The Drake Bulldogs (Pioneer Football League) announced an 11-game schedule for the 2025 season, which will include an NCAA Division II opponent and two Missouri Valley Football Conference road trips in September. Drake went 8-3 overall in 2024, won the PFL, and played a competitive 43-29 game against Tarleton State (UAC) in the FCS playoff first round matchup.
Drake will open the season on Thursday, August 28 at home against Upper Iowa from the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). The two schools have met three previous times with Drake emerging victorious in each game. The most recent matchup was in 2008 when Drake held on for a 17-13 win. After a bye on September 6, the Bulldogs will play at the MVFC’s South Dakota State and South Dakota in back-to-back weeks. Drake will have another bye to end September.
The PFL slate will commence on October 4 with a home game versus Valparaiso followed by a road trip to San Diego on October 11. Davidson will visit Des Moines on October 18 followed by back-to-back road games at Marist on October 25 and Butler on November 1. The regular season will conclude with a home game against St. Thomas on November 8, an away game at Dayton on November 15, and the finale at home versus Morehead State on November 22.
The 2025 season will be the first year for head coach Joe Woodley at Drake. Woodley went 72-5 overall and a perfect 29-0 in conference games in his six seasons with the NAIA’s Grand View Vikings. Woodley is taking over for Todd Stepsis, who left for Northern Iowa (MVFC) after six years with Drake. Stepsis went 29-32 overall at Drake including back-to-back PFL titles and the first FCS Playoff appearances for the Bulldogs in 2023 and 2024.
Photo Credit to Drake University Athletics
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