DES MOINES – After a tough loss at league-leader San Diego last week, the Drake University football team bounced back with a 28-14 win over the Jacksonville Dolphins at Drake Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9 afternoon.
Drake improved to 5-4 overall and 5-1 in the Pioneer Football League standings while Jacksonville (2-8, 0-6 PFL) remains winless in league play.
Drake was led on the ground by fifth-year senior half back
Drew Lauer (St. Peters, Mo.), who rushed for 147 total rushing yards on the day, his second highest performance of the season, and he scored two touchdowns.
Fifth-year tight end
Devin Cates (Yuba City, Calif.) and senior wide receiver
Shane Feller (Charles City, Iowa) had the other touchdowns for the Bulldogs with Feller leading on the receiving end with 65 yards on the day. Freshman quarterback
Ian Corwin completed 13-of-19 passes for 169 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
On defense, the Bulldogs were led by multiple strong performances, forcing multiple turnovers throughout the game to keep momentum in their favor. Fifth-year defensive lineman
Erin Morgan (Aurora, Ill.) and junior linebacker
Andrew Shafis (Mount Prospect, Ill.) led in tackles with six each.
The Dolphins were led on offense by junior quarterback Calvin Turner Jr. who rushed for 150 total yards, and sophomore fullback AJ Davis who had 67 yards rushing, including a 53-yard touchdown run.
Drake's defense kicked off a strong game overall with an interception on the opening play as senior defensive back
Collin Seymour (Peosta, Iowa) picked off the Dolphins on a trick play. The turnover set up a 35-yard drive that ended in a rushing touchdown from Lauer.
The Bulldogs continued their early defensive momentum through the rest of the first half, at one point late in the first quarter keeping the Dolphins inside their own five and forcing a punt on fourth down. It set up a punt that gave Drake the opportunity to end the quarter near the endzone. The team built off the drive, scoring on the first play of the second quarter with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Corwin to Cates.
Toward the end of the half, the Drake defensive line held the Dolphins out of the endzone from one-yard out as sophomore safety
Danny Morales (Temecula, Calif.) bounced on a fumble by Turner for a touchback.
With five minutes left in the third quarter, a blocked Jacksonville field goal gave the Bulldogs another rush of momentum. Lauer followed by rushing for 28 yards setting up a 37-yard touchdown pass from Corwin to Feller to put Drake up 21-7.
The Bulldogs pulled away with another running touchdown midway through the fourth quarter as Lauer ran for his second touchdown of the day to make the score 28-14.
The Bulldogs remain at Drake Stadium against the Dayton Flyers on Nov. 16. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Prior to the contest with its longtime rival, Drake, will host a senior day ceremony for its 2019 senior class.
