Saturday, November 18, 2023
by Cody Bush, PFL Media Relations

Drake clinched the Pioneer Football League Championship outright with a 13-9 victory at Butler and won the league’s bid in the FCS Playoffs. It is the Bulldogs' seventh PFL Championship and first since 2012. Drake also advances to its first FCS Playoff appearance and its first postseason appearance since a 2004 PFL Championship Game victory.

St. Thomas outlasted Valparaiso to move into second place ahead of Davidson, which fell to Dayton. Presbyterian notched its second-ever PFL victory at home, and San Diego closed its campaign with a victory.

PFL Scoreboard: Nov. 18

Drake 13, Butler 9
Bucknell 38, Marist 21
San Diego 47, Stetson 20             
Presbyterian 31, Morehead State 27
St. Thomas 16, Valparaiso 10
Dayton 45, Davidson 14

PFL Recaps

Drake 13, Butler 9

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Dorian Boyland’s two-yard touchdown run with 2:43 left vaulted Drake to a 13-9 PFL victory against Butler Saturday at Sellick Stadium. With the win, Drake secured the 2023 PFL Championship outright and claimed the league’s automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs. Butler’s offense outgained Drake 265-176 but was held to three Luka Zurak field goals, his 48-yarder with 21 seconds left in the third quarter providing a 9-7 lead. Boyland finished with 31 rushing yards, while Luke Bailey completed 16-of-28 passes for 120 yards and a second-quarter touchdown toss to Hunter Johnson. Bret Bushka completed 21-of-34 passes for 140 yards for Butler.

Bucknell 38, Marist 21

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Bucknell scored the game’s first 24 points and held off a late Marist rally for a 38-21 nonconference victory Saturday at Tenney Stadium. Bucknell’s Ralph Rucker threw for two touchdowns in the first half as the Bison opened up the 24-0 lead. Logan Brabham got Marist on the board at the halftime horn with five-yard completion to Matt Stianche. Rucker’s third touchdown pass of the day pushed the Bucknell lead to 38-7 midway through the third quarter. Brabham connected on two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including a second touchdown toss to Stianche with 46 seconds left to set the final score. Brabham completed 31-of-51 passes for 328 yards and three touchdowns. Mohamed Diawara caught nine passes for 110 yards and a touchdown.

San Diego 47, Stetson 20

DELAND, Fla. – Re-al Mitchell caught two touchdown passes and ran for another as San Diego downed Stetson 47-20 in Saturday PFL action at Spec Martin Memorial Stadium. Zamir Wallace’s pick-six got San Diego on the scoreboard first and sparked a 17-0 opening scoring run. Stetson would get on the board just before halftime on Brady Meitz’s 62-yard touchdown throw and his 19-yard touchdown toss in the third quarter narrowed the deficit to 17-13. The teams traded touchdowns before Mitchell scored back-to-back touchdowns in the fourth quarter, running for a six-yard score and catching a 12-yard pass to extend the lead to 40-13 with 4:15 remaining. Mitchell finished with 12 receptions for 90 yards and added two carries for eight yards, while Isaiah Williams rushed for 148 yards and a touchdown. Meitz completed 21-of-34 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns, Ronnel Johnson and Gabe Atkin finishing with 155 and 101 receiving yards.

Presbyterian 31, Morehead State 27

CLINTON, S.C. – Tyler Wesley threw two fourth-quarter touchdowns, and Presbyterian rallied from a 10-point deficit to down Morehead State 31-27 in PFL action Saturday at Bailey Memorial Stadium. Morehead State’s defense supplied a 20-10 lead with 10:19 remaining in the third quarter on Matthew McClelland’s 35-yard pick-six. Presbyterian’s defense responded in kind before the third quarter ended as Bradley Russ-Martin provided a 97-yard scoop-and-score, cutting the deficit to 20-17. Wesley gave the Blue Hose their first lead on the first play of the fourth quarter with a 47-yard touchdown pass to Cncere Gill. Bryce Patterson led Morehead State’s reply five minutes later, finding Kyle Daly for a 36-yard touchdown pass. Wesley led the game-winning drive on the game’s next possession. Wesley completed 10-of-24 passes for 186 yards to lead the Blue Hose. Patterson completed 14-of-30 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns, with Daly catching seven passes for 139 yards and a touchdown.

St. Thomas 16, Valparaiso 10

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Luke Reed’s nine-yard touchdown run with 14:56 left in the game pushed St. Thomas past Valparaiso, 16-10, Saturday in PFL action at O’Shaughnessy Stadium. St. Thomas opened with the game’s first 10 points, Amari Powell connecting with Patrick Wagner for a 30-yard touchdown and a 10-0 lead with 5:53 left in the first half. Valparaiso responded with the game’s next 10 points, tying the game on Ryan Keefe’s 22-yard touchdown pass to Solomon Davis with 3:39 remaining in the third quarter. Powell completed 9-of-17 passes for 179 yards, while Hope Adebayo ran for 88 yards on 15 carries. Keefe completed 13-of-25 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown.

Dayton 45,  Davidson 14

DAVIDSON, N.C. – Dante Casciola threw three touchdowns and Cole Dow threw two more as Dayton defeated Davidson 45-14 Saturday in PFL action at Richardson Stadium. Dayton opened with 28 unanswered points as Casciola threw the game’s first touchdown, Cole added both his touchdown throws, and Josh Anderson provided a pick-six. Casciola’s two second-half touchdown throws countered Davidson’s two touchdowns. The Wildcats got on the scoreboard with Colter Cleland’s 25-yard touchdown to Clarence Freeman just two minutes into the third quarter. Mason Sheron added a 30-yard run in the fourth quarter, but that was the extent of Davidson’s scoring. Casciola completed 16-of-19 passes for 151 yards to lead Dayton’s offense. Sheron ran for 105 yards on 12 carries for Davidson.