You’ve probably seen the highlight reels or caught a stray score on a Saturday afternoon, but honestly, the Pioneer Football League standings tell a much crazier story than just wins and losses. This isn't your standard high-budget FBS conference where players are getting massive NIL deals to sit on the bench. We are talking about the only non-scholarship NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) conference that spans the entire country.
Drake survived. That’s basically the headline for the 2025 season. They finished atop the pile with a 7-1 conference record, but it wasn't exactly a cakewalk. When you look at the final numbers, they ended the year 8-4 overall, proving once again that they know how to win the games that actually matter for the trophy.
Why the Pioneer Football League Standings Look the Way They Do
The PFL is a weird, beautiful beast. It’s got teams in New York, Florida, California, and Iowa. Because these schools don’t offer football scholarships, the "standings" are often a reflection of coaching stability and how well a program can recruit kids who just... really want to play football.
Drake’s 7-1 conference run was enough to secure the title, but Presbyterian gave them a serious run for their money. Presbyterian finished 6-2 in the league and a whopping 10-2 overall. If you’re a fan of the Blue Hose, you’ve got to feel a little bit robbed by that one extra loss in league play. They actually finished with more total wins than the champions. That's the kind of heartbreak that only small-college football can provide.
The Top Tier Breakdown
Behind Drake and Presbyterian, the San Diego Toreros held their own at 6-2 in the conference. They finished 8-4 overall, showing that the West Coast still has plenty of grit. It’s interesting to see how the geography affects these standings. Traveling from San Diego to Poughkeepsie isn't exactly a fun bus ride.
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- Drake Bulldogs: 7-1 (Conference), 8-4 (Overall)
- Presbyterian Blue Hose: 6-2 (Conference), 10-2 (Overall)
- San Diego Toreros: 6-2 (Conference), 8-4 (Overall)
- Dayton Flyers: 5-3 (Conference), 7-4 (Overall)
- St. Thomas Tommies: 5-3 (Conference), 7-5 (Overall)
Dayton and St. Thomas stayed relevant all year. St. Thomas is still the "new kid" in a lot of ways, but they are consistently a problem for the old guard. They put up 371 points this season—second only to Presbyterian’s explosive 413. If you like offense, those were the teams to watch.
The Battle in the Middle
Butler and Morehead State both finished with 4-4 conference records. Perfectly balanced. Sorta.
Butler went 6-6 overall, while Morehead State did the same. It’s that classic mid-table struggle where a single fumble or a missed field goal in October basically determines if you’re a "winning" program or just "average" for the year. Marist ended up just below them at 3-5 in the PFL. The Red Foxes are always a tough out at home, but they struggled on the road this year, going 1-5 away from Tenney Stadium.
Scoring vs. Defense
It’s easy to look at the Pioneer Football League standings and assume the best teams have the best defenses. Usually, that’s true. But look at Davidson. They finished near the bottom at 1-7 in the conference (2-10 overall), yet they were still trying to run that triple-option-style chaos.
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Presbyterian led the league in both scoring (34.4 points per game) and scoring defense (allowing only 16.2). Usually, when you lead both categories, you win the league. Drake, however, found a way to win the close ones. They only averaged 25.3 points, but they were efficient when the clock was winding down.
What Most People Get Wrong About the PFL
A lot of folks think that because there are no scholarships, the football is "lesser." It’s actually the opposite. These kids are playing because they love the game. The parity is insane. Valparaiso and Davidson both finished 1-7 in the league, but if you watch the tape, those games weren't always blowouts. Valpo lost a heartbreaker to Butler 27-20 in the final week. That's a seven-point gap between a 4-4 team and a 1-7 team.
The travel is the real killer. Imagine being a student at Stetson in Florida and having to fly to Des Moines, Iowa, for a 1:00 PM kickoff in November. That matters. It shows up in the standings every single year. Stetson struggled this year, finishing 2-6 in the conference and 3-9 overall. They were 3-4 at home but 0-5 on the road. That tells you everything you need to know about the "home-field advantage" in this league.
Final Standings and Stat Leaders
If you want the raw data, here is how the 2025 season actually shook out across the board.
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The Full List:
- Drake: 7-1
- Presbyterian: 6-2
- San Diego: 6-2
- Dayton: 5-3
- St. Thomas: 5-3
- Butler: 4-4
- Morehead State: 4-4
- Marist: 3-5
- Stetson: 2-6
- Davidson: 1-7
- Valparaiso: 1-7
Drake represented the league in the FCS playoffs, but they ran into a buzzsaw against South Dakota, losing 38-17. It’s a tough jump from the PFL to the playoff-level Missouri Valley teams. St. Thomas also took a massive non-conference hit, losing 62-7 to North Dakota State. It’s a reminder that while the PFL is competitive internally, there is a massive gap when they step out of their bubble.
Actionable Insights for Next Season
If you're following the Pioneer Football League standings for betting, alumni interest, or just pure fandom, keep these things in mind for the 2026 cycle:
- Watch the Blue Hose: Presbyterian is clearly on the rise. Their 10-win season wasn't a fluke. They have the most explosive offense in the league and return several key starters.
- Home/Road Splits Matter: In this league, more than almost any other in the FCS, road wins are gold. If a team like San Diego or Marist can actually win two or three games on the other side of the country, they are instant title contenders.
- The St. Thomas Factor: They are eligible for the postseason now after their transition period. Expect them to play with an extra level of desperation.
- Keep an eye on the portal: Even without scholarships, players move. Look for high-academic transfers who want to finish their degrees while playing at the D1 level.
The 2025 season is in the books, and while Drake has the trophy, the league feels wider open than ever heading into next year.