DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University football team raced past West Virginia Wesleyan, 45-3, Thursday night at Drake Stadium in the 2021 season opener. Drake (1-0) just missed its first shutout in nearly 10 years as Wesleyan (0-1) kicked a late field goal.
Fifth-year running back Cross Robinson had his first career 100-plus game with 101 rushing yards with one touchdown. Junior running back Caden Meis just missed joining him in the 100-yard club with 98 yards and one touchdown.
Junior quarterback Ian Corwin was nearly perfect throwing for 180 yards on 8-of-11 passing with one touchdown and Corwin added two rushing touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Colin Howard had 87 receiving yards on just two catches as he hauled in a 79-yard touchdown bomb from Corwin. Sophomore slot receiver Brandon Langdok had four catches for 51 yards and he caught his first touchdown.
The Bulldogs’ defense held the Bobcats to just 179 total yards, including just 43 on the ground. Fifth-year Alex Rogers had the team’s lone turnover, an interception, in the second quarter.
It didn’t take long for the first Bulldogs’ touchdown as their defense forced a three-and-out by the Bobcats on the opening drive. The one-two punch of Meis and Robinson helped move the offense quickly downfield with a 23-yard catch by Langdok included. Meis scored the first touchdown of the season with a one-yard dive into the end zone and Nathan De Bruin’s extra point made the score 7-0.
After another three-and-out, Drake quickly marched down the field mixing in Meis and Robinson and two great catches by Michael Markett and Matt Hartlieb. Robinson pushed the lead to 14-0 with a three-yard score. The lead stretched to 21-0 with Corwin’s three-yard scamper on fourth and goal just before the end of the first quarter. Later, Corwin scored again this time from 28 yards out as Drake pushed its lead to 28-0. Right before halftime, Drake marched 99 yards capped by a 79-yard touchdown pass from Corwin to Howard, to help lead 35-0 at halftime.
Second-string quarterback Luke Bailey took over out of halftime and quickly marched the offense down on the quarter’s first drive. Robinson continued to pile up yards pushing past 100 yards on the ground for the first time in his career. Bailey then hit Langdok for a nine-yard touchdown, the first-ever career touchdowns for Bailey and Langdok.
The Bulldogs were able to play multiple younger players on both sides of the football in the big win. Jake Hoper and Ethan Zager led the defense with four tackles each as Hoper finished with 2.5 tackles for loss.
Following Thursday’s opener, Drake starts a challenging two-game road trip with the first game at No. 12 Montana State on Sept. 11. Kickoff in Bozeman is set for 6 p.m.
