Pioneer Football League
| Pioneer Football League (PFL) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 1991 |
| Association | NCAA |
| Division | Division I FCS |
| Members | 11 |
| Sports fielded | 1 (football) (men's: 1; women's: 0) |
| Region | Nationwide |
| Headquarters | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Commissioner | Patty Viverito (since 1994) |
| Website |
www |
| Locations | |
 | |
The Pioneer Football League (PFL) is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the East, Midwest, and California of the United States. It has member schools that range from New York, North Carolina, and Florida in the east to California in the west. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a football-only conference. Unlike most other Division I FCS conferences, the Pioneer League consists of institutions that choose not to award athletic scholarships ("grants-in-aid") to football players.
Most of the PFL's members are private schools. Morehead State University is the only public school in the conference.
History
Foundation
Following an NCAA rule change passed in January 1991, which required Division I schools to conduct all sports at the Division I level by 1993, the conference was formed by charter members Butler University, the University of Dayton, Drake University, the University of Evansville, and Valparaiso University.[1] The University of San Diego joined in 1992, and the league played its first season in 1993. The six original schools which played in the 1993 season had previously sponsored football at the Division I, Division II and Division III levels.
Membership changes
Original contraction
In 1997, the league reduced to five members when the University of Evansville downgraded football from Division I to club status; Evansville explored upgrading football back to Division I in 2007, but decided against it.
2001 expansion
In 2001, the conference nearly doubled in size and was reorganized with the five pre-2001 members forming the North Division, and newcomers Austin Peay State University, Davidson College, Jacksonville University and Morehead State University forming the South Division. The reorganization spawned a new championship system in which the best record holders from each division would play in a title game for the conference championship.
2005–2008 membership changes
On April 8, 2005, Austin Peay announced its departure from the league effective after the 2005 season; Austin Peay returned to scholarship-granting competition in 2007 as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference in which it competes in other sports. As a result, the conference reverted to round-robin play; the divisions and championship game were abolished. On April 7, 2006, Campbell University announced the reinstatement of football effective in 2008, and on December 5, 2007, accepted an invitation to the PFL.[2] In February 2008, Marist College announced that it would join the PFL for the 2009 season, after the MAAC stopped sponsoring football.[3] Although Campbell moved in 2011 from the Atlantic Sun Conference to the Big South Conference, which sponsors football, it did not join the Big South in football and remains in the PFL.[4]
2013 membership changes & automatic playoff berth
On June 13, 2011, Mercer University and Stetson University were announced as league members (effective 2013) bringing membership to 12 schools.[5] In addition, as of 2013, the league has an automatic bid into the FCS division I playoffs.[6] Soon after its PFL membership was announced, Mercer accepted an invitation to join the Southern Conference (scholarship-granting) effective July 1, 2014.[7] During its one season in the league, Mercer set a Division I win-loss record for start-up programs; Mercer finished the 2013 season with an overall record of 10-2 including an undefeated 8-0 record at home, also a Division I record held jointly with Auburn University, which likewise went undefeated at home in 2013.
On July 1, 2014, Mercer University joined the Southern Conference for all sports, including football.
Member schools
Current members
| Institution | Location | Founded | First Football Year |
Type | Enrollment | Joined | Nickname | Primary Conference while joining the PFL |
Current Primary Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler University | Indianapolis, Indiana | 1855 | 1887 | Private | 3,897 | 1991 | Bulldogs | Horizon | Big East |
| Campbell University | Buies Creek, North Carolina | 1887 | 1925 (2008) | Private | 9,471 | 2008 | Fighting Camels/Lady Camels | Atlantic Sun (A-Sun) | Big South |
| Davidson College | Davidson, North Carolina | 1837 | 1897 | Private | 1,700 | 2001 | Wildcats | SoCon | Atlantic 10 (A-10) |
| University of Dayton | Dayton, Ohio | 1850 | 1905 | Private | 7,426 | 1991 | Flyers | Horizon | Atlantic 10 (A-10) |
| Drake University | Des Moines, Iowa | 1881 | 1883 | Private | 3,164 | 1991 | Bulldogs | Missouri Valley | |
| Jacksonville University | Jacksonville, Florida | 1934 | 1934 (1998) | Private | 7,426 | 2001 | Dolphins | Atlantic Sun (A-Sun) | |
| Marist College | Poughkeepsie, New York | 1929 | 1978 | Private | 4,200 | 2009 | Red Foxes | MAAC | |
| Morehead State University | Morehead, Kentucky | 1922 | 1927 | Public | 11,358 | 2001 | Eagles | OVC | |
| University of San Diego | San Diego, California | 1949 | 1956 | Private | 4,904 | 1992 | Toreros | WCC | |
| Stetson University | DeLand, Florida | 1883 | 1901 (2013) | Private | 2,200 | 2013 | Hatters | Atlantic Sun (A-Sun) | |
| Valparaiso University | Valparaiso, Indiana | 1859 | 1919 | Private | 2,917 | 1991 | Crusaders | Summit | Horizon |
Former members
| Institution | Location | Founded | First Football Year |
Type | Enrollment | Joined | Left | Nickname | Primary Conference while joining the PFL |
Current Primary Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Evansville* | Evansville, Indiana | 1854 | 1898 | Private | 3,050 | 1991 | 1998 | Purple Aces | Missouri Valley | |
| Austin Peay State University | Clarksville, Tennessee | 1927 | 1970 | Public | 8,650 | 2001 | 2006 | Governors | OVC | |
| Mercer University | Macon, Georgia | 1833 | 1892 (2013) | Private | 8,300 | 2013 | 2014 | Bears | Atlantic Sun (A-Sun) | Southern |
- Note
- Evansville dropped football following the 1997–98 season.
Membership timeline
Rivalries
Two in-state rivalries currently exist in the PFL.
Butler and Valparaiso first played in 1927, and had nine meetings prior to 1951. That year, the two teams began playing every year, and in 2006 began playing for the Hoosier Helmet Trophy. Butler currently leads 47-24. The two schools had an all-sports rivalry as well when both were in the Horizon League together from 2007–2012.
Campbell and Davidson began their rivalry in 2008 when the Fighting Camels joined the PFL. Davidson leads 4-1.
Jacksonville and Stetson will begin their football rivalry in 2013 when Stetson begins PFL play, the schools are already rivals in other sports as both are members of the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Butler and Dayton also have a rivalry based on proximity to each other. The teams have met every year since 1977 with the exception of 1991 and 1992. Dayton leads 26-11-1.
Conference championships
PFL champions
| Season | Champion | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Dayton | 5–0–0 |
| 1994 | Butler | 4–1–0 |
| Dayton | 4–1–0 | |
| 1995 | Drake | 5–0–0 |
| 1996 | Dayton | 5–0–0 |
| 1997 | Dayton | 5–0–0 |
| 1998 | Drake | 4–0 |
| 1999 | Dayton | 4–0 |
| 2000 | Dayton | 3–1 |
| Drake | 3–1 | |
| Valparaiso | 3–1 | |
| 2001 | Dayton | Championship Game |
| 2002 | Dayton | Championship Game |
| 2003 | Valparaiso | Championship Game |
| 2004 | Drake | Championship Game |
| 2005 | San Diego | Championship Game |
| 2006 | San Diego | 7–0 |
| 2007 | Dayton | 6–1 |
| San Diego | 6–1 | |
| 2008 | Jacksonville | 7–1 |
| 2009 | Butler | 7–1 |
| Dayton | 7–1 | |
| 2010 | Jacksonville | 8–0 |
| Dayton | 8–0 | |
| 2011 | San Diego | 7–1 |
| Drake | 7–1 | |
| 2012 | Butler | 7–1 |
| Drake | 7–1 | |
| San Diego | 7–1 | |
| 2013 | Butler | 7–1 |
| Marist | 7–1 | |
| 2014 | San Diego | 7–1[8] |
| 2015 | Dayton | 7–1 |
| San Diego | 7–1 | |
League titles by school
| School | Championships | Championship Years |
|---|---|---|
| Dayton | |
1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001*, 2002*, 2007, 2009, 2010 |
| Drake | |
1995, 1998, 2000, 2004*, 2011, 2012 |
| San Diego | |
2005*, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014 |
| Butler | |
1994, 2009, 2012, 2013 |
| Jacksonville | |
2008, 2010 |
| Valparaiso | |
2000, 2003* |
| Marist | |
2013 |
| Campbell | |
N/A |
| Davidson | |
N/A |
| Morehead State | |
N/A |
| Evansville | |
N/A |
| Austin Peay | |
N/A |
* - Won at PFL Championship Game
PFL Championship Game
| Season | Season Champion | Record | Date | Game Champion | Score | Runner-Up | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Dayton | 4–0 | Nov. 17, 2001 | Dayton | 46–14 | Jacksonville | Dayton, OH |
| 2002 | Dayton | 4–0 | Nov. 23, 2002 | Dayton | 28–0 | Morehead State | Morehead, KY |
| 2003 | Valparaiso | 3–1 | Nov. 22, 2003 | Valparaiso | 54–42 | Morehead State | Valparaiso, IN |
| 2004 | Drake | 4–0 | Nov. 20, 2004 | Drake | 20–17 | Morehead State | Morehead, KY |
| 2005 | San Diego | 4–0 | Nov. 19, 2005 | San Diego | 47–40 | Morehead State | San Diego, CA |
Postseason games
The Pioneer Football League has had alliances with the Gridiron Classic and the Sports Network Cup. In addition, league members are allowed to accept at-large invitations to other college bowl games and teams are eligible to compete in the FCS playoffs, and holds an automatic qualifier.
Starting in 2013, the Pioneer League joined ten other FCS conferences (Big Sky, Southern, Southland, MEAC, NEC, CAA, Big South, MVFC, OVC, Patriot League) that receive an automatic bid to compete in the Division I Football Championship as the playoffs expand from 20 teams to 24. The PFL is 0-2 in the playoffs to date. In 2013 Butler was defeated in the first round 31-0 by Tennessee State, while in 2014 San Diego was routed by Montana 52-14.
The PFL was a participant in the NCAA Division I FCS Consensus Mid-Major Football National Championship, along with the Northeast Conference and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, two other conferences without automatic playoff bids. The Consensus championship has since been discontinued; the NEC first earned an automatic postseason bid in 2010, while the MAAC no longer sponsors football.
Members pre-PFL postseason results
Below are postseason accomplishments by past and current members prior to the formation of the Pioneer Football League.
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Bowl | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | Drake | 13 | Fresno State | 12 | Raisin Bowl |
| 1946 | Evansville | 19 | Northern Illinois | 7 | Turkey Bowl |
| 1947 | Evansville | 20 | Northern Illinois | 0 | Hoosier Bowl |
| 1948 | Drake | 14 | Arizona | 13 | Salad Bowl |
| 1948 | Evansville | 13 | Missouri Valley | 7 | Refrigerator Bowl |
| 1949 | Evansville | 22 | Hillsdale | 7 | Refrigerator Bowl |
| 1950 | Wisconsin-La Crosse | 47 | Valparaiso | 14 | Cigar Bowl |
| 1951 | Houston | 26 | Dayton | 21 | Salad Bowl |
| 1957 | Louisville | 34 | Drake | 20 | Sun Bowl |
| 1969 | Arkansas State | 29 | Drake | 21 | Pecan Bowl |
| 1969 | Toledo | 56 | Davidson | 33 | Tangerine Bowl |
| 1972 | Tennessee State | 29 | Drake | 7 | Pioneer Bowl |
| 1973 | Wittenberg | 21 | San Diego | 14 | Division III Playoffs |
| 1974 | Central (IA) | 31 | Evansville | 14 | Division III Playoffs |
| 1980 | Dayton | 63 | Ithaca | 0 | Stagg Bowl |
| 1981 | Widener | 17 | Dayton | 10 | Stagg Bowl |
| 1983 | Cal Davis | 25 | Butler | 3 | Division II Playoffs |
| 1987 | Wagner | 19 | Dayton | 3 | Stagg Bowl |
| 1988 | Tennessee-Martin | 23 | Butler | 3 | Division II Playoffs |
| 1989 | Dayton | 17 | Union (NY) | 7 | Stagg Bowl |
| 1991 | Ithaca | 34 | Dayton | 20 | Stagg Bowl |
| 1991 | Pittsburg State | 26 | Butler | 16 | Division II Playoffs |
PFL Sports Network Cup results
PFL Gridiron Classic results
On May 16, 2006, the Pioneer Football League (PFL) and Northeast Conference (NEC) announced a four-year agreement to meet in the Gridiron Classic, an exempted postseason football game that matched the champions of the two conferences which were technically members of Division I FCS, but which were not the recipients of automatic invitations to the football championship playoff.
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | San Diego | 27 | Monmouth | 7 |
| 2007 | Dayton | 42 | Albany | 21 |
| 2008 | Albany | 28 | Jacksonville | 0 |
| 2009 | Butler | 28 | Central Connecticut State | 23 |
Historical standings
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Conference facilities
| School | Football Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Butler | Butler Bowl | 7,500[26] |
| Campbell | Barker–Lane Stadium | 5,200 |
| Davidson | Richardson Stadium | 6,000 |
| Dayton | Welcome Stadium | 11,000 |
| Drake | Drake Stadium | 14,557[27] |
| Jacksonville | D. B. Milne Field | 5,500 |
| Marist | Leonidoff Field | 5,000[28] |
| Morehead State | Jayne Stadium | 10,000 |
| San Diego | Torero Stadium | 6,000 |
| Stetson | Spec Martin Memorial Stadium | 6,000 |
| Valparaiso | Brown Field | 5,000 |
References
- ↑ "Drake joins new league". Des Moines, Iowa: The Telegraph-Herald. November 22, 1991. pp. Page 1B. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
- ↑ Archived July 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "Marist gets a National Stage and Travel Schedule". nytimes.com. September 11, 2009.
- ↑ "Campbell University To Re-Join Big South Conference" (Press release). Big South Conference. May 14, 2009. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
- ↑ http://www.pioneer-football.org/news/default/21/602/
- ↑ Birch, Tommy (August 23, 2012). "Pioneer Football League officially announces automatic bid". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
- ↑ "VMI, ETSU, Mercer to join SoCon". College Football.
- ↑ "Football Program Compliance Update". Jacksonville University. November 14, 2014. Archived from the original on November 19, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2014.
- ↑ Official Homepage of the Pioneer Football League at the Wayback Machine (archived December 12, 2001)
- ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20030403051939/http://pioneer-football.org/articles/artfiles/30229_Week_12_lowres.pdf
- ↑ Official Internet Home of the Pioneer Football League at the Wayback Machine (archived December 6, 2003)
- ↑ Official Internet Home of the Pioneer Football League at the Wayback Machine (archived December 4, 2004)
- ↑ Official Internet Home of the Pioneer Football League at the Wayback Machine (archived December 2, 2005)
- ↑ "Pioneer Football League - Standings/Schedules". pioneer-football.org.
- ↑ Pioneer Football League at the Wayback Machine (archived December 16, 2008)
- ↑ Archived November 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ Archived November 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑
- ↑ "Standings - 2015 PFL Standings - Pioneer Football League Official Site". Pioneer-Football.org.
- ↑ "Standings - 2013 PFL Standings - Pioneer Football League Official Site". Pioneer-Football.org.
- ↑ "Standings - 2015 PFL Standings - Pioneer Football League Official Site". Pioneer-Football.org.
- ↑ "Butler football earns its first FCS playoff bid". The Indianapolis Star. 2013-11-19.
- ↑ "Butler University wins PFL tiebreaker, Division I Football Championship automatic qualification". Pioneer Football League. 2013-11-19.
- ↑ Norcross, Dan (14 November 2013). "USD forgoes consideration for PFL title". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
- ↑ "Jacksonville ineligible for PFL title, FCS playoffs". Fox News. 2014-11-14.
- ↑ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/butl/sports/m-soccer/auto_pdf/05MSocProspectus.pdf
- ↑ "Drake Stadium History". godrakebulldogs.com.
- ↑ "Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff Field". Marist Athletics.
External links
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