GAME SIGNIFICANCE: Drake, coming off a 34-14 home victory past Valparaiso, will close out the nonconference portion of its schedule entertaining Missouri S&T for homecoming. It will be the first meeting between the schools since the Bulldogs posted a 28-7 home victory in 2003.

DRAKE RADIO: Saturday's game with Missouri S&T  will be broadcast on KRNT Radio (1350 AM) with Scott Pierce handling the play by play. Fans can also listen to the game at www.GoDrakeBulldogs.com

DRAKE QUARTERBACK CLUB: The Drake Quarterback Club luncheons, featuring Drake head football coach Chris Creighton, will be held  Oct. 13, Oct. 27 and Nov. 10 at All-Play in downtown Des Moines, starting at 11:30 a.m. The public is invited.

NATIONAL D CLUB REUNION: Drake  will  host a National D Club Reunion for all Drake letterwinners on Homecoming weekend this Friday and Saturday.
   
The reunion will be the first in over 25 years and will include the recognition of the 1969 Pecan Bowl and 1972 Pioneer Bowl Drake football teams as well as Mr. Drake himself, Paul Morrison.
   
Activities begin at 5:30 p.m. on Friday in the Knapp Center's Paul Morrison Hall of Honor, located near the south entrance. During the football pregame activities, returning letterwinners will be honored, culminating with members of the 1969 and 1972 Drake football teams participating in the pre-game coin flip.

AMONG LEADERS: Drake ranks 19th in overall victories (551) among the 123 schools which play in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
   
The game with Missouri S&T will be the 1,058th game in school history with Drake owning a record of 551-477-29 for a winning percentage of .535.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: Drake has accumulated a record of 64-15-1 at Drake Stadium dating back to 1994. The Bulldogs have won 14 of their last 18  Pioneer Football League home games, including the last four in a row against Campbell, Davidson, Morehead State and Valparaiso.

PRESEASON PFL POLL: Drake was picked to finish sixth in the Pioneer Football League preseason coaches poll, receiving 40 points. Drake won four of its final five games in 2008 to finish fifth in the league standings with a 4-4 mark.
   
For the fourth consecutive season, San Diego was tabbed as the favorite in the PFL Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving five of 10 possible first-place votes. Only six points separate the Toreros from Dayton and Jacksonville who were picked to finish tied for second. Dayton picked up three first place votes and 71 points, while 2008 PFL Champion Jacksonville received the other two first place votes and also finished with 71 points.
   
Following Jacksonville and Dayton were Morehead State (51) and Butler (42) to round out the league's top five. Drake (40) was sixth, followed by Davidson (37), Marist (32), Valparaiso (20) and Campbell (nine).

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: Missouri S&T has 11 starters from last year's team which posted a 7-4 record as an NCAA Division II independent. Kirby Gannon, a 1981 graduate of Missouri State is in his 11th year as head coach at Missouri S&T owning a 31-84 record.
   
Using the spread offense, junior quarterback Jason Schlueter has thrown for 1,229 yards in five games. He threw for a career-high 392 yards in a 44-41 home loss to Saint Joseph's (Ind.) Sept. 12. He completed a school record 68.5 percent of his passes in 2008 for 1,848 yards including 17 touchdowns.
   
Missouri S&T is coming off a 45-10 setback at Division I opponent Central Arkansas  which scored 38 straight points to rally from a 3-0 first-quarter deficit.
   
Freshman Marterricus Thomas and senior Chad Shockley each have 25 receptions. Thomas caught a school-record 16 passes for 190 yards in a 21-17 home loss to Wisconsin-Stevens Point Sept. 19. He had an 18-yard scoring reception in the fourth quarter to account for the Miners' lone touchdown at Central Arkansas.
   
Senior linebacker Steve Edwards leads the team with 42 tackles.   He had a team-high 10 tackles and also intercepted a pass against Division I Central Arkansas.

THE SERIES: Drake owns a 3-0 lead in the series which began in 1923 when the Bulldogs earned a 54-0 home victory. Drake escaped with a 28-25 victory in Rolla, Mo., in 2002.

TEAM LEADERS: After four games, redshirt freshman quarterback Mike Piatkowski (Wheaton, Ill.) leads Drake in passing with 793 yards, completing 78 of 120 passes for 65 percent, including five touchdowns.
   
Senior J-Back Steve  Platek (Arlington Heights, Ill.) has caught a team-high 21 passes for 184 yards, including one touchdown. Fifth-year senior Spencer Cady (Fort Dodge Iowa) has caught 13 passes for 136 yards, while Drew Blackmon (Florissant, Mo.) has 12 receptions for 197 yards.
   
Junior Tom Kostek (West Des Moines, Iowa) paces a balanced running attack with 115 yards in 29 carries (4.0 avg.), while freshman Trey Morse (Elmo, Texas) has 107 yards in 36 carries, followed by sophomore Patrick Oliver (Elk Run Heights, Ill.) with 51 yards on the ground in 20 carries.
   
Fifth-year senior Brandon Wubs (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) leads Drake in scoring with 33 points, making seven of eight field goals.
   
Fifth-year senior linebacker Cale Hunt (Littleton, Colo.) leads the Drake defense with 35 tackles, including 17 solos, one quarterback sack and one interception. Senior defensive back Lucas Mosier (Lewis, Iowa) has 27 tackles, including 16 solos. Sophomore defensive back Tyler Moorehead (Mason City, Iowa) has 26 tackles, including 16 solo hits while forcing two fumbles and recovering a fumble. Senior end Dain Taylor (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) has a team high 3.5 quarterback sacks totaling 28 yards in losses. Senior linebacker Josh Walkup (Littleton, Colo.) has three quarterback sacks totaling 22 yards in losses.

ROOKIES KEYS DRAKE TO PFL WIN:  Four freshmen played prominent roles in Drake's 34-14 Pioneer Football League home victory against Valparaiso. Freshman redshirt quarterback Mike Piatkowski threw two touchdown passes and ran for another as Drake remained undefeated in the PFL.
   
The Bulldogs, who were playing their first home game since a season-opening 22-0 victory past Grand View Sept. 5, moved to 3-1 overall including a 2-0 league mark. It also marked Drake's sixth straight victory against Valparaiso while keeping its home record against the Crusaders perfect at 8-0.
   
Piatkowski spotted fifth-year senior Frank Pucher (Skokie, Ill.) open for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 3:26 left in the first quarter to give Drake a 7-0 lead it would never relinquish.
   
Piatkowski accounted for both of Drake's touchdowns in the second quarter. He rifled a 39-yard scoring strike to freshman Joey Orlando (Park Ridge, Ill.)  with 7:05 left and then capped a seven-play, 74-yard scoring march with a three-yard touchdown burst that gave the Bulldogs a 24-7 cushion.
   
Freshman Trey Morse, making his first collegiate start, led a balanced Drake rushing attack with 39 yards in 14 carries. Freshman Hans Broman (Fort Collins, Colo.) added 37 yards on the ground in eight attempts.
   
Piatkowski passed for 207 yards with senior Steve Platek collecting a game-high seven receptions for 58 yards. Sophomore Drew Blackmon caught four passes for 65 yards.
   
Junior Tom Kostek rounded out Drake's scoring with a four-yard touchdown run with 4:29 left in the game.

DEFENSE DELIVERS: Drake limited Valparaiso to just 89 yards rushing in 27 carries, while defensive backs Skye Buckner-Petty (Floridssant, Mo.) and Michael Lahart (Chariton, Iowa) had interceptions.
   
Drake's defense forced Valparaiso into six straight three and out punting situations midway through the game.
   
Drake junior end Dain Taylor thwarted Vaparaiso's opening drive when he recovered a fumble at the Crusaders' 27 yardline.  But the Bulldogs couldn't capitalize and had to wait until their third possession of the game to get on the scoreboard.
   
Buckner-Petty's 13-yard interception return set up a career-long 42-yard field goal by senior Brandon Wubs to push the score to 10-0 with 1:07 left in the first period. Wubs closed out the first half by making a 27-yard field goal with five seconds remaining.
   
He also enjoyed a solid punting performance including a long punt of 58 yards and six kicks inside the Valparaiso 20 yardline.
   
Senior defensive back Lucas Mosier (Lewis, Iowa) led Drake with 10 tackles, including two pass break ups. Senior linebacker Cale Hunt added nine tackles, including six solo hits.
   
Taylor finished with two quarterback sacks for 13 yards in losses, along with three tackles for 15 yards in losses.

LEADERS OF THE PACK: Drake tops the Pioneer Football League in turnover margin (plus 2.0 average per game) and pass efficiency defense (92.90 point).

RED ZONE EXPRESS: Drake has converted on all 11 of its red zone opportunities once it has crossed inside the opponents' 20 yardline. The Bulldogs have turned seven of those opportunities into touchdowns, while also converting four into field goals.

KICKING AWAY: Fifth-year senior Brandon Wubs is approaching the 7,000-yard milestone in punting, needing just 301 yards to become just the second player in Drake history to reach that plateau. Ryan Horvath owns the school record with 8,108 yards from 2002-05.
   
In his first year handling the placekicking chores, Wubs also has made seven field goals - halfway toward the mark of 14 field goals made Logan Rees last year - with the season less than halfway over.

SOUTH DAKOTA HANDS DRAKE FIRST LOSS: South Dakota scored on its first eight possessions to hand Drake its first loss of the season, 51-21, Sept.. 19 in the DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D.
   
The Bulldogs mustered up 220 yards total offense, scoring on all three red zone opportunities inside the 20 yardline.
   
Drake fell victim to the excellent field position South Dakota had on its opening drives following kickoff and punt returns. The Coyotes started their first three drives inside Drake territory.
   
Jeremy Blount returned the game's opening kickoff 41 yards to the Drake 49 yardline where the Coyotes then drove 49 yards in 10 plays to grab a 7-0 lead following a one-yard touchdown burst by quarterback Noah Shepard.
   
South Dakota forced Drake to punt on its opening drive with Blount returning the punt  21 yards to the Drake 42. Shepard spotted Dan Skelly open for a 38-yard pass to the Drake four yardline. Two plays later Shepard added a three-yard option run to push the Coyotes' lead to 14-0 with 7:02 left in the first quarter.
   
The Bulldogs responded scoring on their next two drives aided by a pair of pass interference penalties.
   
Junior Tom Kostek was a workhorse in Drake's first scoring drive rushing four times for 29 yards. His five-yard scoring burst with 4:50 left in the first quarter capped a six-play 73-yard touchdown march. The Coyotes were called for a 15-yard face mask penalty as well as a 15-yard pass interference penalty in the drive.
   
Drake quarterback Mike Piatkowski engineered a nine-play, 61-yard drive,  highlighted by a five-yard pass to Spencer Cady to pull Drake within 21-14.
   
Kostek led Drake with 44 yards rushing in eight carries. Piatkowski completed 15 of 21 passes for 154 yards. Cady caught a team-high six passes for 53 yards.
   
Sophomore free safety Nick Chenier and senior linebacker Ben Morrison led Drake's defense by each collecting a career-high 15 tackles.
   
Drake took advantage of an interception by cornerback Lucas Mosier at the South Dakota 11 yardline to score its third touchdown, coming on a one-yard plunge by Steve Platek with 14:36 left in the game.

HUNT HONORED BY PFL:  Drake fifth-year senior linebacker Cale Hunt was named the Pioneer Football League Defensive Player of the Week for his effort in the Bulldogs' league opening 34-6 victory at Marist Sept. 12. Hunt led Drake with 10 tackles, including a seven-yard quarterback sack, while also collecting an interception in the fourth quarter that set up a Bulldog touchdown.
   
It marked the second straight week a Drake player was honored by the PFL. Fifth-year senior kicker Brandon Wubs was named the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week Sept. 7.

DEFENSE KEYS DRAKE IN PFL OPENER: Drake's defense converted six turnovers into scores en route to spoiling the debut of Marist in the Pioneer Football League with a 34-6 victory Sept. 12 The Red Foxes played last season as an FCS independent before becoming the tenth member of the PFL.
   
Drake held the Red Foxes to 181 yards total offense, including just 38 yards on the ground on 36 carries. The Bulldogs recorded six quarterback sacks totaling 55 yards in losses.
   
Linebacker Cale Hunt led Drake with 10 tackles, while senior cornerback Lucas Mosier (Lewis, Iowa) and senior end Josh Walkup (Littleton, Colo.) added eight tackles apiece. Mosier added an 11-yard quarterback sack. Senior linebacker Ben Morrison (Long Grove, Ill.) added six tackles while forcing a fumble and recovering a fumble. Junior defensive back Tyler Moorehead  forced two fumbles while Morrison, senior end John Meehan (St. Louis, Mo.) and sophomore nose guard David Witkiewicz (Hales Corner, Wis.) recovered fumbles.
 
PLATEK SETS MARK: All-conference J-Back Steve Platek set a school nonscholarship record with 13 receptions for 112 yards at Marist, capping the day with a 10-yard touchdown reception from Mike Piatkowski with 7:56 left in the game. Aaron Overton held the previous Drake single-game mark of 12 receptions at Truman State in 2002.

OPPORTUNISTIC OFFENSE: Trailing 6-3, Drake reeled off 31 straight points scoring on all six red zone opportunities inside the 20 yard line. Mike Piatkowski completed 22 of 33 passes for 184 yards, while senior Brandon Wubs kicked field goals of 27 and 29 yards for Drake.
   
On Marist's second play of the game, Drake linebacker Ben Morrison stripped running back O'Neil Anderson of the football at the seven yard line with cornerback Lucas Mosier recovering to set up Wubs' first field goal. Piatkowski teamed up with Platek on consecutive passes of 26 and 15 yards early in the second quarter that set up a 14-yard touchdown run by Tom Kostek which gave Drake a 10-6 lead it never relinquished.
   
A 26-yard interception return by sophomore free safety Nick Chenier (Hinsdale, Ill.) halted the opening drive by Marist to start the second half while setting up Drake's second touchdown. A  six-yard touchdown gallop by sophomore Patrick Oliver with 10:10 left in the third quarter capped an eight-play 34-yard scoring drive.
   
Fifth-year senior Spencer Cady rounded out Drake's scoring with a two-yard touchdown burst with 3:51 left in the game. The scoring drive was set up after linebacker Cale Hunt intercepted a pass at the Marist 31 yardline.

THE EMPIRE STATE: During its 116 years of intercollegiate football, Drake has played games in 31 states. But when the Bulldogs played at Marist last Saturday it marked the first time Drake has played a football game in New York, since dropping a 48-0 verdict to Army in West Point, N.Y., Oct. 13, 1934. Drake also played Fordham in the famed Polo Grounds in New York, N.Y., Oct. 24, 1931.

HE'S NO ROOKIE:  Freshman redshirt quarterback Mike Piatkowski making his first collegiate start, threw a touchdown pass, while senior Brandon Wubs kicked three field goals to lead Drake to a season opening 22-0 victory past Grand View Sept. 3
   
Piatkowski gave Drake a 9-0 lead after throwing a 61-yard touchdown strike to sophomore Drew Blackmon (Florissant, Mo.) with 52 seconds left in the first quarter.
   
Piatkowski played the entire game completing 23 of 34 passes for 248 yards which marked the most passing yards by a Drake team since the 2007 season finale against Dayton. He completed passes to 10 receivers. Blackmon, freshman Joey Orlando (Park Ridge, Ill.) and fifth-year senior Spencer Cady each caught a team-high three passes.

SEASON OPENERS: The Bulldogs' record in season openers is now 69-41-6 (.627), having won their last three season openers including a 17-13 home victory against Upper Iowa in 2008.
   
Drake's 27-24 upset victory at Illinois State in 2007 snapped a string of six straight years in which the Bulldogs had dropped their season opener with all the games played against scholarship opponents: Truman State, 40-29, 2001; Western Illinois, 64-7, 2002; at Illinois State, 27-13, 2003; at Missouri State, 31-26, 2004; at Northern Iowa, 52-17, 2005; and Northern Iowa at home, 48-7, 2006.

DEFENSE DELIVERS: The Drake defense, posting its second straight shutout dating back to last year, limited Grand View to just 144 yards total offense including 58 yards in the first half. The Bulldogs have posted four shutouts dating back to a 36-0 blanking of William Penn at home Sept. 13, 2008.
   
Drake thwarted a Grand View scoring opportunity late in the second quarter when senior linebacker Ben Morrison  blocked a 27-yard field goal attempt by Blake Stell. Drake junior Michael Lahart (Chariton, Iowa) retrieved the loose football, returning it 46 yards. Sophomore defensive back Tyler Moorehead led Drake with nine tackles along with a fourth-quarter interception. Fifth-year senior linebacker Cale Hunt  added eight tackles, while senior linebacker Josh Walkup collected five tackles along with two quarterback sacks for 11 yards in losses, while forcing a fumble.

BALANCED BACKFIELD: Seven players rushed the ball for Drake in the season opener. Junior Tom Kostek, making his first collegiate start, led Drake with 31 yards rushing in nine carries. Freshman Trey Morse added 28 yards on the ground, while sophomore Patrick Oliver  netted 27 yards rushing in nine carries.
   
A three-yard touchdown burst by sophomore Nathan Paddock (Lee's Summit, Mo.) pushed Drake's lead to 16-0 with 11:47 left in the second quarter.

WUBS EARNS PFL HONOR: Drake senior kicker Brandon Wubs was named the Pioneer Football League Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts in the Bulldogs' 22-0 season opening victory past Grand View .
   
Wubs, who has been the team's regular punter the last three years before also assuming place kicking duties this year, hit all three field goal attempts from  37, 32 and 25 yards. Wubs also enjoyed a solid punting effort by averaging 44.5 yards on four punts, including a long of 51 yards in the second quarter. He also handled kickoff duties where his six kickoffs averaged 57.7 yards.
   
Wubs converted his first field goal - from 37 yards - with 4:37 left in the first quarter after Drake stopped Grand View on its opening drive when the Vikings failed to convert a fourth-down gamble at the Drake 35-yard line. In the second half, Drake relied on field goals from 32 and 25 yards by Wubs.

DRAKE SQUAD BREAKDOWN: Drake's 98-man roster includes 11 fifth-year seniors, 14 seniors, 11 juniors, 28 sophomores and 34 freshmen. There are players from 13 states with Illinois leading the way with 43, followed by Iowa 22, Missouri nine, Colorado 6, Kansas 5, Minnesota 3, Oklahoma 3 and one apiece from Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Nebraska and Texas.

THE CREIGHTON ERA: Chris Creighton, who was named the 25th head football coach at Drake University Dec. 22, 2007, has a 9-6 year in one-plus year with the Bulldogs.
    
He served as head coach at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind., from 2001-07 where he constructed a 63-15 record with teams winning four North Coast Athletic Conference championships, while competing in three NCAA Division III playoffs.
   
Creighton, 40, owns an overall record of 104-30 (.778 winning percentage) in 11 years as a college head coach, including a 32-9 mark as head coach at Ottawa (Kan.) University from 1997-2000.
   
During his last three years at Wabash, Creighton led the Little Giants to a 30-5 record, including three straight league championships and appearances in the 2005 and 2007 NCAA Division III playoffs.
   
Wabash posted an 11-2 record in 2007, competing in the NCAA Division III playoffs while being ranked No. 8 in the final NCAA Division III coaches poll. Wabash went 12-1 in 2002 and 11-1 in 2005, capping both seasons with appearances in the NCAA Division III playoffs.
   
As offensive coordinator at Wabash, Creighton's teams averaged 35 points per game with the multiple offense producing the school's all-time leading rusher and passer. Three starting quarterbacks received All-American honors.
   
Under Creighton, Wabash won conference championships in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007. He coached 83 all-conference players, including seven who earned conference player of the year honors, along with 13 All-Americans.
   
He was named the North Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2002, 2005 and 2007, as well as the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1997.
   
The Seattle, Wash., native produced one of the greatest single season turnarounds in NAIA history during his first year at Ottawa in 1997. He inherited a team that posted a 1-8 record the previous season, then finished 9-2 en route to capturing its first Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference title since 1972. 
   
He also led Ottawa to a conference championship in 2000, along with appearances in the NAIA playoffs in 1997 and 2000. Creighton served as offensive coordinator at Concordia (Ill.) from 1991-92 and Manchester (Ind.) from 1993-96 before becoming head coach at Ottawa.
   
As an All-American quarterback, Creighton led Kenyon (Ohio) College to its only North Coast Athletic Conference title in 1989. He was named the league's player of the year after setting single-season conference records for passing yardage (2,843) and touchdowns (29). He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College in 1991 and a master's degree from Concordia (Ill.) University in 1993.

CREIGHTON RANKS AMONG NATION'S BEST: Chris Creighton is ranked 14th among the winningest active college football coaches at all levels with a .778 winning percentage, owning a 104-30 career mark in 12 years.

CO-CAPTAINS: Fifth-year senior linebacker Cale Hunt and fifth-year  senior offensive lineman Eric Mora (Roselle, Ill.) and senior fullback Steve Platek have been named captains for the 2009 Drake football team. Hunt was a co-captain last year, starting the first four games before suffering a season-ending elbow injury against San Diego. At the time he led the Drake defense in tackles with 35.
   
Platek earned first-team All-Pioneer Football League honors after moving from starting linebacker to J-Back in Drake's new offense during the 2008 preseason camp. He was Drake's second leading receiver with 41 catches for 468 yards (11.4 avg.), including four touchdowns. Mora will enter his third season as starting offensive guard.

CITY SERIES: Grand View marked the sixth team from the city of Des Moines that Drake has played in football.  Drake battled to a scoreless tie with Des Moines High School in the first college football game it ever played in 1893. Drake played Des Moines YMCA three times from 1894 through 1895. The Bulldogs played Des Moines Baptist seven times from 1900 to 1911, winning six games. Drake played Highland Park College (which later became Des Moines University) in 1915 and 1918, splitting the series. Drake closed out the 1918 campaign trimming Fort Des Moines Army Post, 35-7.

WHAT'S IN STORE: The Drake football team looks to ride the momentum of a strong finish from the 2008 campaign when it won four of its last five games with the only blemish occurring at league champion Jacksonville.
   
The optimism is generated by the return of 35 lettermen, including 15 starters from last year's squad, which posted a 6-5 record.
   
Head coach Chris Creighton feels leadership from a 12-man senior class, including 11 fifth-year players, has the Drake program charted on the right course. On the field, Drake's strength will lie on defense, with 16 lettermen back from a unit which ranked second in the Pioneer Football League in scoring defense last year, allowing 17.9 points.
   
The Bulldogs feature a balanced defensive line, returning five veterans who started at least one game last year. Senior Dain Taylor (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) returns after starting 10 games at defensive end and is waged in fierce competition with senior Josh Walkup.  Senior Sean Kitts (Leawood, Kan.) was a fixture at tackle, starting all 11 games last year, while 6-foot 6-inch sophomore Dave Witkiewicz (Hales Corner, Wis.) should continue to improve at nose guard.
   
Returning in their third year as starters are seniors Ben Morrison and Cale Hunt who form one of the best inside linebacker combinations in the PFL. Morrison led the Pioneer Football League in tackles in 2007 and is the team's top returning tackler after collecting 55 tackles last season.
   
Hunt was Drake's leading tackler through four games last season before being sidelined for the remainder of the year with an elbow injury. Fifth-year senior safety Skye Buckner-Petty (Florissant, Mo.), a three-year letterwinner, and junior cornerbacks Matt Hancock (Kansas City, Kan.) and Lucas Mosier lead the secondary. Hancock started in three games last year, while Mosier is a two-year letterwinner.

BALANCED BACKFIELD: Drake head coach Chris Creighton looks for the continuing emergence of senior j-back Steve Platek and an offensive line, led by fifth-year seniors Eric Mora and Quinn McVey (Bettendorf, Iowa), to ease the transition at quarterback.
   
Platek was the lone Drake player to earn first-team All-Pioneer Football League honors last year after scoring seven touchdowns. He is the team's top returning receiver after catching 41 passes for 468 yards last year, including four touchdowns.
   
Mora is in his third year as starting right guard, while McVey is a fixture at center. Junior Stephen Flynn (Davenport, Iowa), who started four games last year, will return at left guard.  Senior John Pugh (Des Moines, Iowa)  and junior Dan Clinton (Gurnee, Ill.), who each started four games last year, are in a battle with sophomore Evan Lawrence (Moline, Ill.) for starting berths at both right and left tackle.

Junior Pat Cashmore (Kansas City, Mo.) and Tom Kostek return at running back.  Cashmore galloped for 290 yards in eight games. Kostek had the best rushing average at 5.4 yards with 141 yards in 26 carries.

Fifth-year seniors Spencer Cady and Travis Bogaard (Pella, Iowa) share split end duties. Cady caught 26 passes for 447 yards (17.2 avg.). Tight end also is solid with the return of fifth-year seniors Frank Pucher (Skokie, Ill.), Will Yocius (Fox River Grove, Ill.) and Travis Klatt (Albert Lea, Minn.). 

THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED
Last time Drake played an overtime game —Valparaiso 51, Drake 45 (one overtime), Oct. 25, 2003, Valparaiso, Ind.
Last shutout by Drake — 22-0 vs. Grand View, Sept. 5, 2009
Last shutout by Drake at home —22-0 vs. Grand View, Sept. 5, 2009
Last time Drake shut out — 19-0 at Lehigh, Sept. 6, 2008
Last time Drake shut out at home — 37-0 by San Diego, Oct. 21, 2006
Last Drake kickoff return for touchdown — 90 yards, Augustine Agyei vs. Waldorf, Sept. 8, 2007
Last Drake punt return for a touchdown — 60 yards, Jordan Bontrager vs. Austin Peay, Sept. 24, 2005
Last time Drake blocked a punt for a touchdown — 39 yards, Clint Martindale vs. San Diego, Sept. 30, 2000
Last time Drake blocked a punt for a safety — Mike Bialas vs. Butler, Oct. 6, 2007
Last Drake pass interception for a touchdown — 46 yards, Andy Green, vs. Davidson, Oct. 25, 2008
Last Drake fumble return for a touchdown —  12 yards, Andrew Asbell vs. Upper Iowa, Aug. 28, 2008
Last Drake player to rush for 100 yards — 103 (21 carries) Pat Cashmore vs. Davidson, Oct. 25, 2008
Two Drake player rush for 100 yards in same game — 101 yards in 19 carries, Willie Cashmore; and 216 yards in 27 carries,
Scott Phaydavong vs. Jacksonville, Nov. 10, 2006
Last Drake player to collect 10 receptions in game — 13, Stephen Platek (112 yards) at Marist, Sept. 19, 2009
Last Drake player to pass for over 300 yards —389 yards, Connor Jostes at Valparaiso, Oct. 25, 2003
Last Drake player to rush for three touchdowns — 3, Scott Phaydavong vs. Valparaiso Sept. 29, 2007
Last Drake player to catch three touchdowns—  3, Jason Jones vs. Jacksonville, Oct. 4,  2003
Last Drake player to pass for four touchdowns — 5, Connor Jostes vs. Upper Iowa, Nov. 6, 2004
Last Drake player to score three touchdowns — 3, Scott Phaydavong vs. Valparaiso, Sept. 29, 2007