Drake University Football: A Storied History

The Drake Bulldogs represent Drake University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. As charter members of the Pioneer Football League since 1993, they compete without offering athletic scholarships. The program boasts a rich history filled with memorable moments, outstanding players, and dedicated coaches.

Early Years and Undefeated Season

Drake University fielded their first football team in 1893, laying the foundation for a program that would experience both triumphs and challenges. The 1922 Drake Bulldogs football team is widely regarded as the greatest in the program's history, remaining the only undefeated team to date. Capping off their historic season, Drake defeated Mississippi State 48-6. The team received votes as the number one team in the College Football Researchers Association poll and earned an invitation to the White House.

Notable Moments and Personalities

The Drake football program has been graced by the presence of several notable figures. During the 1926 Homecoming, Babe Ruth visited and even suited up for a Drake scrimmage after head coach Ossie Solem extended the invitation, inquiring if Ruth had ever indulged in the "dirt eating" pastime known as football.

In 1951, Johnny Bright was named a First Team College Football All-American and was awarded the Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Sportsmanship Award. In 1969, Bright was named Drake University's greatest football player of all time. Drake University recognized Johnny Bright's football jersey number. The Drake football field was also named after Johnny Bright.

Historic Games and Firsts

Drake has been involved in several historic games and achieved numerous firsts. Following the 1931 season, head coach Ossie Solem scheduled a game in Honolulu, Hawaii, where the Bulldogs faced off against Hawaii. In a close encounter at Honolulu Stadium on December 19, 1931, Hawaii defeated Drake 19-13 in a game dubbed the Aloha Classic. This marked the first game played by an Iowa school in Hawaii and the last game for Solem as Bulldog coach.

Read also: Early Days of Drake's Singing

Drake played the first night game at Soldier Field, losing to Oregon 14-7 on October 3, 1930. This was the first intersectional night game ever played in Chicago, Illinois. Drake was also the first school of its size to install lights.

On September 23, 1938, Drake won two games in the same day.

On September 1, 2010, Drake announced it would forgo its normal postseason tie-ins in order to participate in the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl, the first American football game in Africa. Drake continued their success during the 2011 season after the victory in the Kilimanjaro Bowl and Shared the Pioneer Football League title. Coach Creighton and his team were honored with the NCAS Giant Steps Award for their charity work in Africa.

On December 1, 2018, Drake played FBS 23rd-ranked Iowa State in a makeup game for both schools. Despite being 41-point underdogs, FCS non-scholarship Drake held its own, holding a 24-20 lead late in the third quarter before eventually falling 27-24.

The Johnny Bright Incident

The Johnny Bright incident, a violent on-field assault against African-American player Johnny Bright by White American player Wilbanks Smith, occurred during a game on October 20, 1951, in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The game marked the first time that an African American athlete with a national profile and of critical importance to the success of his Drake University team had played against Oklahoma A&M on their home field. Bright's injury also highlighted the racial tensions of the times and assumed notoriety when it was captured in a Pulitzer Prize winning photo sequence.

Read also: Opportunities at Drake University

Return to Bowl Competition and Modern Era

In 1972, the Bulldogs returned to their first bowl appearance in 3 years. They captured a share of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, after being away from the league for 20 years, with a 4-1 record in conference play. The only conference loss was to 18th AP Ranked Louisville (Led by Tom Jackson, All-Pro Linebacker, Denver Broncos, and former ESPN Analyst). They went on to play Tennessee State and Ed 'Too Tall' Jones (All-Pro Defensive End, Dallas Cowboys) in the Pioneer Bowl, which proved to be a difficult challenge in a 29-7 loss, finishing with a 7-5 record overall. During this return to bowl competition, coach Jim Johnson was the defensive coordinator and Jack Wallace was the head coach.

The most successful Drake team in the modern era of college football was the 1981 Bulldogs team. Drake finished the season with 10 wins and nearly had an undefeated season. The Bulldogs lost 59-6 to Tulsa ending their chance at a perfect season. With a 7-4-0 record, Tulsa clinched the lone Missouri Valley Conference postseason berth due to the head-to-head tie-breaker. Following the historic 1981 season, the Bulldogs suffered five straight non-winning seasons.

Pioneer Football League and Coaching Changes

In 1986, the school chose not to award athletic scholarships ("grants-in-aid") to football players. Ash rejuvenated the program during his eighteen seasons at Drake and played a crucial role in the founding of the Pioneer Football League, a football-only league run out of the Missouri Valley Conference offices in St. Louis, Missouri. In the process, he became Drake's all-time winningest coach with a record of 125-63-2; leading the Bulldogs to four conference titles and five runners-up finishes in the Sports Network Cup. After the 2006 season, Ash accepted the head football coach position at Montana State. In his final Drake season, he led the team to a runner-up finish in both the Pioneer Football League and the Sports Network Cup.

The Bulldogs were coached by long-time NFL assistant Steve Loney in 2007. The team finished 6-5, with a highlight 27-24 victory over #7 Illinois State on August 30. Loney resigned at the end of the season to accept a position as offensive line coach with the St.

Chris Creighton was named head coach beginning with the 2008 season. In 2009, the Bulldogs missed out on a share of the conference title when Butler connected on a field goal with one second remaining in the regular season finale. In 2011, Drake shared the conference title with San Diego, their first title under Creighton. Rick Fox was named the head coach in December 2013, and coached his first game in the 2014 season.

Recent Developments

After the resignation of Fox, Todd Stepsis was promoted from Defensive Coordinator to become the new head coach. During his early tenure, Drake had limited success on the field, including a 14-game losing streak during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. However, Drake would turn things around late in 2022.

Joe Woodley was named new football coach at Drake. In the debut of Joe Woodley as coach of the Bulldogs Chase Spellman accounted for four touchdowns - two passing and two running - to lead Drake to a 41-7 victory over Division II-member Upper Iowa on Thursday night.

Drake stays undefeated in conference play with 45-0 win over Davidson. Jackson Voth caught two touchdown passes, Nick Herman, Jaden Meizinger, and Hank Foley each recorded a rushing touchdown, and Drake beat Davidson 45-0 on Saturday. Harry Balke's career-best 55-yard field goal as time expired sent Drake past San Diego 19-16 on Saturday. Nick Herman ran for two touchdowns, Jacob Auen returned an interception for a score - all in an explosive third quarter - and Drake routed Valparaiso 41-0 in a Pioneer Football League opener on Saturday. L.J. Phillips Jr. scored a career-high four rushing touchdowns and had 143 yards rushing on 19 carries as FCS No. 15 South Dakota rolled past Drake, 42-21 on Saturday. Julius Loughridge scored two of South Dakota State's four rushing touchdowns and the Jackrabbits defeated Drake 37-21 on Saturday night.

Looking Ahead

The Drake Bulldogs football program boasts a storied history filled with memorable moments, outstanding players, and dedicated coaches. From their undefeated season in 1922 to their participation in the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl, the Bulldogs have consistently demonstrated their commitment to excellence on and off the field. As they continue to compete in the Pioneer Football League, the Drake Bulldogs remain a source of pride for the university and its supporters.

Bowl Games

Drake Won Raisin Bowl vs. Pacific (CA) (1948). Drake Won 1949 Salad Bowl vs. Houston. Drake Lost Sun Bowl vs. Texas Tech (1952). Drake Lost Pecan Bowl vs. Arkansas State (1966). Drake Lost Pioneer Bowl vs. Tennessee State (1972).

tags: #drake #university #football #history