The game did not count toward bowl eligibility for Iowa State but served as a 12th game for their seniors. Despite being 41-point underdogs, FCS non-scholarship Drake held its own, holding a 24–20 lead in late in the third quarter before eventually falling 27–24. The game was seriously impacted by the heavy rain and poor field conditions. Nevertheless, Drake played a memorable game and almost pulled off one of the biggest upsets ever in college football.