# 2021 Drake Bulldogs football team

The 2021 Drake Bulldogs football team represented Drake University as a member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL) during 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by third-year head coach Todd Stepsis, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 2–9 with a mark of 1–7 in conference play, tying for ninth place in the PFL. The team played its home games at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
The 2021 Drake Bulldogs football team represented Drake University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Bulldogs competed as members of the Pioneer Football League and were led by third-year head coach Todd Stepsis. They played their home games at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.

## Preseason

The Pioneer League released their preseason coaches' poll on July 27. The Bulldogs were picked to finish in third place.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Davidson | 97 (8) |
| 2 | San Diego | 93 (3) |
| 3 | Drake | 67 |
| 4 | Dayton | 62 |
| 5 | Presbyterian | 59 |
| 6 | Valparaiso | 55 |
| 7 | Morehead State | 51 |
| 8 | St. Thomas | 36 |
| 9 | Marist | 35 |
| 9 | Stetson | 35 |
| 11 | Butler | 15 |

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 2 | 6:00 p.m. | West Virginia Wesleyan* | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA | ESPN3 | W 45–3 | 2,671 |
| September 11 | 7:00 p.m. | at No. 11 Montana State* | Bobcat StadiumBozeman, MT | ESPN+ | L 7–45 | 19,797 |
| September 18 | 4:00 p.m. | at No. 11 North Dakota* | Alerus CenterGrand Forks, ND (Potato Bowl USA) | ESPN+ | L 0–38 | 10,143 |
| September 25 | 12:00 p.m. | Valparaiso | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA | ESPN3 | L 21–24 | 6,039 |
| October 2 | 11:00 a.m. | at Butler | Bud and Jackie Sellick BowlIndianapolis, IN | YouTube | W 6–3 | 3,398 |
| October 9 | 12:00 p.m. | Dayton | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA (rivalry) | ESPN3 | L 10–28 | 2,116 |
| October 16 | 4:00 p.m. | at San Diego | Torero StadiumSan Diego, CA | Stadium | L 10–13 | 3,358 |
| October 23 | 12:00 pm | Stetson | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA | ESPN3 | L 0–2 (forfeit) | 0 |
| November 6 | 11:00 a.m. | at Marist | Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff FieldPoughkeepsie, NY | ESPN3 | L 0–7 | 1,357 |
| November 13 | 12:00 p.m. | St. Thomas (MN) | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA | ESPN3 | L 14–21 | 1,878 |
| November 20 | 12:00 p.m. | at Davidson | Richardson StadiumDavidson, NC | Davidson Network | L 14-45 | 4,207 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||
* ↑ The Pioneer Football League canceled the game scheduled due to COVID-19 issues within Drake's program and the game will be declared a forfeit for the purposes of PFL standings. However, the NCAA regards the game as a no-contest for both teams.

## Game summaries
### Vs. West Virginia Wesleyan

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| West Virginia Wesleyan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Drake | 21 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 45 |
at Drake Stadium • Des Moines, IA
* Date: Thursday, September 2, 2021
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: cloudy, wind SE 14mp • Temperature: 74°F
* Game attendance: 2,671
* Referee: Michael Hoffman
* TV: ESPN3
* Pregame line: Drake −38.5
| Statistics | WVWU | DU |
| First downs | 10 | 21 |
| Total yards | 179 | 529 |
| Rushes/yards | 25/43 | 54/304 |
| Passing yards | 136 | 225 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 10–28–1 | 12–15–0 |
| Time of possession | 22:16 | 37:44 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| West Virginia Wesleyan | Passing | Nathan Payne | 9–26, 129 YDS, 1 INT, 0 TD |
| West Virginia Wesleyan | Rushing | Mason Brubeck | 8 CAR, 31 YDS, 0 TD |
| West Virginia Wesleyan | Receiving | Dariuse Cooper | 3 REC, 52 YDS, 0 TD |
| Drake | Passing | Ian Corwin | 8–11, 203 YDS, 0 INT, 1 TD |
| Drake | Rushing | Cross Robinson | 13 CAR, 100 YDS, 1 TD |
| Drake | Receiving | Colin Howard | 2 REC, 87 YDS, 1 TD |

### At #11 Montana State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Drake | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| # 11 Montana State | 9 | 15 | 7 | 14 | 45 |
at Bobcat Stadium • Bozeman, MT
* Date: Saturday, September 11, 2021
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: sunny, wind 12mp • Temperature: 70°F
* Game attendance: 19,797
* Referee: Gregg Wilson
* TV: ESPN+
* Pregame line: Montana State −29.5
| Statistics | DU | MSU |
| First downs | 14 | 23 |
| Total yards | 228 | 435 |
| Rushes/yards | 36/79 | 37/149 |
| Passing yards | 149 | 286 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 14–24–0 | 21–29–0 |
| Time of possession | 30:24 | 29:36 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Drake | Passing | Ian Corwin | 14–23, 149 YDS, 0 INT, 1 TD |
| Drake | Rushing | Cross Robinson | 9 CAR, 37 YDS, 0 TD |
| Drake | Receiving | Colin Howard | 3 REC, 66 YDS, 0 TD |
| Montana State | Passing | Matthew McKay | 19–25, 256 YDS, 0 INT, 3 TD |
| Montana State | Rushing | Isaiah Ifanse | 19 CAR, 60 YDS, 1 TD |
| Montana State | Receiving | Lance McCutcheon | 7 REC, 121 YDS, 1 TD |

### At #11 North Dakota (Potato Bowl USA)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Drake | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| #11 North Dakota | 14 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
at Alerus Center • Grand Forks, ND • 2021 Potato Bowl USA
* Date: Saturday, September 18, 2021
* Game time: 4:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Dome • Temperature: 72°F
* Game attendance: 10,143
* Referee: Matt Gallagher
* TV: ESPN+
* Pregame line: North Dakota −31.5
| Statistics | DU | UND |
| First downs | 6 | 24 |
| Total yards | 163 | 527 |
| Rushes/yards | 30/77 | 34/288 |
| Passing yards | 86 | 239 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 15–28–3 | 25–40–1 |
| Time of possession | 28:18 | 31:42 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Drake | Passing | Luke Bailey | 9–15, 58 YDS, 2 INT, 0 TD |
| Drake | Rushing | Cross Robinson | 11 CAR, 39 YDS, 0 TD |
| Drake | Receiving | Colin Howard | 2 REC, 39 YDS, 0 TD |
| North Dakota | Passing | Tommy Schuster | 23–36, 234 YDS, 1 INT, 2 TD |
| North Dakota | Rushing | Isaiah Smith | 12 CAR, 125 YDS, 1 TD |
| North Dakota | Receiving | Jack Wright | 3 REC, 53 YDS, 0 TD |

### Vs. Valparaiso

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Valparaiso | 14 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
| Drake | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
at Drake Stadium • Des Moines, IA • Homecoming
* Date: Saturday, September 25, 2021
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: sunny, wind W 14mp • Temperature: 72°F
* Game attendance: 6,039
* Referee: Mike Packard
* TV: ESPN3
* Pregame line: Drake −11.5
| Statistics | VU | DU |
| First downs | 17 | 17 |
| Total yards | 379 | 350 |
| Rushes/yards | 26/155 | 33/67 |
| Passing yards | 224 | 283 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 19–40–3 | 28–49–0 |
| Time of possession | 25:38 | 34:22 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Valparaiso | Passing | Teryn Berry | 16–32, 150 YDS, 3 INT, 0 TD |
| Valparaiso | Rushing | Robert Washington | 17 CAR, 143 YDS, 2 TD |
| Valparaiso | Receiving | Ollie Reese | 2 REC, 59 YDS, 0 TD |
| Drake | Passing | Luke Bailey | 28–48, 283 YDS, 0 INT, 2 TD |
| Drake | Rushing | Cross Robinson | 19 CAR, 61 YDS, 0 TD |
| Drake | Receiving | Colin Howard | 3 REC, 94 YDS, 1 TD |

### At Butler

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Drake | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Butler | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
at Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl • Indianapolis, IN
* Date: Saturday, October 2, 2021
* Game time: 11:00 a.m. CDT
* Game weather: rainy, wind SW 10 • Temperature: 78°F
* Game attendance: 3,398
* Referee: Mike Packard
* TV: YouTube
* Pregame line: Drake −12.5
| Statistics | DU | BU |
| First downs | 16 | 15 |
| Total yards | 312 | 244 |
| Rushes/yards | 43/131 | 30/135 |
| Passing yards | 181 | 109 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 13–24–0 | 12–21–0 |
| Time of possession | 33:06 | 26:54 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Drake | Passing | Blake Ellingson | 13–23, 181 YDS, 0 INT, 0 TD |
| Drake | Rushing | Cross Robinson | 19 CAR, 63 YDS, 1 TD |
| Drake | Receiving | Colin Howard | 4 REC, 92 YDS, 0 TD |
| Butler | Passing | Bret Bushka | 12–20, 109 YDS, 0 INT, 0 TD |
| Butler | Rushing | Bret Bushka | 14 CAR, 78 YDS, 0 TD |
| Butler | Receiving | Yogi Flager | 6 REC, 82 YDS, 0 TD |

### Vs. Dayton

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dayton | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| Drake | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 |
at Drake Stadium • Des Moines, IA
* Date: Saturday, October 9, 2021
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: sunny, wind SE 10mp • Temperature: 74°F
* Game attendance: 2,116
* Referee: Marcel Kerr
* TV: ESPN3
* Pregame line: Dayton −3
| Statistics | UD | DU |
| First downs | 22 | 18 |
| Total yards | 340 | 303 |
| Rushes/yards | 41/157 | 29/59 |
| Passing yards | 183 | 244 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 21–29–1 | 19–33–0 |
| Time of possession | 33:47 | 26:13 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Dayton | Passing | Jack Cook | 21–29, 183 YDS, 1 INT, 0 TD |
| Dayton | Rushing | Jake Chisholm | 34 CAR, 144 YDS, 2 TD |
| Dayton | Receiving | Joey Swanson | 5 REC, 65 YDS, 0 TD |
| Drake | Passing | Blake Ellingson | 19–33, 244 YDS, 0 INT, 1 TD |
| Drake | Rushing | Blake Ellingson | 7 CAR, 48 YDS, 0 TD |
| Drake | Receiving | Brandon Langdok | 4 REC, 64 YDS, 1 TD |

### At San Diego

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Drake | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| San Diego | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 13 |
at Torero Stadium • San Diego, CA
* Date: Saturday, October 16, 2021
* Game time: 4:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: sunny, wind E 3mp • Temperature: 81°F
* Game attendance: 3,358
* Referee: Jeff Reid
* TV: Stadium
* Pregame line: San Diego −9.5
| Statistics | DU | USD |
| First downs | 12 | 18 |
| Total yards | 222 | 302 |
| Rushes/yards | 34/121 | 33/122 |
| Passing yards | 101 | 180 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 6–13–1 | 19–30–0 |
| Time of possession | 25:24 | 34:36 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Drake | Passing | Sean Cooney | 6–13, 101 YDS, 1 INT, 0 TD |
| Drake | Rushing | Dorian Boyland | 9 CAR, 67 YDS, 0 TD |
| Drake | Receiving | Dorian Boyland | 2 REC, 55 YDS, 0 TD |
| San Diego | Passing | Mason Randall | 19–30, 180 YDS, 0 INT, 1 TD |
| San Diego | Rushing | Terrence Smith | 19 CAR, 89 YDS, 0 TD |
| San Diego | Receiving | Michael Gadinis | 6 REC, 53 YDS, 1 TD |

### Vs. Stetson

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Stetson | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Drake | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Drake Stadium • Des Moines, IA
* Date: Saturday, October 23, 2021
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: sunny, wind W 3mp • Temperature: 56°F
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: Aaron Adams
* TV: ESPN3
* Pregame line: Drake −4.5
| Statistics | SU | DU |
| First downs | 0 | 0 |
| Total yards | 0 | 0 |
| Rushes/yards | 0/0 | 0/0 |
| Passing yards | 0 | 0 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 0–0–0 | 0–0–0 |
| Time of possession | 0:00 | 0:00 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Stetson | Passing | Tied | 0–0, 0 YDS, 0 INT, 0 TD |
| Stetson | Rushing | Tied | 0 CAR, 0 YDS, 0 TD |
| Stetson | Receiving | Tied | 0 REC, 0 YDS, 0 TD |
| Drake | Passing | Tied | 0–0, 0 YDS, 0 INT, 0 TD |
| Drake | Rushing | Tied | 0 CAR, 0 YDS, 0 TD |
| Drake | Receiving | Tied | 0 REC, 0 YDS, 0 TD |

### At Marist

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Drake | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marist | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
at Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff Field • Poughkeepsie, NY
* Date: Saturday, November 6, 2021
* Game time: 11:00 a.m. CDT
* Game weather: sunny, wind S 2mp • Temperature: 45°F
* Game attendance: 1,357
* Referee: Scott MacDonald
* TV: ESPN3
* Pregame line: Marist −3
| Statistics | DU | MC |
| First downs | 13 | 15 |
| Total yards | 248 | 256 |
| Rushes/yards | 33/104 | 31/70 |
| Passing yards | 144 | 186 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 13–27–1 | 21–28–1 |
| Time of possession | 27:29 | 32:31 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Drake | Passing | Ian Corwin | 13–27, 144 YDS, 1 INT, 0 TD |
| Drake | Rushing | Cross Robinson | 14 CAR, 45 YDS, 0 TD |
| Drake | Receiving | Colin Howard | 3 REC, 60 YDS, 0 TD |
| Marist | Passing | Austin Day | 21–28, 186 YDS, 1 INT, 1 TD |
| Marist | Rushing | Hunter Cobb | 12 CAR, 39 YDS, 0 TD |
| Marist | Receiving | Will Downes | 4 REC, 47 YDS, 0 TD |

### Vs. St. Thomas (MN)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| St. Thomas | 0 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Drake | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
at Drake Stadium • Des Moines, IA
* Date: Saturday, November 13, 2021
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: cloudy, wind W 10mp • Temperature: 33°F
* Game attendance: 1,878
* Referee: Jason Berg
* TV: ESPN3
* Pregame line: St. Thomas −6
| Statistics | UST | DU |
| First downs | 20 | 16 |
| Total yards | 359 | 239 |
| Rushes/yards | 51/213 | 26/73 |
| Passing yards | 146 | 166 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 13–23–1 | 18–33–5 |
| Time of possession | 35:29 | 24:31 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| St. Thomas | Passing | Cade Sexauer | 8–14, 111 YDS, 1 INT, 0 TD |
| St. Thomas | Rushing | Hope Adebayo | 23 CAR, 105 YDS, 2 TD |
| St. Thomas | Receiving | Nick Rice | 6 REC, 47 YDS, 0 TD |
| Drake | Passing | Ian Corwin | 17–31, 166 YDS, 4 INT, 1 TD |
| Drake | Rushing | Caden Meis | 7 CAR, 49 YDS, 0 TD |
| Drake | Receiving | Matt Hartlieb | 5 REC, 40 YDS, 0 TD |

### At Davidson

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Drake | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Davidson | 21 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 45 |
at Richardson Stadium • Davidson, NC
* Date: Saturday, November 20, 2021
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: sunny, wind S 1mp • Temperature: 32°F
* Game attendance: 4,207
* Referee: Larry Adcock
* TV: Davidson Network
* Pregame line: Davidson −10.5
| Statistics | DU | DC |
| First downs | 9 | 29 |
| Total yards | 190 | 586 |
| Rushes/yards | 15/27 | 72/470 |
| Passing yards | 163 | 116 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 17–34–1 | 12–21–0 |
| Time of possession | 16:31 | 43:29 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Drake | Passing | Ian Corwin | 10–22, 117 YDS, 1 INT, 1 TD |
| Drake | Rushing | Jun Ahn | 2 CAR, 6 YDS, 0 TD |
| Drake | Receiving | Brandon Langdok | 7 REC, 61 YDS, 0 TD |
| Davidson | Passing | Louis Colosimo | 11–20, 114 YDS, 0 INT, 1 TD |
| Davidson | Rushing | Aris Hilliard | 10 CAR, 133 YDS, 2 TD |
| Davidson | Receiving | Jayden Waddell | 3 REC, 45 YDS, 0 TD |