DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University football team's offense came out on top for the third-straight year, besting the defense 51-27, in the Bulldogs annual spring game Saturday afternoon at Drake Stadium.
The team was split into offensive and defensive squads in which the defense earned points for touchdowns, turnovers, stops and safeties. Meanwhile the offense could score via traditional means and was awarded a point for each first down and play of 20 or more yards. The contest consisted of four five-minute quarters with a hurry-up situation added on to the first three quarters. Following the hurry-up situations, special teams competition took place where points could be earned for either team.
The defense started the game with back-to-back stops, but a 46-yard touchdown run by sophomore
Braeden Hartwig, gave the offense a 12-4 lead near the end of the first-quarter.
During the first hurry-up situation,
Noah Larson intercepted a pass to halt the driving offense and cut the defense's deficit, 14-9 at the end of the opening quarter.
On the opening drive of the second quarter, senior
Devin Cates made back-to-back catches to put the offense deep in the defense's territory.
Grant Kraemer then connected with
Steven Doran for 27-yard touchdown pass to put the offense up 24-9.
The offense took advantage of the second hurry-up situation as
Alex Bray capped of the great drive with a seven-yard touchdown pass to
Charlie Schulte.
The offense went into halftime with a 40-20 lead after the defense earned six points off a pair of field goals by
Danny Donley and
Hunter White during the second set of special teams competition.
The defensive line set the tone during the second half as they came up with several sacks to help keep the offense out of the end zone in the final two quarters.
Donley drilled a 32-yard field goal on the final play of the game to give the offense its 51-27 victory.
The spring game marks the completion of the Bulldogs' spring practices. the squad will resume offseason workouts for the remainder of the semester before rejoining with the start of preseason practice in August. The team opens its 2018 schedule on Sept. 1 against William Jewell at Drake Stadium.
