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The NCAA changes standards for what is a ‘countable opponent’

NCAA Men's Final Four - Practice

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 05: Fans stand next to a giant NCAA logo outside of the stadium on the practice day prior to the NCAA Men’s Final Four at the Georgia Dome on April 5, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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The NCAA is changing the way that they determine countable games for season-long statistics and team records.

From this point forward, in order for a team to be considered a real game and not simply an exhibition, the program must be a four-year, degree-granting school with sports teams that operate at a varsity level. Then it also must be a member of the NCAA, the NAIA, the NCCAA or one of its Canadian counterparts, or it must be accredited.

The goal?

To rid Division I of the practice of showing up to get absolutely pummeled in exchange for a game-check. Remember when Champion Baptist lost to Southern University, a program in the SWAC, 116-12? Well, that won’t be happening anymore, as Champion Baptist is one of 32 schools that the NCAA has banned from counting as real games. Faith Baptist Bible, the team that Grinnell’s Jack Taylor scored 138 points against back in 2012, is not on the list, but the College of Faith in Charlotte, the College of Faith in West Memphis and the University of Faith in St. Petersburg, Florida, are not only all on the NCAA’s list, but they are all also actual places.