The Drake University football team returns to Drake Stadium on Saturday to put its 17-game winning streak in home conference games on the line against visiting Davidson. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
The Bulldogs enter the contest with a 2-3 overall record and a 1-1 Pioneer Football League mark after falling at Jacksonville last weekend. Davidson is 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the league. Despite what the record may indicate, the Wildcats will present a formidable challenge after taking perennial league power Dayton to five overtimes before falling, 54-48, in its last outing.
“Davidson played a great game against Dayton and showed the potential they have as a football team,” said Drake head coach Rick Fox. “They play hard, every snap and have some great players. They're a team that's on the rise.”
David Rogers leads Davidson's ground attack with 62.2 yards rushing per game and five touchdowns while quarterback J.P. Douglas has thrown for 10 touchdowns and 1,417 yards this season.
“J.P. Douglas can do a lot of different things. He has a great release and can also run the ball,” Fox said. “He's a dual threat quarterback that you have to focus on stopping. He brings them another dimension.”
Drake is aiming to bounce back from a 29-14 loss at PFL-leading Jacksonville that saw four-straight third quarter touchdowns squash the Bulldogs chances at securing a road win. The team picked up 416 yards of offense with quarterback Andy Rice (Stevens Point, Wis.) throwing for 264 yards but critical errors and turnovers kept the team out of the endzone for much of the afternoon.
“We did some really good things against a good football team,” Fox said. “We had 90-some snaps and 80 of them we played really well. The others got us in trouble. I think the same could be said of the defense and special teams.
“We talk about relentless effort, we need relentless mental and physical effort. We had some mental lapses that hurt us and we have to focus on those things if we're going to be a good football team.”
That focus to play error free on offense will be countered by a Davidson defense that has grown by leaps and bounds.
“Davidson's defense plays really hard and plays great aggressive, team defense,” Fox said. “They're going to make you beat them.”
However, the Drake defense has been one of the most successful in the PFL in disrupting offenses by averaging a league-high 4.0 sacks per game in conference play and 7.0 tackles for loss per game with three interceptions during those two games.
Defensive linemen Matt Acree (Shawnee, Kan.) and Brett Park (Olivette, Mo.) have led the charge upfront with 35 tackles between the pair and 7.5 of the team's 12 sacks on the season.
Following Saturday's game, the Bulldogs will return to the road to face Valparaiso, prior to returning to campus on Oct. 25 for homecoming against Butler at 1 p.m.
