DES MOINES, IOWA --  Redshirt freshman Peter Badovinac (Inverness, Ill.) came off the bench to engineer two fourth-quarter touchdowns as Drake rallied from a 28-10 deficit to post a 45-38 Pioneer Football League victory past defending conference champion Jacksonville Saturday.

Drake earned its fifth straight victory while improving to 7-1 overall.  The Bulldogs also maintained a share of first place in the league standings with Dayton and Butler.

It also marked Drake's sixth straight league win dating back to last year.

Jacksonville, which had a two-game winning streak snapped, fell to 4-4 including a 3-2 league mark.

"Our team gutted out a warrior performance today," said Drake coach Chris Creighton, whose team opened a three-game homestand. "So many people stepped up for us.

"We learned something about believing before something happens. Our guys were exhausted, but battled and fought all the way to the end and held together in the fourth quarter."

Badovinac, who is scheduled to have shoulder surgery following the season, scored on a fourth-down attempt at the one-yardline on a  quarterback sneak with 11:21 left enabling Drake to tie the score at 38-38.

The Bulldogs' Rashad Stewart (Smyma, Ga.) forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff with teammate Hans Broman (Fort Collins, Colo.) recovering at the Jacksonville 26 yardline.

Badovinac then directed Drake on a five-play, 26-yard game winning touchdown march capped off by a two-yard run by fifth-year senior Steve Platek (Arlington Heights, Ill.) to give the Bulldogs a 45-38 advantage with 9:04 remaining in the game.

"You couldn't have written a better Hollywood script on the way he (Badovinac) played and led our team," said Creighton. "I'm so proud of Peter. What he has done, is nothing short of phenomenal.

"He wanted to be our starting quarterback entering fall camp," Creighton added. "Then he sustained an injury earlier this week, but still managed to come through and do the job today."

With Drake trailing 38-32, Badovinac entered the game on third play from scrimmage in the fourth quarter when starting quarterback Mike Piatkowski (Wheaton, Ill.) suffered a sprained right ankle after completing a 32-yard pass to Spencer Cady (Fort Dodge, Iowa).

Badovinac completed an 18-yard pass to senior Aaron Weis (Waukee, Iowa) on his first play down to the Jacksonville nine yardline. Five plays later he scored the game-tying touchdown.

Piatkowski had thrown three touchdown passes and scored on a two-yard run before his injury.

Drake's defense rose to the occasion late in the game stopping Jacksonville on a fourth-down conversion attempt at the Bulldog 28 yardline.

After Jacksonville mounted a 14-0 lead, Piatkowski threw a 35-yard touchdown strike to Platek with 2:31 left in the first quarter. A 26-yard field goal by Brandon Wubs (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) pulled the Bulldogs within 14-10.

Jacksonville pushed its advantage to 28-10 following a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown by Kennan Bowe with 1:14 left in the second quarter.

Drake wasn't to be denied in the waning minute. Piatkowski completed passes of seven and 21 yards to Platek and Cady, respectively, that marched the Bulldogs to the Jacksonville 38 yardline.

Drake took advantage of 24 yards in penalties by Jacksonville to keep the drive alive, moving down to the eight yardline. Two plays later Piatkowski rolled around the left end for a two-yard touchdown with four seconds remaining in the first half to pull Drake within 28-17.

Piatkowski threw third-quarter touchdown passes of eight and five yards to Cady and freshman Mike Bilton (Lincolnshire, Ill.), respectively, that moved Drake within 35-32.

Cady led Drake with seven receptions for 93 yards. Platek followed with four receptions for 53 yards.

Senior linebacker Ben Morrison (Long Grove, Ill.) led Drake with 11 tackles, including seven solo hits. He also had three tackles totaling 16 yards in losses, along with two quarterback sacks for 14 yards.

After Drake had grabbed the 45-38 lead, Jacksonville drove to the Bulldogs' one yardline where center Ian Osking snapped a grounder past running back Rudell Small who was operating out of the Wildcat formation.

Drake safety Skye Buckner-Petty (Florissant, Mo.) scooped up football, returning it 46 yards to the Jacksonville 37 yardline before fumbling it back to the Dolphins.

Buckner-Petty finished with nine tackles, including six solos.

Wubs, who is Drake's career punting yardage leader, punted four times for a 43.5 yard average including a school nonscholarship record 75-yard punt in the third quarter.

Junior Tom Kostek (West Des Moines, Iowa) paced a balanced rushing attack with 53 yards in 13 carries, while junior Pat Cashmore (Kansas City, Mo.) added 25 yards on the ground in seven attempts.

Jacksonville sophomore Josh McGregor, who entered the game leading the PFL in passing efficiency, completed 27 of 43 passes for 321 yards including three touchdowns.

Josh Philpart caught a game-high 10 passes for Jacksonville including scoring receptions of 12 and 18 yards from McGregor.

Junior Rudell Small, who is Jacksonville's career rushing leader, had a game-high 100 yards on the ground in 19 carries including a 26-yard scoring run with 12:28 left in the first quarter.