DES MOINES, Iowa – Steve Englehart’s Presbyterian Blue Hose have improved all season in ways that are hard to measure. Drake’s 16-14 victory on Saturday was more of the same.

Drake has one more game to win – at Butler next Saturday – in order to lock up the PFL title. Davidson completed its schedule by losing to Morehead State, 47-17, on Saturday.

Since PC defeated Wofford, 23-20 on Sept. 16 , the Blue Hose are 1-6, but the level of competition is vastly different. A year ago, Englehart’s first team went 1-10 and averaged 15.7 points a game while allowing an average of 42.6. This year the Blue Hose are 3-7, averaging 20.7 points and allowing 25.6. PC is still 1-6 in the far-flung league.

Staying stride-for-stride with the only school in the Pioneer Football League with zero conference losses, the Presbyterian College football team once again came up short.

PC has played with every opponent except Murray State and Davidson. Drake went 7-0 in the PFL for the first time ever.

While Drake achieved its first-ever 7-0 start to PFL action – thus making it the sole frontrunner in the division following Davidson’s defeat to Morehead State – it wasn’t an easy route in the slightest for the home side.

Presbyterian’s defense gave up a single Bulldog touchdown in the first quarter.

Drake began six drives in  Blue Hose territory but had to settle for three field goals.

Presbyterian accounted for its second touchdown with 2:19 to go and nearly gained back possession of the ball with an onside kick formation that fell into Drake’s mitts.

The Blue Hose are to wrap up the 2023 campaign in seven days in a Bailey Memorial duel with with the same Morehead State Eagles who worked on Davidson. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

The twin corners, Bradley Russ-Martin and Brooks Russ-Martin, led a stout PC defense. The former intercepted a pass in the first quarter and blocked a field goal on the last play of the first half. The latter led the Blue Hose in tackles with seven.

Presbyterian outrushed the Bulldogs, 162 yards to 126. The bulk occurred on Ty Englehart’s 75-yard scoring spring in the first quarter.

The Blue Hose kept hope alive with a touchdown pass from Tyler Wesley to Terik Mulder, but an onside kick failed and the Bulldogs managed to run out the clock.

Morehead State (4-6, 3-4) won last year’s game against the Blue Hose by a score of 14-10.

Shane Dunning kept Drake ahead with field goals of 34, 29 and 48 yards. The Bulldogs quarterback, Luke Bailey, completed 18/36 passes for 153 yards. Dorian Boyland paced the Drake rushers with 21 carries for 77 yards and a score.

Englehart and Wesley combined to complete 8/21 passes for 67 yards.

Take a look at the stats here.

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