Drake has won six Pioneer Football League championships but non since the league starting getting an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs in 2013. With more than a dozen starters back from last year’s team that finished 7-4 third-year coach Rick Fox says they hope to change that this season.

Fox has put together a schedule to prepare for an eventual playoff berth. The Bulldogs play South Dakota and South Dakota State out of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Fox says the Bulldogs learned how they need to play at the end of last season. Drake won its final four games after falling out of the PFL title chase.

Drake is talented and deep on both sides of the ball on the line of scrimmage and Fox feels this team has a lot of potential. Drake opens at home against South Dakota on September 2.

(Learfield Sports)