The Drake Bulldogs traveled to Tenney Stadium and continued their Pioneer Football League dominance in a 31-17 win over the Marist Red Foxes. The Bulldogs have now won 22 out of their last 23 PFL games.
“Drake executes. I commend the entire Drake program for the way they have been able to introduce new things on offense and defense without missing a beat,” said Marist head coach Mike Willis. “They have some terrific senior players… they are also incredibly consistent, as consistent as any team in the country.”
Drake got the ground game going early, utilizing both freshman quarterback Logan Inagawa and freshman running back Nick Herman to march down the field, draining just over seven minutes off the clock and finding the endzone to take an early 7-0 lead. Inagawa threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wideout Jackson Voth. Voth took a redshirt year at Kansas State before transferring to Drake.
Herman is coming off a 134-yard performance for the Bulldogs in their win last week, part of their nearly 600-yard offensive barrage. Drake relies heavily on a plethora of backs, but the Chicago native has emerged as the team’s top option.
The Drake defense forced Marist to punt on their first drive, continuing their terrific play. They had only allowed 16 points in their last three games before today’s matchup.
The Bulldogs went pass-heavy on their next possession, as Inagawa fired a 42-yard missile to offense/defense utility man Isaiah Bragg. The senior starts at safety for the Drake defense, but can also be seen on the boundary making plays down the field on the offensive side of the ball.
Drake used its air attack to keep the Marist defense guessing, setting up Herman for success running the ball. The up-tempo forced Marist to take two timeouts in just the first quarter.
The Bulldogs’ 89-yard drive resulted in a field goal, putting the Bulldogs up 10-0 with 14:48 remaining in the second quarter. Senior kicker Harry Balke converted on a 55-yard game-winning field goal in the team’s win against San Diego, the longest FCS game-winning field goal since 2022.
Marist got its offense going on the ensuing drive with a balanced attack. Redshirt junior running back Carter James got involved in the receiving and running game, racking up 50 all-purpose yards on this drive alone. His partner in crime, graduate student Tristan Shannon, capped the drive on a one-yard wildcat carry, bringing the Red Foxes within three.
“I appreciate the execution of our players on the wildcat plays,” said Willis. “Especially our blockers and Tristan Shannon. We remain committed to finding creative solutions every week.”
Graduate student Jaden Meizinger took advantage of some elite blocking on the Bulldogs’ next drive, exploding for a 48-yard run that set up Drake inside the ten. They regained their 10-point lead on a designed QB run for Inagawa on the very next play.
The Red Foxes’ offense continued to churn thanks to the offensive line, which not only came to redshirt junior quarterback Sonny Mannino’s defense after a late hit, but also drove Drake’s pass rush back.
Marist’s men in the trenches also played a key part in their eventual touchdown, as Shannon took another direct snap into the endzone, bringing Marist within three, 17-14.
At halftime, the Red Foxes trailed in a lot of the major categories, including total yards, rushing yards and yards per play. Both teams had only punted once, further proving how well both offenses executed their game plan.
Mannino and the offense took the field to begin the second half, and Shannon kick-started it with an off-tackle, 30-yard run. The drive ended with a 42-yard field goal from freshman kicker Samer Layous.
The Bulldogs got the ball back, and it looked like a promising drive until sophomore defensive back Tyrell Powell brought it to an abrupt end. He punched the ball out and gave the Red Foxes possession in a tie game, but they went three-and-out.
A 45-yard punt return from Voth put Drake at the Marist 5-yard line, where they retook the lead with five minutes to go in the third quarter. Senior running back Luke Woodson took a counter right behind his blocker and went into the endzone untouched.
After a Marist punt, the Bulldogs wanted to make it a two-score game, and they did. Senior wide receiver Taj Hughes exploded in the second half with seven catches for 106 yards, capping off the drive with a touchdown that put the Bulldogs on top 31-17.
Down 14 with just 5:00 to go, Marist needed a clean, fast-paced drive, but they got the exact opposite. A pre-snap penalty and a holding call demoralized the squad, and a fourth-and-19 attempt that fell inches short was the dagger.
Drake moves to 5-2 on the year and remains undefeated in conference play. They will stay on the road and battle with Butler next weekend, looking to continue their PFL prowess.
Marist falls to 3-5 on the season, with only one win in PFL play. They head to chilly Minnesota next week to face St. Thomas. Kickoff is set for 2 pm.
Edited by August Lieberman
Graphic by Jaylen Rizzo
Photo via Quinn DiFiore
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