SCENE SETTER
Undefeated in Pioneer Football League play, the Drake football team aims to keep rolling as the Stetson Hatters visit Drake Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 28 at noon.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Saturday's game will stream live on ESPN+ with Michael Admire (play-by-play) and Jeff Woody (analyst). 102.1/1350 ESPN Des Moines is the radio home of Drake football with Chuck Reed back as the play-by-play voice joined by former Bulldog Craig Wederquist. Audio will stream live on The Varsity Network App.
SCOUTING STETSON
The Hatters are 3-4 overall and 1-3 in PFL play following a 38-6 loss to St. Thomas on Homecoming last Saturday. Stetson's lone win this season was a 28-24 decision at Presbyterian on Oct.7.
Matt O'Connor and Brady Meitz have split time taking the snaps this season at quarterback. O'Connor has thrown for 910 yards (72-for-119) with four touchdowns and four interceptions while Meitz is 62-for-96 accumulating 648 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions.Gabe Atkin is the top target for the Hatters hauling in 34 receptions for 427 yards and three touchdowns.
Linebacker Nicholas Lerew is the PFL's top tackler (79 total tackles, 21 solo). Defensive back Rassie Littlejohn has done a little bit of everything for the Hatters recording 54 tackles (25 solo) while intercepting two passes, forcing three quarterback hurries, breaking up two passes and forcing one fumble.
Brian Young is in his third season as the head coach of the Hatters after spending the 2020 season as a Senior Defensive Analyst for his alma mater Georgia Southern. Young was Stetson's defensive coordinator from 2013-19.
HAIL MARY TO BIG PLAY TREY
After surrendering the go-ahead touchdown to San Diego with 2:37 left, the Drake offense quickly and efficiently worked the ball to the Torero 38-yard line. With only two seconds left in the game, Luke Bailey had time and heaved the ball to the end zone. Trey Radocha ripped the ball away from a Torero defender with one hand to come down with the football and the 25-20 win at San Diego.
Radocha's miraculous catch reached No. 6 on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays on Sunday morning.
KIND OF A BIG DEAL
The Bulldogs snapped a 10-game losing streak to San Diego on Saturday for their first win against the Toreros since 2012. Drake won in San Diego for the first time since 2009.
COOL HAND LUKE
Senior quarterback Luke Bailey ranks in the top-20 at the FCS level in various individual categories: 10th in passing yards (1,871), 12th in passing yards per game (267.3), T-13th in passing touchdowns (14) and 18th in passing yards per completion (13.7).
Bailey was recognized as the FedEx Ground FCS National Offensive Player of the Week and PFL Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts in a signature 52-21 win over St. Thomas on Oct. 14. The Lemont, Ill., native set career-highs in passing yards (411) and passing touchdowns (five) against St. Thomas. His five touchdown passes were one shy of tying the program record for most thrown in a single game. Bailey's 411 passing yards are the most yards thrown by a Drake quarterback and the first time a Drake signal caller has tossed over 400 yards since Grant Kraemer in 2017.
HERE'S THE KICKER
Senior kicker/punter Shane Dunning was named Pioneer Football Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this season after contributing 13 of Drake's 25 points last Saturday. Dunning made not one, but two 50-yard field goals (his career-long) during a 4-for-4 day kicking field goals. Dunning became the first Drake kicker to make a field goal of 50 yards or longer since Ben Tesson (52 yards) on Sept. 21, 2013.
Dunning is tied for 19th in the FCS in both field goal percentage (81.8%/9-11) and field goals per game (1.3).
GOT YOUR BACK
The Drake offensive line has not allowed a sack in back-to-back games and has only surrendered a PFL-low three sacks this season. The three sacks allowed are currently tied for second fewest in the FCS.
STREAKING
Drake's seven-game winning streak in PFL play is now the longest active streak in the league. The streak began following a 24-17 win at Stetson on Oct. 29, 2022. This season on Oct. 14, the Bulldogs snapped a 13-game PFL winning streak by St. Thomas.
FINN IT TO WIN IT
Redshirt-sophomore defensive end and 2023 Buck Buchanan Award Watch List member Finn Claypool has continued to find ways into opposing backfields. After notching two sacks against St. Thomas, Claypool added another at San Diego. The hometown kid's sack total (5) is tied for 23rd most in the FCS.
JANUARY IN OCTOBER
Mitchell January has not only caught a touchdown in three straight games, he has scored a touchdown of 49 yards or longer in three consecutive games. January's 169 receiving yards off of a career-high nine receptions on Oct. 14 against St. Thomas are the most in a single game by a Drake player since Steven Doran went for 170 yards in a 2017 win over Campbell.
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will head to New York to visit Marist on Saturday, Nov. 4.
