DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University football team returns to Drake Stadium – where it has won 18-straight home conference games – to host Pioneer Football League rival Butler. Kickoff for the homecoming contest is scheduled for 1 p.m.
The Drake Bulldogs return to their home turf on a two-game win streak that has improved the team to 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the PFL standings.
The Butler Bulldogs, the league's reigning co-champion, are 3-4 overall and 1-3 in conference action.
“We love playing here and being on our campus with our fans,” said Drake head coach Rick Fox. “Winning on the road is really tough in this conference to win on the road, so you need to win at home. When Drake and Butler play it's always a great football game.”
Butler will face the PFL's top defense as Drake's defense is surrendering just 318.9 yards per game, the 17th best mark in the nation. That defense has been even more formidable in conference play as three of the team's four PFL opponents have been held to fewer than 215 total yards of offense. The squad's last two opponents combined for just 339 yards of total offense against Drake.
“Our defense was outstanding again on Saturday [at Valparaiso] and those two interceptions were critical for us,” Fox said. “They're playing like the defense we expected them to be before the season. As long as they continue to do that, we have a shot every game.”
The teeth of that defense starts up front with a defensive line that has 17 sacks this season, the second most in the PFL. Interior linemen Matt Acree (Shawnee, Kan.) and Brett Park (Olivette, Mo.) have been responsible for 9.5 of those sacks in addition to their duties stopping the run, something PFL opponents have managed only 72.8 yards per game on.
The defense will have its hands full again against a Butler team that is averaging 376 yards per game with nearly 250 of them coming through the air.
“They're a well-coached team,” Fox said of Saturday's opponent. “They're very disciplined and their schemes are great. They play hard play-to-play throughout the game so you've got to bring it every play.”
Bringing it every play will be a focus for Drake's offense which despite averaging 385.4 yards per game, has struggled at times to complete drives.
“You have to focus on your job, trust your teammates and get after it,” Fox said of the need for offensive consistency. “We've been breaking down in those areas and have to get more consistent with that.”
However, when clicking on all cylinders, that offensive has shown lethal potential. Under quarterback Andy Rice's (Stevens Point, Wis.) guidance the Bulldogs scored 51 points on 606 yards of total offense in the win over Davidson that extended its home conference winning streak to 18 games.
Following Saturday's game, Drake remains at home to host preseason league favorite San Diego in its 2014 home finale on Nov. 1. Kickoff for that contest is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
