INDIANAPOLIS - The Drake University football team visits Butler Saturday at the Sellick Bowl in its first Pioneer Football League road game this season. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT and the game will be streamed on Butler's YouTube channel, broadcast on the radio on
1350 ESPN Des Moines (simulcast on 102.1 FM) and live audio will be available on The Varsity Network app.
Drake (1-3, 0-1 PFL) and Butler (2-2, 0-1 PFL) are each vying for their first PFL victories after both suffered losses opening weekend. Valparaiso edged Drake, 24-21, in a back-and-forth battle at Drake Stadium.
Sophomore quarterback
Luke Bailey, in his second career start and first at home, played a great game for the Bulldogs. Bailey hit
Colin Howard on a 49-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to put Drake up 21-17, its first lead since early in game. But the Bulldogs couldn't add to their lead and Valpo took the lead back with a touchdown with 1:05 left in the contest. Drake had one final chance but
Nathan De Bruin's 42-yard field goal that would have tied the game was blocked as time expired. Valpo earned its second-straight win in the series and just the fifth overall against Drake.
Drake's defense forced four turnovers, including three interceptions with two snagged by cornerback
Jeran Proctor. Proctor and
Nick Cagnetto are tied for the most interceptions in the PFL with two each. Asa defense, Drake leads the conference with nine turnovers forced. Bailey set career marks going 28-of-48 for 283 yards with two touchdowns.
New PFL member, St. Thomas, shut out Butler, 36-0 last Saturday. The Tommies scored on three consecutive drives from late in the first quarter into the second quarter as they raced to their first-ever PFL victory. Butler is the top rushing team in the PFL averaging 230.2 yards per game.
Drake has won five-straight in the series that first started back in 1932 with a 0-0 tie. The two teams have played every season since the PFL was founded in 1993. Drake leads 21-8-1 all-time.
Following Saturday's trip to Indianapolis, Drake returns to Drake Stadium on Oct. 9 to host another longtime rival, Dayton. Kickoff against the Flyers is scheduled for 12 p.m.
