to Linfield. That was the last D-III title game not involving Mount Union, UW-Whitewater or St. Thomas.Mary Hardin-Baylor (14-0) will play Wisconsin-Oshkosh, which beat John Carroll 10-3, on Friday night.Two of the highest scoring teams in Division III were locked in a defensive battle on Saturday.Mount Union (12-2) started its final possession with 2:32 left at its 45. But defensive end Ajay Fanene read a screen pass and dropped back in coverage to intercept freshman quarterback Dom Davis pass with 1:44 left. It was his first interception of the season.Mary Hardin-Baylor was forced to punt after three plays but Trinton Ynclan caught a dart from the Baylor Mullins in a punt formation to seal it.It was Mount Unions first true road loss since 1994, which is also the last time the Raiders lost two games in a season. The 114-game streak went back to the 1994 NCAA Playoffs in a 34-33 loss at Albion (Mich.).Mary Hardin-Baylor quarterback Blake Jackson scored on a 1-yard sneak up the middle with 1:53 left in the third quarter for a 14-6 lead. His 11-yard scramble two plays earlier on a third-and-6 set up the touchdown. Duane Thompson also made two big plays on the drive. He had an over-the-shoulder catch for 25 yards and rushed for a 15-yard gain on the next play.Keith Reineke made an easy interception with 10:43 left in the fourth quarter for Mary Hardin-Baylor but the Crusaders drive stalled after three plays. Mount Union made them pay with a 14-play, 66 yard scoring drive to pull to 14-12 with 4:20 left on Davis play-action keeper. The Raiders two-point conversion attempt failed after Davis pressured pass fell incomplete short of the end zone.In the first half, Alex Louthan kicked a 30-yard field goal to open the scoring for Mount Union with 8:08 left. But Mary Hardin-Baylor answered on its next possession. Jackson scrambled to escape pressure and was hit hard just after a throw for a 33-yard touchdown. T.J. Josey leapt in the end zone to get a hand on it and Wykeyhe Walker secured it for a 7-3 lead.Louthan made his second field goal with two seconds left before halftime to pull to Mount Union to 7-6.Mary Hardin-Baylor won its 12th straight American Southwest Conference title to earn the one tournament bid reserved for independents or teams in a non-automatic qualifying conference. Mount Union earned one of the six at-large bids to the playoffs and is the only team in D-III history to win three straight road games to reach the semis. Dick Butkus Youth Jersey . -- Brandon Jennings made the most of his first game with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. Jim McMahon Youth Jersey . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision. http://www.bearsrookiestore.com/Bears-Anthony-Miller-Jersey/ . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. Devin Hester Bears Jersey . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. 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GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The closest thing Jordy Nelson did to real football during his first practice in 364 days came at the end of the session, when he ran some half-speed routes while fellow receivers Randall Cobb and Davante Adams acted as cornerbacks during a jog-through.No wonder Nelson called it hardly even a practice.By unofficial count, earlier in Mondays practice Nelson caught 15 passes from Aaron Rodgers and the other quarterbacks at the far end of the field while the rest of the team went through a special-teams period.Nelson appeared to run closer to full speed in that drill, although never against a defender.Nelson said he was more concerned about his conditioning than either of his knees -- the reconstruction of his right knee after his ACL tear last year on Aug. 23 and his left knee that was injured earlier this summer during his rehab.I felt better today, honestly, than I thought I was going to wind-wise, conditioning-wise, running those routes being full padded and everything, Nelson said after practice, which lasted 1 hour, 47 minutes.?I thought that was a good sign. Weve been working inside, so weve been getting the conditioning aspect in. But theres nothing like playing a game, and playing a game in Jacksonville Week 1, its going to be hot down there. Im sure everyone will be having to deal with it, and itll be part of it.Nelson said despite his extremely limited return, he believes hes on track to play against the Jaguars in the opener on Sept. 11.Absolutely. I dont think anythings changed, he said.With only onee more full practice scheduled this week before Fridays preseason game at San Francisco, its unlikely Nelson would play against the 49ers.dddddddddddd?And typically, coach Mike McCarthy doesnt play his starters in the preseason finale, although its unknown if he would make an exception for the Sept. 1 game at Kansas City to get Nelson some work before the regular-season opener against the Jaguars.Last week, Nelson actually warmed up in full pads before the preseason game against the Oakland Raiders on Thursday, one day after he was activated off the PUP list.Obviously, were progressing, Nelson said. Obviously, were going to see how the body reacts; thats how it is every time you do something, but it felt good out there. I dont know what the plan is for this weekend or next -- if its going to be similar to what we did last week or if itll be more. Its still in debate. Its a fluid situation of how everything reacts and how we feel.I mean, today felt great, so Im sure tomorrow well do a little bit more. Well see what the practice schedule looks like. Obviously, well eventually build into team periods. We should get plenty of that by the time Jacksonville comes around. Well see what we do this week, but I assume, just based off normal progression, that next week well probably get into some competitive periods. And then Jacksonville, I dont have any reason to think it wont be a normal week of preparation. ' ' '