DES MOINES, Iowa – For the second time in school history and the first occasion as true PFL combatants, the Presbyterian College football team will go head-to-head with the Bulldogs of Drake University this weekend over in the Midwest. Kickoff from a chilly Des Moines backdrop is labeled for 2:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Streamed live on ESPN+, the Blue Hose will make their first visit to Drake in three seasons after outlasting their league foe in the programs' only other encounter (a 28-24 decision in the Hawkeye State). Then, PC was still in the transition phase to becoming a full-time PFL member, now hoping to slow the Bulldogs' increasing momentum and play a bit of spoiler to their FCS Playoff aspirations.

Tomorrow afternoon's face-off will register as Presbyterian's last road trip of the 2023 calendar, seeing the bulk of their success this fall when playing the role of guest. Close-call victories over Wofford and Dayton both occurred outside of PC's own backyard, searching for what would be a late-season eye-catching W over statistically the most physical defense in the division.
 
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
WHAT: Presbyterian (3-6, 1-5) at Drake (6-3, 6-0)
WHERE: Drake Stadium | Des Moines, Iowa
WHEN: Saturday, November 11 | 2:00 PM EST / 1:00 PM CST
 
FOLLOW THE ACTION
WATCH: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: Stat Broadcast
TWITTER: @BlueHoseFtball
GAME NOTES: PC Notes | Drake Notes | PFL Weekly Report
 
 
Opponent Profile
 
• For the second straight road trip, the Blue Hose will be made to take on an opponent that doesn't have a single loss in Pioneer Football League territory, this time visiting a Drake foe that has won each of its past six outings.
 
• In the midst of a standings war with Davidson as the only two undefeated clubs in PFL play (coincidentally falling on a season where those two will not play one another), the Bulldogs have already doubled their win count from 2022 (a campaign in which they began 0-8), winning nine out of their last 12 contests dating back to last fall.
 
• Under the direction of head coach Todd Stepsis, Drake has featured a fierce defensive unit this season. None of their six PFL adversaries have been able to score more than 21 points against that group, ranking 15th in the country in turnover margin.
 
• The Bulldogs have conceded a combined 10 points in their last eight quarters, downing Marist in Poughkeepsie last weekend by a grueling 10-3 margin.
 
 
Last Time Out
 
• Although starting hot during Saturday's home encounter with San Diego, Presbyterian faltered as the bout wore onward and was unable to bump their scoreboard tally over the final 30 minutes of an eventual 23-13 defeat.
 
• The Toreros utilized a 16-point third period to grab their first lead of the afternoon with 2:50 to go on a deep field goal. Senior safety Anthony Thornton published a team-best 12 tackles in the setback, while his secondary mate Brooks Russ-Martin recorded a fumble recovery for the
second time in the past three meetings.
 
• Since conference action began on the final day of September, the Blue Hose have found themselves in numerous close calls including their past two matchups at Bailey Memorial that have added up for a 19-point difference.
 
• Six of the team's nine games have been decided by 10 points or fewer, leading all divisional schools with only 135 passing yards allowed per trip.
 
 
Mack Mikko Makes Jerry Rice Award Watch List
 
 
 • First-year kicker Mack Mikko has been summoned to the 2023 FCS Jerry Rice Award Watch List, presented by Stats Perform and FedEx Ground. The annual honor, awaiting its 13th recipient, is presented to the most outstanding freshman player in the Football Championship Subdivision.
 
• Making the cut of 22 individuals nationwide – while being the only special teams player on the entire list – Mikko gets the invite after pouring in 15 field goals in nine appearances this season (the second-highest among any kicker at the FCS level regardless of class).
 
• Debuting in 2011 and named after legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice (who attended Mississippi Valley State University), the award is voted on by a national panel of more than 40 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers, and other various dignitaries.
 
• Other notable past honorees include eventual NFL stars Cooper Kupp (Eastern Washington, 2013), Chase Edmonds (Fordham, 2014), Trey Lance (North Dakota State, 2019), and current QB of the Colorado Buffaloes, Shedeur Sanders (then at Jackson State in 2021).
 
 
Herriott Acquires PFL Defensive Player of the Week
 
 
 • Junior linebacker Alex Herriott (PC's leading tackler since 2021) was chosen as the division's Defensive Player of the Week on October 22. The captain of a unit that did not let Marist's offense into the end zone over the entire 60-minute matchup, Herriott brought down a Red Fox ball-carrier 16 times as the Blue Hose fell by a slim 19-10 margin.
 
• One of the nation's best at his position, Herriott has collected 61 solo tackles since September (fifth in FCS) while his 103 tackles overall place him at seventh countrywide. He leads the Pioneer Football League full-stop in both of those categories.