None of the eight remaining football teams in the NAIA national playoffs can expect a blowout any time soon.

For the first time in 12 years, all of the home teams won their first-round playoff games, which means there weren’t any upsets, or any teams with three losses making it to the second round.

In fact, the eight remaining teams share just two losses across the board. And both of those teams’ losses came to one of the seven other teams left.

No. 1 Sioux Falls and No. 2 Carroll College both get to play one of those one-loss teams this weekend, but neither will be very happy with their draws.

For starters, Sioux Falls (12-0) has to face Great Plains Athletic Conference rival Morningside (10-1), a team they beat 49-21 to end the regular season in a game much closer than the score advertises.

While the Cougars and Mustangs know each other all too well, the Saints (12-0) have never met their next opponent, MidAmerica Nazarene (10-1).

“We haven’t come across them, we haven’t played them in the playoffs,” said Carroll College head coach Mike Van Diest. “It’s a very good conference, a lot of skill. Their team is equally comparable to Sioux Falls and Lindenwood.”

There’s no doubt about that.

The Pioneers have put up incredibly impressive numbers with a versatile offense that will be hard to stop.

While last week the Saints got to look in the backfield against a run-oriented Dickinson State team they demolished 59-7, it looks like the Capital City crew will once again be stuck on its heels as it faces one of the toughest passing teams in the nation.

Granted, Carroll has seen Rocky Mountain College, Eastern Oregon and the University of Montana Western, all of which could rack up offensive yards through the air at will. But Van Diest is pretty much guaranteeing this squad has those others beat, and their numbers are showing that to be true.

MidAmerica brings the fifth-ranked scoring offense with 45.6 yards per game, eighth-ranked total offense with 473.6 yards per game, and eighth-ranked pass offense with 301.9 yards per game.

The Pioneers spread the ball out over five or six incredibly athletic receivers, much like Rocky or EOU, but they have a few things those Frontier Conference teams don’t have.

For starters, they can also run the ball, and not just with their quarterback. They’re averaging 171.7 yards per game (24th overall) and have two running backs, Demerick Chancellor and Ashford Johnson averaging a little over 75 yards per game apiece. That means they can complement their passing game, and while Johnson is their No. 1 back, they can rotate enough that opponents won’t be facing a single, exhausted player by the end of the game.

Second, the Pioneers institute a tight end into their passing game nearly as much as the Saints rely on Bubba Bartlett. Juan Redmon, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound sophomore from St. Louis, is third on their receiving list with 3.1 receptions and 42.5 yards per game. Redmon adds a dimension Carroll’s other opponents lacked.

While his numbers certainly trail Bartlett’s team-leading 6.3 receptions and 73.3 yards per game, Redmon’s obvious physical gifts and football skills have Van Diest considering him an All-American pick. Bartlett, too, of course.

“Their tight end is probably spread out more than he is tight,” Van Diest said. “He’s a fun player to watch, because you’re always looking for a big tight end like that.

“We’ve got Bubba in our scheme, and they’ve got a good tight end, you’re going to see maybe the two best tight ends in the country out here at Nelson Stadium Saturday.”

Finally, the biggest thing MidAmerica brings to the table none of those top offensive teams in the Frontier Conference have is a solid record. Sure, the Pioneers have a single loss to Lindenwood — Carroll fans remember the Lions after the Saints eked by them 38-37 in the semifinals last season — but they’ve rolled past pretty much everyone else in the well-regarded Heart of America Athletic Conference.

Like truly great teams, when times got tough, they prevailed. MidAmerica defeated another playoff team, Missouri Valley College, 28-27 in its final regular season game thanks to a last-minute field goal.

Last week, the Pioneers broke away from a 24-23 third-quarter deficit when quarterback Tyler Herl hit Jared Elmore for two of his three pass receptions, all of which went to the end zone. His explosiveness is just one of the reasons the Saints have to be well-prepared when they host MidAmerica.

Unlike many past seasons, when the Saints could take a short cut to another national championship berth by beating up on some pretty easy opponents, they can expect a much longer, rougher road ahead.

Sports Editor Jeff Windmueller: 447-4065 or jeff.windmueller@helenair.com