2005 Championship Game

4 for 4: Saints Win Fourth Straight NAIA Title

The Saints left their mark as the NAIA’s greatest football dynasty Saturday with a convincing 27-10 win over St. Francis (Ind.) in front of more than 6,000 fans at Jim Carroll Stadium in Savannah, Tenn. It was their fourth consecutive national title and they are the only NAIA team ever to win four national titles in a row. They are also only one of two schools at any level to win four consecutive national titles. The other was Division III Augustana, IL which accomplished the feat from 1983-1986. Story

Final Score

Offensive Player of the Game - Tyler Emmert
Defensive Player of the Game - Matt Thomas

Read the NAIA Story here.

Purple Reign

The Carroll College Saints made history Saturday, downing the University of St. Francis Cougars 27-10 to become only the second college football team at any level to win four straight national titles. In the words of Heidi Van Diest, wife of head coach Mike Van Diest, the third Saturday in December belongs to Carroll College.

The Fighting Saints took the field under cloudy Tennessee skies before 6,313 fans at Jim Carroll Stadium. Sen. Max Baucus broke away from Washington to join the several thousand Saints fans who had crossed the country to witness the game. Story

Saints Bring Winning Spirit Home

After a long trip home in the wee hours of the morning, members of the Carroll College Saints football team got up early Sunday morning to sign autographs in Helena before many headed home for the holidays.

Team members and coaching staff got into the spirit Sunday on campus in the center lounge and then went on to Dillard’s in the Capital Hill Mall where they signed footballs, T-shirts, sweatshirts, posters and hats. Read more

Fans get chance to watch CC on CSTV

After a long trip home in the wee hours of the morning, members of the Carroll College Saints football team got up early Sunday morning to sign autographs in Helena before many headed home for the holidays.

Team members and coaching staff got into the spirit Sunday on campus in the center lounge and then went on to Dillard’s in the Capital Hill Mall where they signed footballs, T-shirts, sweatshirts, posters and hats. Read more

Championships Came Early for Saints Players

"Tyler Peterson opened the third period with the biggest play of the game by returning the second half kickoff 85-yards for a touchdown," according to the Independent Record. "Quarterback Tyler Emmert then threw two second half touchdown passes" to cement the team's victory and the championship. Story

Never Been Done B-4

2004's third-straight NAIA national championship win was a heart-stopping squeaker, but this year the Fighting Saints football squad proved themselves unequivocal masters of the universe with the slam-dunk 27-10 win over the University of St. Francis Cougars during the 50th Annual NAIA Football National Championship game at Jim Carroll Stadium in Savannah, Tenn. In this edition of QNs, we've provided a few clips from around the nation to help you revisit the action and the thrill of this fourth-straight NAIA national football championship. The Associated Press story (our second entry below) was published nationwide in innumerable newspapers and websites. Millions now know without a doubt: There's never been a better time to be a Carroll Saint!

For the record, our fourth consecutive national title is an NAIA historic first - no other NAIA team has won four crowns in a row. AND, the Saints are only the second team in all of college football history to win four straight national titles (the other was Augustana, Ill., in 1983-86 in NCAA Division III). In addition, this weekend our QB Tyler Emmert was named NAIA Player of the Year - this is the second time he's received this national honor.

For the festivities, hundreds of Saints fans journeyed to Tennessee to watch the game live while alumni parties buzzed around televisions at watering holes all over the U.S. - from Alaska to Arizona and from California to Washington, D.C., and of course throughout Montana. Fans at Jim Carroll Stadium included folks from as far away as Florida who weren't even Carroll alumni - they just showed up to watch that famous team from Montana play some hard-hitting college ball.

But, it seems our work is never done. Last Sunday, the day after the stunning victory, at Cathedral of St. Helena Mass, the NAIA championship trophy was paraded up the aisle before applauding parishioners as it has been since 2002. Greeting the gleaming offering and our triumphant Coach Mike Van Diest, Monsignor Kevin O'Neill smiled then declared, "Gimme Five!"

"Carroll Wins 4th Consecutive National Title" (NAIA. org)
"Carroll wins fourth straight NAIA title" (Associated Press/Sports Illustrated.com)
"Carroll College QB Emmert named NAIA player of year" (ESPN)
"Saints bring winning spirit home" (Helena Independent Record)
"TRIBUTE TO THE CARROLL COLLEGE FIGHTING SAINTS - Statement on the Floor of the United States Senate by Senator Conrad Burns"
"Baucus bets with Ind. senator on Carroll game" (Helena Independent Record)
"Tennessee city reigns as NAIA title town" (The Journal Gazette/Fort Wayne.com)