DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Drake University football team opens Pioneer Football League action on Saturday as the Bulldogs host Valparaiso at Drake Stadium at 1 p.m.
Drake went 1-2 in non-conference action, while Valparaiso also posted a 1-2 record during non-conference play. Valpo is coming off a 44-10 win over Trinity International. The Bulldogs completed their tough non-conference schedule with hard fought 51-10 setback at No. 4 South Dakota State.
Saturday's contest is the 25th meeting between Drake and Valpo. The Bulldogs hold a 21-3 all-time series record and have won the last 13 meetings over Valpo, marking the second longest active streak for most consecutive wins over an opponent in an uninterrupted series. Penn has the longest active streak with 20-straight over Columbia.
Drake has a history of using a strong non-conference schedule to prepare for the conference season, which has paid off the last seven seasons as the Bulldogs have gone 6-1 in the last seven PFL openers. Since taking over the starting job in the third week last year, quarterback Grant Kraemer has gotten more and more comfortable with the offense. In his last seven games, Kraemer is averaging 222 yards passing, completing 61 percent of his throws and has recorded 20 touchdowns. Compared to his first five starts, Kraemer only completed 52 percent of his throws with eight touchdowns and 201 yards passing per game. Fifth-year senior Mack Marrin battled through injury most of last season and is looking like he is getting back to his 2015 form when he posted a league-best 8.5 sacks among 12.5 tackles for a loss and earned first-team all-PFL honors. Marrin leads the Bulldogs with 2.5 sacks and has tallied nine tackles.
Valparaiso is the PFL leader in scoring (35.7 ppg.), total offense (493.0 ypg.), passing (335.3), first downs (69) and third-down conversion (52.2%). Sophomore quarterback Jimmy Seewald orchestrates the Crusaders' offense, leading the PFL in passing with 839 yards, while completing 55-of-89 passes for six touchdowns. He threw a career-high 424 yards against Duquesne on Sept. 9, marking the most yards passing by a Crusader against a Division I team since 2003.
Following Saturday's game, Drake will travel to Butler on Sept. 30 for its first road conference game.
