DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University football team continued its dynastic run of success with a 17-7 victory over Morehead State on Saturday afternoon. The win secured Drake's third consecutive Pioneer Football League championship and gave the Bulldogs the conference's automatic bid into the upcoming FCS Playoffs.
 
Drake's defense took the field first and found itself in a tricky situation after forcing an Eagle punt on their first possession. Logan Inagawa and Nick Herman botched a handoff on the Bulldogs' initial play from scrimmage, setting Morehead State up inside the 10-yard line.
 
The Bulldog D dug its heels in and found a way to keep the Eagles out of the endzone thanks to a crushing Taye Proctor TFL and Jacob Auen sack. Thomas Schwartz V, an Iowa native, came on for a 48-yard field goal try, but his kick missed wide right.
 
Drake's next drive stalled as Sam Bruno punted the ball back to Morehead State. The Eagles faced a fourth down opportunity just across midfield. Isaac Stopke took the handoff and slashed through a blitzing Drake (8-3, 7-1) defense, which entered the weekend leading the PFL in opponent fourth down conversion rate. Stopke scampered 42 yards through the hashes for the first score of the game.
 
Morehead State (6-6, 4-4) led 7-0 after the first quarter.
 
The Bulldogs were able to put their first points on the board after a lengthy drive that ate up nearly nine minutes of the second quarter clock. Harry Balke capped the 16-play, 79-yard trek with a 25-yard chip shot field goal. The 7-3 tally held over the final two minutes of the second period as Morehead State led at the break.
 
Drake put another nice drive together midway through the third quarter that included a touchdown run by Taj Hughes, but the score was nullified by an illegal blocking penalty. Drake got back into field goal range, but the often-reliable Balke shoved his kick right, keeping the 7-3 Morehead State lead intact.
 
After the Bulldog defense strung a couple more stops together, Drake looked to make a charge. The Bulldogs took over near midfield, but Nick Herman's second fumble of the contest gave it right back to the Eagles.
 
Morehead State still led 7-3 after the completion of three quarters.
 
Drake flipped the script in the fourth while leaning on its league-leading rushing attack. The Bulldogs pieced together a 14-play, 90-yard scoring drive punctuated by a Logan Inagawa scamper for six to take the lead. Later in the frame, Nick Herman, who totaled 253 yards on the ground, ripped off a 77-yard sprint to extend the Dogs' advantage.
 
The visiting Eagles were able to put another trifecta on the board via a short Schwartz field goal, but time favored the Bulldogs as Drake was able to recover the onside kick attempt and kneel out the remaining few seconds.
 
"Certainly a really good feeling today…the culmination of a lot of work we put in with these guys," Drake head coach Joe Woodley said. "We demand a lot, and they've been bought in and with us every step of the way. Didn't look good today for a decent amount of time, had some things go against us, and the team just continued to overcome that and never flinched. The way our guys embraced the change this entire season and acted with leadership, especially in the second half today, I just cannot say enough."
 
Herman was one of two Bulldogs to score on the ground as Logan Inagawa added the other Drake score. Herman's 253-yard effort marked the first 200-plus yard outing for a Drake back since Drew Lauer put 243 up against Morehead State in 2019.
 
Sean Allison led the Dogs' defense with 10 tackles. Garrison Codde added seven stops with a tackle for loss while Gene Blalock made two tackles, two hurries, and two TFLs with a sack.
 
With the 17-7 victory, Drake has secured the Pioneer Football League's automatic berth into the FCS Playoffs. The Bulldogs' postseason assignment will be determined during the FCS Playoff Selection Show at 11 a.m. tomorrow morning. The Bulldogs will host a watch party in the Schickler Club at the Knapp Center to celebrate the team's third consecutive league title and trip to the postseason.