# 2019 Drake Bulldogs football team

The 2019 Drake Bulldogs football team represented Drake University as a member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL) during 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by first-year head coach Todd Stepsis, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 6–5 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.

## Preseason
### Coaching changes

In January 2019, it was announced that with the resignation of 5-year head coach Rick Fox, that defensive coordinator, Todd Stepsis would be promoted to head coach.

### Preseason coaches' poll

The Pioneer League released their preseason coaches' poll on July 30, 2019. The Bulldogs were picked to finish in third place.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | San Diego | 79 (7) |
| 2 | Dayton | 66 (2) |
| 3 | Drake | 64 |
| 4 | Marist | 52 |
| 5 | Davidson | 48 |
| 6 | Stetson | 44 |
| 7 | Butler | 37 |
| 8 | Jacksonville | 30 |
| 9 | Morehead State | 15 |
| 9 | Valparaiso | 15 |

### Preseason All–PFL teams

The Bulldogs had eleven players selected to the preseason all–PFL teams.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 31 | 4:00 p.m. | at North Dakota* | Alerus CenterGrand Forks, ND | MC22/Pluto TV | L 7–47 | 8,545 |
| September 7 | 6:00 p.m. | Truman* | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA | MC22 | L 7–10 | 2,529 |
| September 14 | 1:00 p.m. | at No. 3 South Dakota State* | Dana J. Dykhouse StadiumBrookings, SD | ESPN+ | L 10–38 | 11,565 |
| September 28 | 12:00 p.m. | at Marist | Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff FieldPoughkeepsie, NY | Red Fox Network | W 41–17 | 3,918 |
| October 5 | 2:00 p.m. | Valparaiso | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA | MC22 | W 35–6 | 3,060 |
| October 12 | 12:00 p.m. | at Butler | Bud and Jackie Sellick BowlIndianapolis, IN | YouTube | W 42–7 | 2,578 |
| October 26 | 1:00 p.m. | Morehead State | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA | MC22 | W 36–17 | 2,134 |
| November 2 | 4:00 p.m. | at San Diego | Torero StadiumSan Diego, CA | WCC Network via Stadium | L 7–49 | 1,556 |
| November 9 | 1:00 p.m. | Jacksonville | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA | MC22 | W 28–14 | 1,670 |
| November 16 | 1:00 p.m. | Dayton | Drake StadiumDes Moines, IA (rivalry) | MC22 | L 29–46 | 1,767 |
| November 23 | 12:00 p.m. | at Davidson | Richardson StadiumDavidson, NC | Davidson All Access | W 31–28 | 1,243 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||

## Game summaries
### At North Dakota

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Fighting Hawks | 10 | 2 | 21 | 14 | 47 |

### Truman

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Truman Bulldogs | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| DU Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |

### At South Dakota State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| No. 3 Jackrabbits | 10 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 38 |

### At Marist

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 13 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 41 |
| Red Foxes | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |

### Valparaiso

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Crusaders | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 21 | 14 | 0 | 35 |

### At Butler

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| DU Bulldogs | 7 | 14 | 21 | 0 | 42 |
| BU Bulldogs | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |

### Morehead State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Bulldogs | 3 | 12 | 7 | 14 | 36 |

### At San Diego

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Toreros | 7 | 28 | 14 | 0 | 49 |

### Jacksonville

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Bulldogs | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |

### Dayton

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Flyers | 7 | 18 | 7 | 14 | 46 |
| Bulldogs | 14 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 29 |

### At Davidson

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 7 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 31 |
| Wildcats | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |