Drake
8-4 2025 finalDrake is the Des Moines powerhouse that won three straight Pioneer League titles and just crowned its champion — before its head coach resigned after one season for a Big Ten job, leaving the dynasty to rebuild.
The Bulldogs are patient.
Drake is the Des Moines powerhouse that won three straight Pioneer League titles and just crowned its champion — before its head coach resigned after one season for a Big Ten job, leaving the dynasty to rebuild.
Drake won the 2025 PFL championship (8–4, 7–1 conference) under Joe Woodley, capping a dominant run. But in February 2026, Woodley resigned to join Rutgers as a coordinator — a shock mid-offseason departure that left the defending…
Offseason
69 days
until kickoff · Sun Aug 30 · 17:00 UTC
The 2026 Outlook
The Pulse on Drake
What moved it — offseason · last 30 days
Aspiration Ladder
Brief Part III §33.4 · Drake
The baseline expectation.
The annual recruiting proof point.
Conference qualifier or at-large.
Championship weekend. Top-4 in the country.
Drake · Next-Season Outcome Band
Floor / Base / Ceiling
Variance assumed at ±2 wins from last-season record. Replace with the season-path projection once preview data is built.
Who We Are
Fanbase Health Index · Drake · medium confidence
Growing (62)
Home-Field Advantage · Drake · 2018-present
Elite
54% home win rate vs 50% on the road. margin runs +15.2 better at home.
Act IIILast Season Reviewed
2025 season · tap to expand
Recent Form · last 10 games
Mixed
Three of five. Trending up, not yet hot.
Pioneer Standing · 2025
2nd in the Pioneer
Drake is 2nd in the Pioneer at 8-4. 1 team above — that's the direct path to the title game.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Presbyterian | 10-2 |
| 2 | Drake | 8-4 |
| 3 | San Diego | 8-4 |
| 4 | Dayton | 7-4 |
| 5 | St. Thomas (MN) | 7-5 |
| 6 | Butler | 6-6 |
| 7 | Morehead State | 6-6 |
| 8 | Marist | 5-7 |
| 9 | Stetson | 3-9 |
| 10 | Davidson | 2-10 |
| 11 | Valparaiso | 2-10 |
Schedule Strength · Drake · 2025
Balanced
Average opponent win rate 51% across 11 finalized games. No top-25 opponents, but mid-tier slate kept the schedule honest.
Moment of the Year · Drake · 2025
Won 41-7 vs Upper Iowa University
Week 1 of 2025. A statement margin. Recruiting boards re-rendered overnight.
Playoff History
Recent postseason (2023): 0-1
Most recent: 2023 — loss 66-3 (away). Last 5 postseason: 0-1.
From the Archive — Drake
2021: Won 45-3 vs West Virginia Wesleyan
In 2021, the program won 45-3 vs West Virginia Wesleyan — a blowout home result that left the 42-point margin on the books.
Bulldogs eat tonight.