Sports Analysis

The Drake University football team has already seen multiple twists through the season in week five. With a packed Pioneer Football League schedule coming up, there is no telling how the season might shape up for the Bulldogs. 

The reigning PFL champions are holding up a two-year streak, and are looking to also make it to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs for the third time in a row. A three-peat will be challenging for the Bulldogs, but with the help of the new head coach, Joe Woodley, and some powerhouse players stepping up to help the team, it is a goal that could be achieved. 

Although the Bulldogs have lost two games this season, these wins have nothing to do with conference play and won’t have an impact on the team until the PFL winner needs to be crowned. The team will have to battle against powerhouses like Dayton University and Butler University to get to this level of gameplay, but if the Bulldogs have done it for the past two years, they can do it again. 

The Bulldogs have been led by sophomore quarterback Chase Spellman and first-year quarterback Logan Inagawa, who have been filling in for senior Xavier Washington through breaks and injuries. The two have helped the Bulldogs through passing touchdowns and rushing touchdowns of their own. Sophomore wide receiver Jackson Voth has helped the team out offensively by racking up 85 yards within six receptions against the University of South Dakota Coyotes, and has been proving his spot in the lineup. Chase Schutty, a sophomore tight end, also added to his stat pool against the Coyotes with 15 yards through passes and a touchdown of his own. 

Defensively, senior linebacker Sean Allison and sophomore defensive back Garrison Codde have also been aiding the crew with seven stops each in the Bulldogs’ last game alone against the Coyotes. Fellow defensive back, junior Kemani Wilson, along with sophomore linebacker Ronan Poynton, also fueled the fire for the Bulldogs by forcing fumbles. Although these are just a few of the players on the packed roster, this helps Drake confidence-wise going into a more evenly-matched conference play portion of the season. With that being said, there is still lots of action to still unfold throughout the next few weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. 

The team will have its hands full with the Valparaiso University Beacons for Parents and Family Weekend, with kickoff at noon on Saturday and festivities all morning at the tailgating areas around the stadium. The Drake cheer team, Drake dance team and Drake marching band will perform between breaks and supply a halftime show for all Bulldogs to enjoy. Tickets for the game are discounted online with code FAMILY25 for $5 off per ticket. This discount makes the game more accessible to fans coming from around the world. Drake will look to move to 2-2 for the season, and 1-0 in the conference to keep up with the current conference leader Presbyterian University, which is 5-0 overall for the season and 1-0 in conference play after winning 41-0 over Morehead State University.