Wednesday, November 22, 2023
by Cody Bush, PFL Media Relations

FCS PLAYOFFS | FIRST ROUND

Drake at Butler, Noon
Drake at North Dakota State, 3:30 p.m.
Broadcast: ESPN+
Location: Fargo, North Dakota    Stadium: Fargodome
Series: NDSU leads, 1-0    
Last Meeting: NDSU def. Drake, 56-14 (2022)

PLAYOFF PREVIEW

Pioneer Football League Champion Drake returns to The Fargodome for the second consecutive season to face North Dakota State in the first round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship. The Bulldogs and Bisons are set to play a 3:30 p.m. (ET), Saturday contest in Fargo, North Dakota.

Drake (8-3, 8-0 PFL) makes its first appearance in the FCS Playoffs after winning the 2023 PFL Championship outright. The Bulldogs won their first PFL title since 2012 and seventh overall. Drake makes its first postseason appearance since winning the 2004 PFL Championship Game against Morehead State.

The Bulldogs become the fifth different PFL program to appear in the FCS Playoffs. The league gained an automatic bid in 2013 and is 2-10 all-time in the tournament, with San Diego winning first-round games in both 2016 and 2017 before falling in the second round to North Dakota State each season.

North Dakota State (8-3, 5-3 MVFC) makes its 13th appearance in the playoffs but is playing in the first round for the first time since 2010. The Bisons finished in a four-team tie for third place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference behind No. 1 overall seed South Dakota State and No. 4 seed South Dakota. The nine-time FCS champions are 44-4 all-time in the tournament.

The Bulldogs and Bison have met once previously, with North Dakota State claiming a 56-14 victory at The Fargodome in 2022. Drake running back Dorian Boyland caught the first touchdown in that game and finished with 60 rushing yards on 15 carries, while quarterback Luke Bailey completed 5-of-7 passes for 46 yards off the bench, and now-wide receiver Ian Corwin completed 8-of-15 passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns.

NOTES FROM AROUND THE PFL

DRAKE’S SEVENTH PFL TITLE
Drake clinched a share of the 2023 PFL title last week with its 16-14 victory against Presbyterian and Davidson’s loss at Morehead State. The Bulldogs then won the title outright with a 13-9 victory at Butler, and also earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship. It is Drake’s seventh PFL title and first since winning a share of the 2012. The Bulldogs make their first postseason appearance since winning the 2004 PFL Championship Game against Morehead State.

PFL AWARDS SEASON
The 31st Pioneer Football League awards will be announced starting with the league’s Major Award Winners on Monday, Nov. 27. The following day, the 31st edition of the All-PFL teams will be presented. The league’s awards schedule concludes with Wednesday’s 2023 PFL Scholar-Athlete of the Year release and the 31st Academic All-PFL squads.

DRAKE’S STEPSIS NAMED A EDDIE ROBINSON AWARD FINALIST
Drake head coach Todd Stepsis is a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, presented to the FCS Coach of the Year. In his fifth season at Drake, he led Drake to its first PFL Championship since 2012 and its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division I Football Championship. The Bulldogs have won 11 straight PFL games dating back to last season and completed a turnaround from a 3-8 record last season to an 8-3 mark in 2023.

NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP AS CLAYPOOL TABBED A BUCHANAN AWARD FINALIST
Drake defensive lineman Finn Claypool, the reigning PFL Freshman Defensive Player of the Year, did not suffer a sophomore slump and now is among the finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award, presented to the FCS Defensive Player of the Year. He helped Drake win the 2023 PFL Championship behind a 55-tackle campaign that included 19.0 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, and two pass breakups. Claypool enters the postseason ranked second among FCS defenders in sacks and is fifth in tackles for loss.