INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Drake football team won the Pioneer Football League title outright and clinched its first-ever FCS playoff berth after a come-from-behind 13-9 road victory over Butler on Saturday, Nov. 18 at the Sellick Bowl.
"This team never gives up," head coach
Todd Stepsis said. "That's the secret sauce of this group. Our players hung in there. It had not been pretty the last couple of years, I'm so happy that they can experience this."
Butler moved the ball through the air halfway through the first quarter to result in a 38-yard field goal by Luka Zurak at the 6:24 mark for the game's first points. The home team controlled a 3-0 lead after one quarter of play.
The Drake offense began to hum in the second quarter.
Luke Bailey rolled out and took it himself for a 20-yard gain setting up first and goal at the 10-yard line. A few plays later, Bailey found
Hunter Johnson over the middle from two yards away for the touchdown with 2:48 left in the first half.
Trailing 7-3 at halftime, Butler's defense forced back-to-back three-and-outs that led to a pair of field goals on the other end by Zurak. Bailey did not complete a pass in the third quarter. Drake's season was on the line behind 9-7 going into the fourth quarter.
On third and five from the 50-yard line, Butler quarterback Bret Bushka was sacked by
Jacob Auen for a loss of 15 yards. Drake took over at its own 22-yard line with 7:56 remaining in the game.
Bailey dissected the Butler defense and a pass interference penalty set up Drake at the 2-yard line.
Dorian Boyland took the handoff and burst into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown with 2:43 to go. Drake's two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful as the visitors from Des Moines nabbed a late 13-9 lead.
Drake's defensive unit was ready to finish the job. With only 43 seconds remaining on third down and long, Claypool flung Bushka to the ground for a loss of four yards. The ensuing fourth down and 17 pass play fell incomplete as the Drake sideline began to celebrate.
"Give credit to Butler," Stepsis said. "They kept the ball away from us. We have a team full of guys who believe in each other and themselves. I can't say enough about how great our resiliency was."
Drake football will find out its next opponent during the FCS Football Playoffs selection show on Sunday, Nov. 19 at 11:30 a.m. on ESPNU.
NOTES
- The Bulldogs have won 11 consecutive PFL games.
- Drake won its first outright PFL title since 2004.
- Drake claimed its first undefeated PFL title since 2004.
- The Bulldogs earned the PFL's AQ berth to the FCS playoffs for their first-ever FCS playoff appearance.
- Drake football finished 8-0 in conference play for the first time in school history.
- Drake secured its first eight-win season since 2012.
- Linden Howe recorded a season-high 10 tackles (four solo) and a sack.
- Finn Claypool (nine tackles) totaled three tackles for loss including two sacks to add to his PFL lead.
- Drake's defense did not allow an opposing touchdown for the first time this season.
- Hunter Johnson caught his first career touchdown.
- Dorian Boyland has rushed for seven touchdowns this season.
- The Bulldogs have won six games this season by seven points or less, including three by five points or less.
- Senior Jacob Thompson added nine tackles (two solo).
- Drake has won eight consecutive games against Butler dating back to 2016.
- Drake leads the all-time series versus Butler, 23-8-1.
