# 2018 Drake Bulldogs football team

The 2018 Drake Bulldogs football team represented Drake University as a member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL) during 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Rick Fox, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 7–4 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, tying for second place in the PFL. The team played its home games at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
On December 10, Fox resigned. He finished his five-year tenure at Drake with a record of 33–22.

## Preseason
### Preseason All-PFL team

The PFL released their preseason all-PFL team on July 30, 2018, with the Bulldogs having four players selected.

### Preseason coaches poll

The PFL released their preseason coaches poll on July 31, 2018, with the Bulldogs predicted to finish in third place.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | San Diego | 81 (9) |
| 2 | Dayton | 72 (1) |
| 3 | Drake | 58 |
| T–4 | Butler | 48 |
| T–4 | Valparaiso | 48 |
| 6 | Jacksonville | 47 |
| 7 | Marist | 44 |
| 8 | Morehead State | 22 |
| 9 | Stetson | 19 |
| 10 | Davidson | 11 |

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| May 26 | 12:00 a.m. | at China All-Stars (AFLC, CAFL, & CBL)* | UIBE StadiumBeijing, China (Drake-China Ambassadors Bowl) | QQLive | W 77–0 | |
| September 1 | 6:00 p.m. | William Jewell* | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA | BV | Cancelled | |
| September 8 | 2:00 p.m. | at No. 14 Montana* | Washington–Grizzly StadiumMissoula, MT | GoGriz | L 16–48 | 23,132 |
| September 15 | 1:00 p.m. | Missouri S&T* | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA | BV | W 52–12 | 1,881 |
| September 29 | 12:00 p.m. | at Jacksonville | D. B. Milne FieldJacksonville, FL | ESPN3 | W 41–9 | 1,738 |
| October 6 | 1:00 p.m. | Butler | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA | BV | W 36–6 | 3,011 |
| October 13 | 1:00 p.m. | Stetson | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA | BV | L 21–23 | 1,439 |
| October 20 | 12:00 p.m. | at Dayton | Welcome StadiumDayton, OH (rivalry) | Facebook Live | W 28–17 | 2,168 |
| October 27 | 1:00 p.m. | at Valparaiso | Brown FieldValparaiso, IN | ESPN+ | W 42–25 | 1,945 |
| November 3 | 1:00 p.m. | San Diego | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA | BV | L 10–27 | 1,522 |
| November 10 | 1:00 p.m. | Marist | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA | BV | W 13–10 | 1,348 |
| November 17 | 1:00 p.m. | at Morehead State | Jayne StadiumMorehead, KY | ESPN+ | W 43–6 | 3,287 |
| December 1 | 11:00 a.m. | at No. 24 (FBS) Iowa State | Jack Trice StadiumAmes, IA | Cyclones.tv | L 24–27 | 56,738 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||
* ↑ Exhibition game
* ↑ The season opening game vs. William Jewell was cancelled due to severe weather.
* ↑ This game was added on November 20, 2018 to make up for the cancellation of the season opener.

## Game summaries
### At Montana

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 16 |
| No. 14 Grizzlies | 3 | 7 | 21 | 17 | 48 |

### Missouri S&T

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Miners | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 12 |
| Bulldogs | 14 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 52 |

### At Jacksonville

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 14 | 17 | 0 | 10 | 41 |
| Dolphins | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 9 |

### Butler

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| BU Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| DU Bulldogs | 7 | 7 | 13 | 9 | 36 |

### Stetson

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hatters | 0 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 23 |
| Bulldogs | 3 | 0 | 11 | 7 | 21 |

### At Dayton

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| Flyers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |

### At Valparaiso

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 7 | 14 | 0 | 21 | 42 |
| Crusaders | 3 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 25 |

### San Diego

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Toreros | 13 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 27 |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |

### Marist

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Red Foxes | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| Bulldogs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 13 |

### At Morehead State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 9 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 43 |
| Eagles | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |

### At Iowa State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 7 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 24 |
| No. 24 (FBS) Cyclones | 7 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 27 |