SCENE SETTER
The Drake University football team will kick off the 2023 campaign inside the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N.D., against nationally-ranked North Dakota at 3 p.m. on Saturday (Sept. 2).
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Saturday's game will be televised on Midco Sports and streamed online via ESPN+. Brian Shawn will handle the play-by-play duties with analyst Ryan Kasowski and sideline reporter Taylor Budge.
Every Drake football game can be heard live on 1350/102.1 ESPN Des Moines. On Saturday, Michael Admire will fill in for Chuck Reed describing the play-by-play. Former Bulldog Craig Wederquist will serve as the analyst for the 2023 season.
SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA
North Dakota begins the season No. 17 in the FCS Media Top 25 Poll and No. 18 in the AFCA Coaches Poll after a 7-5 season where the Fighting Hawks were eliminated in the first round of the FCS playoffs by Weber State.
The Fighting Hawks were predicted fourth in the 2023 MVFC Preseason Poll. Bo Belquist (MVFC Preseason First Team) hauled in 63 receptions for 811 yards and six touchdowns. On the defensive line, Ben McNaboe (MVFC Preseason First Team) totaled 35.0 tackles (22.0 solo) and logged 13.0 tackles for loss with 6.0 sacks. Quarterback Tommy Schuster will return under center for UND as a Preseason All-MVFC Honorable Mention.
Bubba Schweigert enters his 10th season as head coach. He was an assistant coach at North Dakota from 1989-2003 before becoming the head coach at Minnesota Duluth from 2004-07. Prior to his return to Grand Forks, Schweigert was the defensive coordinator at Southern Illinois from 2008-13.
PRESEASON ALL-PFL
DL Finn Claypool, OL Jimmy Poremba and FB Eli Stewart were all named to the Preseason All-PFL Team. Claypool was a 2022 All-PFL First Team member while Poremba earned a spot on the 2022 All-PFL Second Team.
FINN IT TO WIN IT
Claypool, the 2022 PFL Freshman Defensive Player of the Year was recognized on the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List. The award highlights the best defensive player in all of the FCS. The Des Moines native was 20th in the FCS at the end of last year in tackles for loss (14.5).
IRON SHARPENS IRON
Drake football has traditionally challenged itself during non-conference play. Over the past five seasons, DU has played five FCS-ranked opponents in the non-conference slate (#1 North Dakota State in 2022, #11 Montana State in 2021, #11 North Dakota in 2021, #3 South Dakota State in 2019 and #14 Montana in 2018). Drake even gave FBS Iowa State a battle to end the 2018 regular season. The Cyclones escaped Jack Trice Stadium with a 27-24 win in a contest that the Bulldogs led 24-20 later in the third quarter.
RECENT HISTORY IN SEASON OPENERS
The Bulldogs are 6-13 in season-opening games dating back to 2004. Drake's last win in a season opener occurred on Sept. 2, 2021, in a 45-3 home victory over West Virginia Wesleyan. The last time Drake won a season-opening game on the road was Aug. 30, 2007, when the Bulldogs defeated Illinois State, 27-24.
DISCIPLINED
Drake finished the 2022 season ninth among all FCS programs in fewest penalty yards per game (36.6 yards). The Bulldogs also committed the 21st fewest penalties in all of the FCS (4.64 penalties per game).
GETTING OFF THE FIELD
In 2022, the Bulldog defense was 14th in the FCS for third down defense, with teams converting on third down only 33.8 percent of the time.
IN THE TRENCHES
Drake football's projected starting offensive line is made up of senior or fifth-year players, four of whom have at least two years of previous starting experience (Althaus, Krebs, Palmer, Poremba).
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will welcome the reigning NAIA champion Northwestern (Iowa) to Drake Stadium for their home opener under the lights on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 6 p.m.
