DES MOINES, IOWA -- Drake's defense forced a season-high five turnovers, including a 95-yard interception return for a touchdown, to earn its third straight victory with a 38-17 triumph past San Diego Saturday.

The Bulldogs maintained their lock on second place in the Pioneer Football League improving their record to 5-1 while moving to 6-3 overall.

Drake trails co-league leaders Dayton and Jacksonville (6-0) by just one game. The Bulldogs travel to Dayton next Saturday.

Drake sophomore quarterback Mike Piatkowski (Wheaton, Ill.) passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another against the Toreros.

Junior Patrick Cashmore (Kansas City, Mo.), making his first start of the season, rushed for a season-high 112 yards, including a three-yard touchdown burst in the fourth quarter.

San Diego quarterback Mason Mills had entered the game throwing just four interceptions for the entire season.

But the Bulldog defense thwarted the freshman by recording four pass thefts.

Fifth-year senior middle linebacker Ben Morrison (Long Grove, Ill.) got things started by returning an interception 95 yards for a touchdown stopping a potential scoring drive on San Diego's first possession.

Morrison's touchdown with 9:18 left in the first quarter was the fourth longest interception return in Drake history.

"With the quality of our opponent this was our best win of the year," said Drake head football coach Chris Creighton. "Our defense gave our offense good field possession throughout the game."

Drake relied on a stern defense and opportunistic offense to grab a 14-10 halftime lead.

Drake's offense ran only five plays in the first quarter, netting 18 yards. San Diego finished the first half with 45 offensive plays totaling 207 yards, compared to 21 offensive plays by Drake for 115 total yards.

"It was a weird first half," Creighton added. "I've been a part of some quarters but to be involved in a whole half where the opponent doubled the amount of plays we ran but we still owned the lead was unbelievable."

The pendulum swung momentum wise late in the first half when the Bulldogs thwarted a San Diego scoring drive by stopping the Toreros four straight downs on the one yardline. Drake then marched the length of the field for a touchdown with just 12 seconds left in the first half.

"To stop San Diego on four downs and then march the length of the field to score a touchdown was the turning point," said Creighton.

The Toreros' Matt Jelmini was stopped twice for no gain on the Drake one yardline, forcing San Diego to call a time out with 3:14 left to mull over a fourth-down decision.

Drake defensive linemen Josh Walkup (Littleton, Colo.) and Dain Taylor (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) then stopped Jelmini for a one yard loss.

"It was like the movie '300'," added Morrison. "We were batting our chests, and they just couldn't get in."

San Diego coach Ron Caragher said he never considered kicking a field goal.

"I would think we could run the ball and pick up a couple inches," said Caragher. "Good football teams can do that, and obviously we're not a good football team."

Piatkowski orchestrated Drake's two-minute offense to perfection.

With no time outs left, the Bulldogs marched 98 yards in 13 plays capped by a six-yard touchdown pass from Piatkowski to fifth-year senior Steve Platek (Arlington Heights, Ill.) with 12 seconds left.

The duo teamed up again with 4:36 left in the game on a 14-yard touchdown pass to round out Drake's scoring.

Drake took the kickoff in the second half, marching down to the San Diego 14 yardline before settling on a 31-yard field goal by senior Billy Janssen (Round Lake Beach, Ill.) with 12:26 left.

A three-yard touchdown run by Piatkowski extended Drake's lead to 24-10 with 7:17 remaining in the third quarter. Cashmore's touchdown run was set up when Walkup  recovered a fumble at the San Diego 38 yardline.

Drake cornerback Matt Hancock's (Kansas City, Mo.) interception at the Drake 32 yardline set up Piatkowski's 14-yard scoring pass to Platek. On the first play from scrimmage following the turnover, Drake sophomore Trey Morse (Elmo, Texas) broke loose for a 38 yard run.

"I thought Cashmore was a good matchup and Trey (Morse) did a good job when he came in," Creighton said.

Safeties Akeem Campbell (Hazel Crest, Ill.) and Michael Ratelle (Edina, Minn.) also had interceptions for Drake.

Drake sophomore linebacker Tyler Moorehead (Mason City, Iowa) led both teams with 14 tackles, including 10 solo hits.

Walkup, Taylor and senior end Robby Unger (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) each recorded quarterback sacks for Drake.

Piatkowski completed 16 of 28 passes for 188 yards. Platek, junior Drew Blackmon (Florissant, Mo.) and sophomore Nick Rosa (Owasso, Okla.) led Drake with four receptions apiece.