The 2025 FCS football season is fast approaching, so we’re going inside each conference race. With the potential for a wide-open title race, here’s our Pioneer Football League preview.
It turns out Pioneer Football League teams are no longer into sharing.
The league title, that is – a common occurrence in college football.
Drake’s second straight title last season marked an outright PFL champion for the third consecutive season and the eighth time in the last nine years. That’s in contrast to the nine previous seasons, when there were seven shared titles between co-, even tri-champions.
A highly competitive title race is expected this season. The 11-school, coast-to-coast league has five new coaches, and St. Thomas, the 2022 PFL champion, is eligible for the FCS playoffs for the first time.
Following is a preview of the upcoming Pioneer Football League season:
Predicted Order of Finish
*-FCS Playoff Qualifier
1. San Diego (8-3, 6-2) – The Toreros seek to break their tie with Dayton for the most all-time PFL titles (12) and get back to the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2019. They hope their season-ending four-game winning streak will serve as a springboard for coach Brandon Moore’s third season. Quarterback Dom Nankil, the 2023 starter, will run an offense that is solid on the offensive line (Evans Bowling and Maicah Talavou are on the PFL preseason team) and at wide receiver. Last year’s top five tacklers need replacing, but defensive lineman Malachi Cooper (36 tackles, 4.5 sacks) and defensive backs Trey Sena-Ortega (37 tackles) and Ruben Lopez (34 tackles, five takeaways) are key returnees. The schedule includes PFL contenders St. Thomas, Drake and Butler at home.
Expected win-loss projections for Pioneer Football League teams in the 2025 regular season, according to Opta Analyst advanced data. (Graphic by Graham Bell)2. Drake (8-3, 7-1) – There’s a new look with the Bulldogs: coach Joe Woodley led a 2024 NAIA championship season and posted a 72-5 record while guiding Grand View from 2019-24; QB Chase Spellman has arrived from Tennessee State; and grad transfer Jaden Meizinger rushed for 4,100 yards and 52 touchdowns at NAIA power Keiser. Taj Hughes caught a team-high 73 passes out of the backfield a year ago. The strength of the defense is linebacker with Sean Allison (105 tackles) and J.R. Flood. Long snapper Brett Welsing was on the Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team.
3. St. Thomas (6-6, 5-3) – Last season was jarring considering the Tommies had been a combined 21-3 in their first three PFL seasons. They struggled offensively, ranking just ninth in the PFL in rushing yards per game (292.3) and sixth in points per game (22.8). There’s been a QB competition in the preseason, and it includes 2023 backup Amari Powell and 2024 backup Michael Rostberg. Jason Laliberte (6-foot-7, 312 pounds) will anchor a retooled offensive line, with tight end Patrick Wagner adding to its physicality. Linebacker Ryan Sever (87 tackles, 10 TFLs) and DB Den Juette (four interceptions) anchor the defense.
4. Morehead State (7-5, 5-3) – The Eagles handed Drake its only PFL loss last year, and the first half of this year’s league schedule suggests a strong start. Veteran QB Carter Cravens (4,013 yards, 24 TDs) was slowed by injury last year, but should get back on track by throwing to WR Ryan Upp (97 receptions, 1,406 yards, 14 TDs in the last two seasons). Linebacker Luke Bauer had a breakout season last year and seeks even a higher level after many of the other top defensive players departed.
5. Davidson (6-5, 4-4) – Scott Abell turned around Davidson’s program with seven straight winning seasons, including three playoff appearances, before he left for Rice. New coach Saj Thakkar went 14-6 at Division II Bentley. Running back Mari Adams (2,351 yards, 31 TDs) has been relentless in a rushing attack that has led the FCS in yards per game for five – count ’em, five – consecutive seasons. He has his trusty fullback Mason Sheron and OL Kyle Herring back as well, and dual-threat QB Coulter Cleland returns following a season-ending injury in last year’s opener. With a full season, DE Mikah Kent should post difference-making numbers.
6. Presbyterian (6-6, 4-4) – The Blue Hose have emerged from back-to-back winless seasons in the PFL (2021 and ’22). If the record in coach Steve Englehart’s third season wasn’t enough proof, having a league-best six players on this year’s PFL preseason team is telling: QB Collin Hurst, WRs Dominic Kibby and Cincere Gil, DE Carter Szdlowski, CB Caleb Francis and returner Zach Switzer. Hurst earned the league’s top offensive freshman award after passing for 2,382 yards and accounting for 22 TDs with just four interceptions. In the league’s unbalanced schedule, PC avoids playing Drake and San Diego.
7. Butler (9-3, 5-3) – With Mike Uremovich off to coach Ball State, Kevin Lynch has succeeded him as the Bulldogs’ head coach following his nine seasons on staff with the Mid-American Conference program. He will mentor dual-threat QB Reagen Andrew (2,283 total yards, 19 total TDs), who will target WR Ethan Loss (33 receptions, 570 yards, six TDs). The defense boasts edge rusher Danny Orgler (11.5 tackles for loss) and LBs Tyson Garrett and Jeremiah Jackson in the front seven.
8. Dayton (6-5, 4-4) – The 12-time champion Flyers last captured the PFL title in 2015. They should improve offensively with the return of QB Drew VanVleet (1,963 yards, 18 TDs) RB Mason Hackett (806 yards, three TDs) and all-purpose standout Gavin Lochow (59 receptions, five total TDs). It will be difficult to have a repeat performance defensively (17.0 points and PFL-low 242.9 yards per game). The top returning tacklers, LB Sam Schmiesing (31) and DB Cam Cope (30), were eighth- and ninth-highest, respectively.
9. Marist (1-10, 1-7) – The young talent has grown up quickly as LB James Kratochvil earned PFL defensive freshman of the year with 55 tackles and four interceptions, while TE Jackson Conners-McCarthy caught 50 passes and DB Nate Robinson Jr. had 51 stops – also as freshmen. O-lineman Dominic Perricone is the veteran, having started all 11 games in three straight seasons. With QB Sonny Mannino and leading rusher Tristan Shannon also back for coach Mike Willis’ second season, the Red Foxes could rise in the standings.
10. Valparaiso (4-7, 2-5) – New coach Andy Waddle (55-61 at Marietta from 2013-24) has seven returning starters, including QB Caron Tyler, an excellent rusher who seeks more consistency as a passer. In the Beacons’ four wins, RB Michael Mansaray was just shy of averaging 100 rushing yards, and he scored six of his nine TDs. Improving against the run is a must, with sophomore LB Nic Lendino the defense’s top-returning tackler.
11. Stetson (2-9, 0-7) – New coach Mike Jasper (44-20 at NAIA Bethel from 2019-24) is the third coach in the Hatters program’s modern history. He plans an aggressive squad, including a “smashmouth spread” offense. That would include getting the ball in the hands of last year’s leading rusher Trey Clark and leading pass catcher Dalton Bailey. On defense, the Hatters ranked last in the PFL while allowing 37.5 points and 439.8 yards per game. But LB Kyle Elphiick returns after scooping up 102 tackles as a sophomore. Kicker Daniel Holbrook was the team’s lone selection on the PFL preseason team.
How the PFL Predicted the Race
The 2025 @PFLNews preseason poll. San Diego seeks its first title since 2019. pic.twitter.com/KjVahMB43g
— Opta FCS Football (@OptaAnalystFCS) July 28, 2025Five Players to Watch
Mari Adams, RB, Davidson (Walter Payton Award preseason nominee) – Adam joins Lehigh-to-Sacramento State transfer Jamar Curtis (formerly Lehigh) as the only returning FCS players with 1,000+ rushing yards and 15+ TD runs in each of the past two seasons. Sean Allison, LB, Drake (Buck Buchanan Award preseason nominee) – Opened last season with a career-high 15 tackles in a win at Eastern Washington, and ended it with 12 stops, including two TFLs, in the playoffs against Tarleton State. Malachi Cooper, DE, San Diego – With back-to-back seasons of All-PFL second-team honors, Cooper continues the tradition of outstanding USD D-linemen. Carter Cravens, QB, Morehead State – Seeks a return to his 2023 level, when he led the PFL in passing yards per game (230.4) and total yards (2,317). Dominic Kibby, WR, Presbyterian – Already the program record-holder with 15 TD catches, Kirby’s 2,275 career receiving yards are just 29 shy of Keith Pearson’s mark.Must-See Matchups
PFL: Drake at San Diego (Oct. 11) – The two-time defending champion visits the preseason favorite. And, oh yes, Drake has scored the winning points on the final play of each meeting the last two seasons. Nonconference: Butler at Northern Iowa (Aug. 30) – Former Drake coach Todd Stepsis begins his UNI tenure against a familiar foe that he’s 6-0 against. Butler beat an Missouri Valley Football Conference team last year (Murray State). FBS: No matchups.Pioneer Football League Fast Fact
Ten states, stretching from New York and Florida to California, are represented in Division I’s only non-scholarship football-only conference. Indiana is the lone state with two members (Butler and Valparaiso).
Graphic by Matt Sisneros.Top photo, from left, from Drake, Davidson and San Diego Athletics.
For more FCS football coverage, follow on social media at X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
Pioneer Football League Predictions: Drake, San Diego Lead a Wide-Open Title Chase Opta Analyst.
Hence then, the article about pioneer football league predictions drake san diego lead a wide open title chase was published today ( ) and is available on The Analyst ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Pioneer Football League Predictions: Drake, San Diego Lead a Wide-Open Title Chase )
Also on site :
- Hilton assisted living facility evacuated overnight due to water leak
- Quantum Computing in Financial Services Market Set to Reach USD 6.3 Billion by 2032 as Banks Move from Experimentation to Quantum Advantage .. DataM Intelligence
- Here’s how 2025 killed old-school diplomacy