2023 Drake Bulldogs football team

The 2023 Drake Bulldogs football team represented Drake University as a member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL) during the 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Bulldogs were led by fifth-year head coach Todd Stepsis and played home games at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.

2023 Drake Bulldogs football
PFL champion
NCAA Division I First Round, L 3–66 at North Dakota State
Conference	Pioneer Football League
Record	8–4 (8–0 PFL)
Head coach	Todd Stepsis (5th season)
Defensive coordinator	Allen Smith (5th season)
Home stadium	Drake Stadium

2023 Pioneer Football League standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Drake $^		8	–	0					8	–	4
St. Thomas (MN) *		7	–	1					8	–	3
Davidson		6	–	2					7	–	4
Butler		5	–	3					7	–	4
Marist		4	–	4					4	–	7
San Diego		4	–	4					4	–	7
Morehead State		3	–	5					4	–	7
Presbyterian		2	–	6					4	–	7
Valparaiso		2	–	6					3	–	8
Dayton		2	–	6					4	–	7
Stetson		1	–	7					3	–	8
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant * – St. Thomas (MN) ineligible for FCS postseason play due to transition from NCAA Division III Rankings from STATS Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 2	3:00 p.m.	at No. 17 North Dakota*	Alerus Center Grand Forks, ND	ESPN+	L 7–55	8,503
September 9	6:00 p.m.	No. 1 (NAIA) Northwestern (IA)*	Drake Stadium Des Moines, IA	ESPN+	L 24–27 OT	3,526
September 16	2:30 p.m.	vs. No. 1 South Dakota State*	Target Field Minneapolis, MN	ESPN+	L 7–70	18,174
September 30	1:00 p.m.	at Morehead State	Jayne Stadium Morehead, KY	ESPN+	W 16–9	6,876
October 7	1:00 p.m.	Valparaiso	Drake Stadium Des Moines, IA	ESPN+	W 20–14	3,075
October 14	12:00 p.m.	St. Thomas (MN)	Drake Stadium Des Moines, IA	ESPN+	W 52–21	1,902
October 21	4:00 p.m.	at San Diego	Torero Stadium San Diego, CA	ESPN+	W 25–20	791
October 28	12:00 p.m.	Stetson	Drake Stadium Des Moines, IA	ESPN+	W 33–7	1,625
November 4	11:00 a.m.	at Marist	Leonidoff Field Poughkeepsie, NY	ESPN+	W 10–3	1,594
November 11	1:00 p.m.	Presbyterian	Drake Stadium Des Moines, IA	ESPN+	W 16–14	2,278
November 18	11:00 a.m.	at Butler	Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl Indianapolis, IN	FloSports	W 13–9	2,788
November 25	2:30 p.m.	at No. 8 North Dakota State*	Fargodome Fargo, ND (NCAA Division I First Round)	ESPN+	L 3–66	7,798
*Non-conference game Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

Game summaries

At No. 17 North Dakota

See also: 2023 North Dakota Fighting Hawks football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	0	0	0	7	7
No. 17 Fighting Hawks	0	14	27	14	55

Northwestern (IA)

See also: 2023 Northwestern Red Raiders football team

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Red Raiders	3	7	3	8	6	27
Bulldogs	0	14	0	7	3	24

vs. No. 1 South Dakota State

See also: 2023 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	7	0	0	0	7
No. 1 Jackrabbits	14	21	21	14	70

At Morehead State

See also: 2023 Morehead State Eagles football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	7	6	0	3	16
Eagles	0	6	3	0	9

Valparaiso

See also: 2023 Valparaiso Beacons football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
Beacons	0	0	0	14	14
Bulldogs	7	3	7	3	20

St. Thomas

See also: 2023 St. Thomas Tommies football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tommies	7	14	0	0	21
Bulldogs	7	17	21	7	52

at San Diego

See also: 2023 San Diego Toreros football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	3	6	10	6	25
Torreros	0	7	3	10	20

Stetson

See also: 2023 Stetson Hatters football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hatters	0	7	0	0	7
Bulldogs	3	10	7	13	33

at Marist

See also: 2023 Marist Red Foxes football team

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

Presbyterian

See also: 2023 Presbyterian Blue Hose football team

	1	2	3	4	Total
Blue Hose	7	0	0	7	14
Bulldogs	7	3	6	0	16

at Butler

See also: 2023 Butler Bulldogs football team

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