The Pioneer Football League Report: Week 4

Nine games on the PFL slate as first full league slate awaits next Saturday

9/16/2025 11:46:52 AM

By: Cody Bush, PFL Media Relations Director

This Week's Schedule

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 Kickoff (ET) Series History Streak Last Meeting
San Diego at Princeton Noon PU, 4-1 PU, W2 Princeton def. San Diego, 23-12 (9/16/23)
Harvard at Stetson 1 PM HU, 1-0 HU, W1 Harvard def. Stetson, 35-0 (9/21/24)
Bluefield at Presbyterian 1 PM PC, 2-0 PC, W2 Presbyterian def. Bluefield, 41-10 (9/22/18)
Dayton at Robert Morris 2 PM UD, 20-3 UD, W3 Dayton def. Robert Morris, 22-20 (9/3/22)
Drake at #15/21 South Dakota 2 PM SDAK, 4-0 SDAK, W4 South Dakota def. Drake, 42-3 (9/21/24)
Valparaiso at #16/17 North Dakota 4 PM Tied, 1-1 NDAK, W1 North Dakota def. Valparaiso, 69-10 (8/29/13)
Kentucky Christian at Morehead State 6 PM MSU, 6-0 MSU, W6 Morehead State def. Kentucky Christian, 48-7 (9/7/24)
Greensboro at Davidson 7 PM DC, 1-0 DC, W1 Davidson def. Greensboro, 32-7 (9/10/05)
Butler at Weber State 9 PM 1st Meeting


PFL Notes

  • The Week 4 slate features a pair of games against the Ivy League as San Diego and Stetson help Princeton and Harvard open their seasons, respectively. Drake and Valparaiso head into the Dakotas for FCS Top 25 matchups while Butler heads to Utah to meet Weber State. Dayton meets Northeast Conference foe Robert Morris, seeking the PFL's third win against that league this season. Presbyterian, Morehead State, and Davidson each get final tune-ups against non-Division I teams.
  • Marist's victory against Wagner out of the Northeast Conference gave the PFL its sixth win against FCS opposition in 2025. The six wins are the league's most since 2009. The league record for most wins against FCS teams in a season since 2000 is 10 set during the 2001 season.
  • Presbyterian's victory against nationally-ranked Mercer in Week 1 was the PFL's first win against a ranked FCS opponent since 2018, when Butler defeated Youngstown State to begin the season. San Diego's victory against Southern Utah in Week 1 was the league's second against a Top 25 FCS foe. It is the first time the league has had two wins against nationally-ranked opponents in the same season.
  • Four of the league's five new head coaches have recorded a win in their new home through two weeks. First, it was Drake's Joe Woodley and Valparaiso's Andy Waddle who picked up wins in their Week 1 debuts. Week 2 action saw Butler's Kevin Lynch and Stetson's Mike Jasper pick up their first victories.
  • Following a vote by the NCAA Division I Board of Directors in June,  St. Thomas has officially completed the reclassification process, making it an active member of NCAA Division I and eligible to compete in NCAA championships. The Tommies will compete for the PFL automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs for the first time this season.
  • Davidson senior running back Mari Adams and Drake senior linebacker Sean Allison are the PFL's representatives on the 2025 Walter Payton and Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch Lists, respectively. Drake senior long snapper Brett Welsing joined Adams on the 2025 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Teams.
  • Last season, PFL teams claimed four wins against their FCS scholarship counterparts. Butler (at Murray State), Dayton (vs. Saint Francis), Drake (at Eastern Washington), and San Diego (vs. Cal Poly). Those victories helped the league post its most wins against FCS nonconference teams since 2019.
  • Seven PFL alumni were on NFL 53-man rosters during Week 1. In addition, PFL alumni were on the rosters of the Canadian Football League and the United Football League during their respective 2025 seasons.