Legend
† National champion[ 2]
‡ Conference champion
^ Bowl game berth[ 3]
* Playoff berth[ 4]
Season
Coach
Conference
Conference results
Season results
Bowl/Playoff/Postseason result
Final ranking
Finish
Wins
Losses
Ties
Wins
Losses
Ties[ 5]
NCAA/TSN Poll[ 6]
Coaches Poll[ 7]
Drake Bulldogs
1893
No Coach
Independent
—
—
—
—
0
2
1
—
—
—
1894
W. W. Wharton
Independent
—
—
—
—
2
2
0
—
—
—
1895
Hermon Williams
Independent
—
—
—
—
1
4
0
—
—
—
1896
Fred Rogers
Independent
—
—
—
—
2
3
0
—
—
—
1897
A. B. Potter
Independent
—
—
—
—
2
3
0
—
—
—
1898
Independent
—
—
—
—
4
2
0
—
—
—
1899
Independent
—
—
—
—
5
2
0
—
—
—
1900
Charles Best
Independent
—
—
—
—
6
3
0
—
—
—
1901
Independent
—
—
—
—
4
4
0
—
—
—
1902
G. O. Dietz
Independent
—
—
—
—
4
3
1
—
—
—
1903
W. J. Monilaw
Independent
—
—
—
—
5
3
0
—
—
—
1904
Independent
—
—
—
—
5
4
0
—
—
—
1905
Willie M. Heston
Independent
—
—
—
—
4
4
0
—
—
—
1906
Charles Pell
Independent
—
—
—
—
2
4
1
—
—
—
1907
Independent
—
—
—
—
3
4
0[ 8]
—
—
—
1908
John L. Griffith
MVC
5th
1
2
0
5[ 9]
2
0
—
—
—
1909
MVC
3rd
2
1
0
6[ 10]
1
0
—
—
—
1910
MVC
7th
0
3
0
2[ 11]
5
0
—
—
—
1911
MVC
6th
0
2
1
5
2
1
—
—
—
1912
MVC
3rd
2
2
0
4[ 12]
3
0
—
—
—
1913
MVC
5th
1
3
0
4
3
1
—
—
—
1914
MVC
T–6th
0
3
0
4
3
1
—
—
—
1915
MVC
6th
1
4
0
2
6
0
—
—
—
1916
Ralph Glaze
MVC
6th
1
3
0
3
5
0
—
—
—
1917
MVC
7th
0
3
0
0
5
2
—
—
—
1918
M. B. Banks
MVC
—[ 13]
—
—
—
3
2
0
—
—
—
1919
MVC
T–3rd
2
2
0
4
3
0
—
—
—
1920
MVC
5th
1
3
1
4
5
1
—
—
—
1921
Ossie Solem
MVC
4th
2
2
0
5
2
0
—
—
—
1922
MVC
2nd
4
0
0
7
0
0
—
—
—
1923
MVC
3rd
3
1
0
5
2
0
—
—
—
1924
MVC
T–2nd
3
1
0
5
2
1
—
—
—
1925
MVC
2nd
5
2
0
5
3
0
—
—
—
1926
MVC
8th
1
4
0
2
6
0
—
—
—
1927
MVC
9th
1
2
0
3
6
0
—
—
—
1928 ‡
MVC
1st
3
0
0
7
1
0
—
—
—
1929 ‡
MVC
1st
3
0
1
5
3
1
—
—
—
1930 ‡
MVC
1st
3
0
0
5
4
0
—
—
—
1931 ‡
MVC
1st
3
0
0
5
6
0
—
—
—
1932
Evan O. Williams
MVC
5th
1
3
1
2
6
1
—
—
—
1933
Vee Green
MVC
2nd
4
1
0
6
3
1
—
—
—
1934
MVC
3rd
2
2
0
3
6
1
—
—
—
1935
MVC
4th
1
2
1
4
4
2
—
—
—
1936
MVC
3rd
3
2
0
6
4
0
—
—
—
1937
MVC
2nd
4
1
0
8
2
0
—
—
—
1938
MVC
T–4th
2
1
1
5
4
1
—
—
—
1939
MVC
4th
2
3
0
5
5
0
—
—
—
1940
MVC
T–3rd
2
2
0
4
5
0
—
—
—
1941
MVC
6th
0
3
1
4
5
1
—
—
—
1942
MVC
T–5th
1
4
0
3
7
0
—
—
—
1943
MVC
3rd
0
0
0
4
2
0
—
—
—
1944
MVC
3rd
0
0
0
7
2
0
—
—
—
1945 ^
MVC
4th
2
1
0
5
4
1
Won Raisin Bowl vs. Fresno State, 13–12
—
—
1946
MVC
5th
0
4
0
2
6
1
—
—
—
1947
Albert Kawal
MVC
4th
1
3
0
1
7
1
—
—
—
1948 ^
MVC
3rd
1
1
0
7
3
0
Won 1949 Salad Bowl vs. Arizona, 14–13
—
—
1949
Warren Gaer
MVC
2nd
3
1
0
6
2
1
—
—
—
1950
MVC
T–4th
1
2
1
6
2
1
—
—
—
1951
MVC
2nd
3
1
0
7
2
0
—
—
—
1952
Independent
—
—
—
—
2
7
0
—
—
—
1953
Independent
—
—
—
—
4
4
0
—
—
—
1954
Independent
—
—
—
—
2
7
0
—
—
—
1955
Independent
—
—
—
—
4
4
0
—
—
—
1956
Independent
—
—
—
—
3
6
0
—
—
—
1957 ^
Independent
—
—
—
—
7
2
0
Lost Sun Bowl vs. Louisville, 20–34
—
—
1958
Independent
—
—
—
—
2
7
0
—
—
—
1959
Independent
—
—
—
—
2
7
0
—
—
—
1960
Bus Mertes
Independent
—
—
—
—
4
5
0
—
—
—
1961
Independent
—
—
—
—
5
4
0
—
—
—
1962
Independent
—
—
—
—
8
2
0
—
—
—
1963
Independent
—
—
—
—
4
4
0
—
—
—
1964
Independent
—
—
—
—
6
4
0
—
—
—
1965
Jack Wallace
Independent
—
—
—
—
6
4
0
—
—
—
1966
Independent
—
—
—
—
8
2
0
—
—
—
1967
Independent
—
—
—
—
4
5
0
—
—
—
1968
Independent
—
—
—
—
5
5
0
—
—
—
1969 ^
Independent
—
—
—
—
7
2
2
Lost Pecan Bowl vs. Arkansas State, 21–29
—
—
1970
Independent
—
—
—
—
7
4
0
—
—
—
1971
MVC
5th
2
3
0
7
4
0
—
—
—
1972 ‡ ^
MVC
T–1st ♦
4
1
0
7
5
0
Lost Pioneer Bowl vs. Tennessee State, 7–29
—
—
1973
MVC
T–6th
1
5
0
2
9
0
—
—
—
1974
MVC
4th
2
3
1
3
7
1
—
—
—
1975
MVC
T–4th
1
3
0
3
8
0
—
—
—
1976
MVC
5th
1
3
0
1
10
0
—
—
—
1977
Chuck Shelton
MVC
6th
1
5
0
2
9
0
—
—
—
1978
MVC
4th
3
3
0
4
7
0
—
—
—
1979
MVC
T–4th
1
4
0
3
8
0
—
—
—
1980
MVC
4th
3
2
0
8
3
0
—
—
—
1981 ‡
MVC
T–1st ♦
5
1
0
10
1
0
—
—
—
1982
MVC
5th
2
4
0
4
7
0
—
—
—
1983
MVC
6th
1
6
0
1
10
0
—
—
—
1984
MVC
T–4th
2
3
0
4
7
0
—
—
—
1985
MVC
T–6th
1
4
0
4
7
0
—
—
—
1986
Drake did not play football during the 1986 season because it dropped football
1987
Nick Quartaro
Independent
—
—
—
—
5
5
0
—
—
—
1988
Independent
—
—
—
—
7
3
0
—
—
—
1989
Rob Ash
Independent
—
—
—
—
7
3
0
—
—
—
1990
Independent
—
—
—
—
6
4
0
—
—
—
1991
Independent
—
—
—
—
4
6
0
—
—
—
1992
Independent
—
—
—
—
7
2
1
—
—
—
1993
PFL
T–2nd
3
2
0
8
2
0
—
—
—
1994
PFL
3rd
3
2
0
7
3
0
—
—
—
1995 ‡
PFL
1st
5
0
0
8
1
1
—
—
—
1996
PFL
2nd
4
1
—
8
3
—
—
—
—
1997
PFL
T–3rd
2
3
—
8
3
—
—
—
—
1998 ‡
PFL
1st
4
0
—
7
3
—
—
—
—
1999
PFL
T–3rd
2
2
—
7
4
—
—
—
—
2000 ‡
PFL
T–1st ♦
3
1
—
7
4
—
—
—
—
2001
PFL
T–4th (North)
1
3
—
5
5
—
—
—
—
2002
PFL
4th (North)
1
3
—
5
6
—
—
—
—
2003
PFL
T–4th (North)
1
3
—
6
6
—
—
—
—
2004 ‡
PFL
1st (North)
4
0
—
10
2
—
Won PFL Championship Game vs. Morehead State, 20–17
—[ 14]
—
2005
PFL
3rd (North)
2
2
—
6
4
—
—
—[ 15]
—
2006
PFL
2nd
6
1
—
9
2
—
—
—[ 16]
—
2007
Steve Loney
PFL
5th
3
4
—
6
5
—
—
—
—
2008
Chris Creighton
PFL
T–4th
4
4
—
6
5
—
—
—
—
2009
PFL
T–3rd
6
2
—
8
3
—
—
—
—
2010
PFL
3rd
6
2
—
7[ 17]
4
—
—
—[ 18]
—
2011 ‡
PFL
T–1st ♦
7
1
—
9
2
—
—
RV[ 19]
—
2012 ‡
PFL
T–1st ♦
7
1
—
8
3
—
—
RV[ 20]
—[ 20]
2013
PFL
T–4th
5
3
—
6
5
—
—
—
—
2014
Rick Fox
PFL
T–3rd
6
2
—
7
4
—
—
—
—
2015
PFL
T–4th
4
4
—
5
6
—
—
—
—
2016
PFL
3rd
6
2
—
7
4
—
—
—
—
2017
PFL
2nd
6
2
—
7
4
—
—
—
—
2018
PFL
3rd
6
2
—
7
4
—
—
—
—
2019
Todd Stepsis
PFL
T–2nd
6
2
—
6
5
—
—
—
—
2020–21
PFL
6th
2
3
—
2
3
—
—
—
—
2021
PFL
T–9th
1
7
—
2
9
—
—
—
—
2022
PFL
8th
3
5
—
3
8
—
—
—
—
2023
PFL
1st
8
0
—
8
4
—
Lost to North Dakota State in 1st Round FCS Playoffs, 66-3
—
—
Total
106
130
9
—
—
—
(only includes Missouri Valley Conference games)
141
71
0
—
—
—
(only includes Pioneer Football League games)
—
—
—
2
3
0
(only includes bowl games; 5 appearances)
237
201
9
643
549
28
(all games, totals)
♦ Denotes a tie for first place and conference co-champion
^ The Division I-A, I-AA and I-AAA designations were confusing and as a result, misapplied by the public, boosters and media when referring not only to their local football programs but also to other sports such as basketball. The Division I Board of Directors, composed of Division I presidents and chancellors voted on the change in August 2006. The Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly I-A) includes those programs that compete in an effort to participate in the postseason bowl system. The NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) includes those programs that compete in an effort to participate in the NCAA championship postseason structure (one of the 88 NCAA national championships). NCAA.org [permanent dead link ]
^ Drake competes in the Football Championship Subdivision of Division I.
^ The yellow color is used only when Drake reaches a bowl but does not hold a share in the conference title. In any case that Drake has a share of the conference championship, the green color is used.
^ The blue color is used only when Drake receives a playoff berth but does not hold a share in the conference title. In any case that Drake has a share of the conference championship, the green color is used.
^ Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible.
^ Since the 1978 split in divisions, the NCAA, or more recently, The Sports Network Archived 2011-05-03 at the Wayback Machine Poll has been the major poll at the FCS level.
^ The FCS Coaches Poll Archived 2008-08-28 at the Wayback Machine was introduced in 2007. Therefore, polls for prior seasons do not exist.
^ Drake counts a tie against its alumni team as a tie. Other sources do not. The tie total without the alumni game is 0.
^ Drake counts a win against its alumni team as a win. The Missouri Valley Conference does not. The win total without the alumni game is 5.
^ Drake counts a win against its alumni team as a win. The Missouri Valley Conference does not. The win total without the alumni game is 6.
^ Drake counts a win against its alumni team as a win. The Missouri Valley Conference does not. The win total without the alumni game is 2.
^ Drake counts a win against its alumni team as a win. The Missouri Valley Conference does not. The win total without the alumni game is 4.
^ No standings as no team played representative schedule because of World War I.
^ "The Sports Network - I-AA College Football" . www.sportsnetwork.com . Archived from the original on April 22, 2005. Retrieved January 12, 2022 .
^ "The Sports Network - I-AA College Football" . www.sportsnetwork.com . Archived from the original on February 21, 2006. Retrieved January 12, 2022 .
^ "The Sports Network - I-AA College Football" . www.sportsnetwork.com . Archived from the original on May 17, 2006. Retrieved January 12, 2022 .
^ Drake won a game against CONADEIP Stars, it was not an NCAA game.
^ "The Sports Network - Football Championship Subdivision" . www.sportsnetwork.com . Archived from the original on May 3, 2011. Retrieved January 12, 2022 .
^ "The Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top-25 College Football Poll (Final)" . The Sports Network. January 9, 2012. Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2012 .
^ a b "Football Earns No. 20 Ranking in Final Polls" . Flaggstaff, Arizona: Northern Arizona University. January 7, 2013. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved January 31, 2013 .