DES MOINES, Iowa — The oldest Division I Iowa football stadium is turning 100 years old this year.

Drake Stadium opened on Oct. 10, 1925, when the Bulldogs beat the Kansas Jayhawks on its opening day.

Over the years, Drake Stadium has been widely known for its blue oval and the Drake Relays. It has hosted Olympic athletes like Lolo Jones, Noah Lyles and Michael Johnson, to name a few. However, in recent years, it’s been known for its championship football teams.

Drake enters the 2025-2026 football season as the back-to-back Pioneer League champions with a record of 16-7 over the past two seasons.

Former Drake head coach Todd Stepsis took the Northern Iowa head coach position at the end of the season last year. That left Drake with a big gap to fill in the coaching staff. However, they didn’t have to look far

Drake hired the head football coach at Grand View University, Joe Woodley. He coached the Vikings for six seasons with a 72-5 overall record and won two NAIA championships.

“You’re certainly honored to be at a place like Drake, just with the history of this place, you know, not just as a football program, but just as an institution,” Woodley said. “And knowing what’s come before me, I certainly don’t take it lightly. And it’s my hometown… so certainly not lost on me that this is a great responsibility.”

Drake kicks off its season opener Thursday night at Drake Stadium, while also honoring the 100 years of history at the stadium. The Bulldogs will take on the Upper Iowa Peacocks with a kickoff at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets to the game can be found here.