With the 2020 spring sports season canceled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, GoDrakeBulldogs.com revisits some of the tremendous accomplishments of past Drake University teams that have won conference titles. Presented by MidAmerican Energy.
On November 17, 2012, the Drake University football team won its sixth conference title in program history with a come-from-behind 32-29 victory at Jacksonville.
It marked the second consecutive Pioneer Football League title for the Bulldogs and the program's first back-to-back conference crowns since Drake won the Missouri Valley Conference four straight years from 1928-31.
The outcome of the game came down to the wire as a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns helped the Bulldogs erase a 22-17 deficit to hold a 32-22 lead with 9:53 to play.
A two-yard Jacksonville touchdown with 2:53 left in regulation cut Drake's advantage to 32-29. Armed with a full compliment of timeouts, the Dolphins held the Bulldogs to a three-and-out to get the ball back with 2:04 to play. Jacksonville scored 15 fourth-quarter points to put Bulldog fans on edge, but the Drake defense came through in the final two minutes of the game to squash a potential game changing drive by forcing three straight incomplete passes with the last being broken up by senior defensive lineman Brandon Coleman.
The triumph was the first for the Bulldogs over the Dolphins in Jacksonville since 2006 and the initial for former head coach Chris Creighton.
Senior quarterback Mike Piatkowski completed 25-of-34 passes for 277 and a pair of touchdowns for Drake. With his efforts on the day, he surpassed 10,000 passing yards in his distinguished career.
Drake's leading ground gainer was sophomore Gary Scott with 55 yards and two touchdowns, while senior Kevin Marshall hauled in 11 passes for 110 yards and one touchdown to pace the Bulldogs' receivers.
Defensive Drake was paced by a seven-tackle effort from senior Jake Underwood, while junior Travis Merritt registered eight tackles for the defense's balanced effort with two sacks and three tackles for loss as the Bulldogs recorded 10 tackles in the Dolphins backfield.
The title-sealing win gave the Bulldogs a 7-1 record in the PFL, to put the Bulldogs in a three-way tie atop the league standings with Butler and San Diego - two teams the Bulldogs defeated by a combined 53 points during the course of the season.
Postseason accolades poured in for the Bulldogs with 17 All-PFL selections, including three first-team honorees. Senior linebacker and defensive captain Tyler Moorehead received one of the league's top honors as the PFL Defensive Player of the Year. The Mason City, Iowa, native became one of the nation's top defenders during his four seasons at Drake as his 286 career tackles were the ninth most in PFL history while his 48.5 career tackles for loss and 21.5 sacks rank fifth all-time in the PFL.
He was joined on the All-PFL first team by record-setting senior quarterback Mike Piatkowski and senior offensive lineman Avery Fuhs. Piatkowski shattered nearly every Drake passing record with 10,200 career passing yards, 877 completions and 76 touchdowns. Among all active Division I passers, he was fifth in career touchdown passes behind only Landry Jones (Oklahoma), Matt Barkley (USC), Geno Smith (West Virginia), Aaron Murray (Georgia) and Matt Brown (Illinois State).
The honors were just as plentiful off the field with six Bulldogs earning PFL All-Academic honors, including Moorehead who became just the 28th player in league history to earn first-team all-academic honors in three consecutive seasons. Drake also had three players earn Capital One Academic All-District honors, just one fewer than the national leader. Junior linebacker Travis Merritt, senior defensive lineman Brandon Coleman and senior defensive back Mike Ratelle all earned the prestigious honor for their diligence in their studies and on the field.
Two Bulldogs were also singled out for their work in the Des Moines community on a team that is committed to serving its community. Senior offensive lineman Zach Bosch was one of just 22 players nationwide across all levels of collegiate football to be named to the AFCA/Allstate Good Works Team, while Avery Fuhs earned the MVC Leadership and Service Award.
Drake opened its championship season with a 28-8 win over crosstown foe Grand View in front of an energized Drake Stadium crowd before facing a pair of ranked non-conference opponents in its next two games. Former Drake head coach Rob Ash brought his No. 4 Montana State Bobcats to Drake Stadium and found his squad facing a stout test on the road as the Bulldogs led through three quarters of play before MSU pulled away for a 34-24 win. There was no rest for the Bulldogs with No. 21 Indiana State up next on the docket in the squad's first road game of the season. The offense sputtered in the red zone against the Sycamores to allow ISU to keep Drake at bay in the 27-10 loss.
Following those back-to-back games against nationally ranked opponents, the Bulldogs began the defense of their 2011 PFL title with five straight PFL wins over Morehead State, Campbell, San Diego, Valparaiso and an overtime thriller against Marist. In its win over fellow league champion San Diego, the Bulldogs' defense forced six turnovers en route to a convincing 38-10 win at home.
With a 5-0 start to the league slate, the Bulldogs suffered their only PFL stumble of the season with a 28-13 loss at perennial league power Dayton on a cold, rainy afternoon.
There was little time to reflect on the loss with league-leading and undefeated Butler visiting the Bulldogs the following week. In a game that had the potential to vault Drake back into contention for the league crown, the Bulldogs left little doubt that they were a contender with a 45-20 win over Butler behind five touchdown passes from Piatkowski to set up the title match at Jacksonville in which Drake scored 15 4th-quarter points to claim the league title.
