List of Drake Bulldogs football seasons

This is a list of seasons completed by the Drake Bulldogs football team of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).[1] The Drake fielded their first team in 1893 and are currently without a head coach. The 1986 season was exhibition only.

Seasons

Legend

  † National champion[2]
  ‡ Conference champion
  ^ Bowl game berth[3]
  * Playoff berth[4]

Season Coach Conference Conference results Season results Bowl/Playoff/Postseason result Final ranking
Finish Wins Losses Ties Wins Losses Ties[5] NCAA/TSN Poll[6] Coaches Poll[7]
Drake Bulldogs
1893 No Coach Independent — — — — 0 2 1 — — —
1894 W. W. Wharton Independent — — — — 2 2 0 — — —
1895 Hermon Williams Independent — — — — 1 4 0 — — —
1896 Fred Rogers Independent — — — — 2 3 0 — — —
1897 A. B. Potter Independent — — — — 2 3 0 — — —
1898 Independent — — — — 4 2 0 — — —
1899 Independent — — — — 5 2 0 — — —
1900 Charles Best Independent — — — — 6 3 0 — — —
1901 Independent — — — — 4 4 0 — — —
1902 G. O. Dietz Independent — — — — 4 3 1 — — —
1903 W. J. Monilaw Independent — — — — 5 3 0 — — —
1904 Independent — — — — 5 4 0 — — —
1905 Willie M. Heston Independent — — — — 4 4 0 — — —
1906 Charles Pell Independent — — — — 2 4 1 — — —
1907 Independent — — — — 3 4 0[8] — — —
1908 John L. Griffith MVC 5th 1 2 0 5[9] 2 0 — — —
1909 MVC 3rd 2 1 0 6[10] 1 0 — — —
1910 MVC 7th 0 3 0 2[11] 5 0 — — —
1911 MVC 6th 0 2 1 5 2 1 — — —
1912 MVC 3rd 2 2 0 4[12] 3 0 — — —
1913 MVC 5th 1 3 0 4 3 1 — — —
1914 MVC T–6th 0 3 0 4 3 1 — — —
1915 MVC 6th 1 4 0 2 6 0 — — —
1916 Ralph Glaze MVC 6th 1 3 0 3 5 0 — — —
1917 MVC 7th 0 3 0 0 5 2 — — —
1918 M. B. Banks MVC —[13] — — — 3 2 0 — — —
1919 MVC T–3rd 2 2 0 4 3 0 — — —
1920 MVC 5th 1 3 1 4 5 1 — — —
1921 Ossie Solem MVC 4th 2 2 0 5 2 0 — — —
1922 MVC 2nd 4 0 0 7 0 0 — — —
1923 MVC 3rd 3 1 0 5 2 0 — — —
1924 MVC T–2nd 3 1 0 5 2 1 — — —
1925 MVC 2nd 5 2 0 5 3 0 — — —
1926 MVC 8th 1 4 0 2 6 0 — — —
1927 MVC 9th 1 2 0 3 6 0 — — —
1928‡ MVC 1st 3 0 0 7 1 0 — — —
1929‡ MVC 1st 3 0 1 5 3 1 — — —
1930‡ MVC 1st 3 0 0 5 4 0 — — —
1931‡ MVC 1st 3 0 0 5 6 0 — — —
1932 Evan O. Williams MVC 5th 1 3 1 2 6 1 — — —
1933 Vee Green MVC 2nd 4 1 0 6 3 1 — — —
1934 MVC 3rd 2 2 0 3 6 1 — — —
1935 MVC 4th 1 2 1 4 4 2 — — —
1936 MVC 3rd 3 2 0 6 4 0 — — —
1937 MVC 2nd 4 1 0 8 2 0 — — —
1938 MVC T–4th 2 1 1 5 4 1 — — —
1939 MVC 4th 2 3 0 5 5 0 — — —
1940 MVC T–3rd 2 2 0 4 5 0 — — —
1941 MVC 6th 0 3 1 4 5 1 — — —
1942 MVC T–5th 1 4 0 3 7 0 — — —
1943 MVC 3rd 0 0 0 4 2 0 — — —
1944 MVC 3rd 0 0 0 7 2 0 — — —
1945^ MVC 4th 2 1 0 5 4 1 Won Raisin Bowl vs. Fresno State, 13–12 — —
1946 MVC 5th 0 4 0 2 6 1 — — —
1947 Albert Kawal MVC 4th 1 3 0 1 7 1 — — —
1948^ MVC 3rd 1 1 0 7 3 0 Won 1949 Salad Bowl vs. Arizona, 14–13 — —
1949 Warren Gaer MVC 2nd 3 1 0 6 2 1 — — —
1950 MVC T–4th 1 2 1 6 2 1 — — —
1951 MVC 2nd 3 1 0 7 2 0 — — —
1952 Independent — — — — 2 7 0 — — —
1953 Independent — — — — 4 4 0 — — —
1954 Independent — — — — 2 7 0 — — —
1955 Independent — — — — 4 4 0 — — —
1956 Independent — — — — 3 6 0 — — —
1957^ Independent — — — — 7 2 0 Lost Sun Bowl vs. Louisville, 20–34 — —
1958 Independent — — — — 2 7 0 — — —
1959 Independent — — — — 2 7 0 — — —
1960 Bus Mertes Independent — — — — 4 5 0 — — —
1961 Independent — — — — 5 4 0 — — —
1962 Independent — — — — 8 2 0 — — —
1963 Independent — — — — 4 4 0 — — —
1964 Independent — — — — 6 4 0 — — —
1965 Jack Wallace Independent — — — — 6 4 0 — — —
1966 Independent — — — — 8 2 0 — — —
1967 Independent — — — — 4 5 0 — — —
1968 Independent — — — — 5 5 0 — — —
1969^ Independent — — — — 7 2 2 Lost Pecan Bowl vs. Arkansas State, 21–29 — —
1970 Independent — — — — 7 4 0 — — —
1971 MVC 5th 2 3 0 7 4 0 — — —
1972‡ ^ MVC T–1st♦ 4 1 0 7 5 0 Lost Pioneer Bowl vs. Tennessee State, 7–29 — —
1973 MVC T–6th 1 5 0 2 9 0 — — —
1974 MVC 4th 2 3 1 3 7 1 — — —
1975 MVC T–4th 1 3 0 3 8 0 — — —
1976 MVC 5th 1 3 0 1 10 0 — — —
1977 Chuck Shelton MVC 6th 1 5 0 2 9 0 — — —
1978 MVC 4th 3 3 0 4 7 0 — — —
1979 MVC T–4th 1 4 0 3 8 0 — — —
1980 MVC 4th 3 2 0 8 3 0 — — —
1981‡ MVC T–1st♦ 5 1 0 10 1 0 — — —
1982 MVC 5th 2 4 0 4 7 0 — — —
1983 MVC 6th 1 6 0 1 10 0 — — —
1984 MVC T–4th 2 3 0 4 7 0 — — —
1985 MVC T–6th 1 4 0 4 7 0 — — —
1986 Drake did not play football during the 1986 season because it dropped football
1987 Nick Quartaro Independent — — — — 5 5 0 — — —
1988 Independent — — — — 7 3 0 — — —
1989 Rob Ash Independent — — — — 7 3 0 — — —
1990 Independent — — — — 6 4 0 — — —
1991 Independent — — — — 4 6 0 — — —
1992 Independent — — — — 7 2 1 — — —
1993 PFL T–2nd 3 2 0 8 2 0 — — —
1994 PFL 3rd 3 2 0 7 3 0 — — —
1995‡ PFL 1st 5 0 0 8 1 1 — — —
1996 PFL 2nd 4 1 — 8 3 — — — —
1997 PFL T–3rd 2 3 — 8 3 — — — —
1998‡ PFL 1st 4 0 — 7 3 — — — —
1999 PFL T–3rd 2 2 — 7 4 — — — —
2000‡ PFL T–1st♦ 3 1 — 7 4 — — — —
2001 PFL T–4th (North) 1 3 — 5 5 — — — —
2002 PFL 4th (North) 1 3 — 5 6 — — — —
2003 PFL T–4th (North) 1 3 — 6 6 — — — —
2004‡ PFL 1st (North) 4 0 — 10 2 — Won PFL Championship Game vs. Morehead State, 20–17 —[14] —
2005 PFL 3rd (North) 2 2 — 6 4 — — —[15] —
2006 PFL 2nd 6 1 — 9 2 — — —[16] —
2007 Steve Loney PFL 5th 3 4 — 6 5 — — — —
2008 Chris Creighton PFL T–4th 4 4 — 6 5 — — — —
2009 PFL T–3rd 6 2 — 8 3 — — — —
2010 PFL 3rd 6 2 — 7[17] 4 — — —[18] —
2011‡ PFL T–1st♦ 7 1 — 9 2 — — RV[19] —
2012‡ PFL T–1st♦ 7 1 — 8 3 — — RV[20] —[20]
2013 PFL T–4th 5 3 — 6 5 — — — —
2014 Rick Fox PFL T–3rd 6 2 — 7 4 — — — —
2015 PFL T–4th 4 4 — 5 6 — — — —
2016 PFL 3rd 6 2 — 7 4 — — — —
2017 PFL 2nd 6 2 — 7 4 — — — —
2018 PFL 3rd 6 2 — 7 4 — — — —
2019 Todd Stepsis PFL T–2nd 6 2 — 6 5 — — — —
2020–21 PFL 6th 2 3 — 2 3 — — — —
2021 PFL T–9th 1 7 — 2 9 — — — —
2022 PFL 8th 3 5 — 3 8 — — — —
2023 PFL 1st 8 0 — 8 4 — Lost to North Dakota State in 1st Round FCS Playoffs, 3–66 — —
2024 PFL 1st 7 1 — 8 3 — Lost to Tarleton State in 1st Round FCS Playoffs, 29–43 — —
Total 106 130 9 — — — (only includes Missouri Valley Conference games)
148 72 0 — — — (only includes Pioneer Football League games)
— — — 2 3 0 (only includes bowl games; 5 appearances)
244 202 9 651 552 28 (all games, totals)
♦ Denotes a tie for first place and conference co-champion

Bowl results

Season Date Bowl Opponent Result Site
1945 January 1 Raisin Bowl Fresno State W 13–12 Fresno, California
1948 January 1 Salad Bowl Arizona W 14–13 Phoenix, Arizona
1957 January 1 Sun Bowl Louisville L 20–34 El Paso, Texas
1969 December 13 Pecan Bowl Arkansas State L 21–29 Arlington, Texas
1972 December 10 Pioneer Bowl Tennessee State L 7–29 Wichita Falls, Texas

Notes

  1. ^ The Division I-A, I-AA and I-AAA designations were confusing and as a result, misapplied by the public, boosters and media when referring not only to their local football programs but also to other sports such as basketball. The Division I Board of Directors, composed of Division I presidents and chancellors voted on the change in August 2006. The Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly I-A) includes those programs that compete in an effort to participate in the postseason bowl system. The NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) includes those programs that compete in an effort to participate in the NCAA championship postseason structure (one of the 88 NCAA national championships). NCAA.org
  2. ^ Drake competes in the Football Championship Subdivision of Division I.
  3. ^ The yellow color is used only when Drake reaches a bowl but does not hold a share in the conference title. In any case that Drake has a share of the conference championship, the green color is used.
  4. ^ The blue color is used only when Drake receives a playoff berth but does not hold a share in the conference title. In any case that Drake has a share of the conference championship, the green color is used.
  5. ^ Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible.
  6. ^ Since the 1978 split in divisions, the NCAA, or more recently, The Sports Network Archived 2011-05-03 at the Wayback Machine Poll has been the major poll at the FCS level.
  7. ^ The FCS Coaches Poll Archived 2008-08-28 at the Wayback Machine was introduced in 2007. Therefore, polls for prior seasons do not exist.
  8. ^ Drake counts a tie against its alumni team as a tie. Other sources do not. The tie total without the alumni game is 0.
  9. ^ Drake counts a win against its alumni team as a win. The Missouri Valley Conference does not. The win total without the alumni game is 5.
  10. ^ Drake counts a win against its alumni team as a win. The Missouri Valley Conference does not. The win total without the alumni game is 6.
  11. ^ Drake counts a win against its alumni team as a win. The Missouri Valley Conference does not. The win total without the alumni game is 2.
  12. ^ Drake counts a win against its alumni team as a win. The Missouri Valley Conference does not. The win total without the alumni game is 4.
  13. ^ No standings as no team played representative schedule because of World War I.
  14. ^ "The Sports Network - I-AA College Football". www.sportsnetwork.com. Archived from the original on April 22, 2005. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  15. ^ "The Sports Network - I-AA College Football". www.sportsnetwork.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2006. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  16. ^ "The Sports Network - I-AA College Football". www.sportsnetwork.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2006. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  17. ^ Drake won a game against CONADEIP Stars, it was not an NCAA game.
  18. ^ "The Sports Network - Football Championship Subdivision". www.sportsnetwork.com. Archived from the original on May 3, 2011. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  19. ^ "The Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top-25 College Football Poll (Final)". The Sports Network. January 9, 2012. Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  20. ^ a b "Football Earns No. 20 Ranking in Final Polls". Flaggstaff, Arizona: Northern Arizona University. January 7, 2013. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved January 31, 2013.