DES MOINES, Iowa – Valparaiso edged the Drake University football team, 10-7, in Pioneer Football League action on Saturday afternoon at Drake Stadium.
Valpo (3-1 PFL) snapped a 17-game losing streak to Drake (1-2 PFL) with the road victory. It was the first win in the series for Valpo since 2003 when it claimed a high-scoring 51-45 contest in overtime at Brown Field in Valparaiso, Ind.
The game was scoreless at halftime as the defenses controlled the opening half. Valpo went on the scoreboard first with Brian Bartholomew’s 49-yard field goal with 4:05 left in the third quarter. Drake had an opportunity to tie the game late in the third but Nathan De Bruin’s 29-yard field goal was no good with just nine seconds left in the third.
Valpo added to its lead with Robert Washington’s 14-yard rushing touchdown with 9:04 to play in the fourth. Drake quickly countered with its lone score, a two-yard rush by Caden Meis, that was set up by Hunter Wendling’s 46-yard reception to Colin Howard to Valpo’s two-yard line.
Drake had the football with nearly six minutes left in the game but had to punt after Wendling was sacked deep in the Bulldogs’ territory. Valpo then converted two first downs to run help run the clock down for its first win at Drake Stadium in the longtime PFL series that started in 1993.
Meis and Cross Robinson had 44 and 49 yards rushing, respectively, while Wendling was 12-of-21 for 173 yards with one interception in his first career start. Due to injuries, Wendling is the third different quarterback to start in Drake’s three games this spring.
Drake is scheduled to play its final road game at Butler on April 10. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. central time.
