The Pioneer Football League (PFL) is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a football-only conference. It has member schools that range from New York, North Carolina, and Florida in the east to California in the west. It is headquartered in St. Louis, in the same complex that also contains the offices of the Missouri Valley Conference and Missouri Valley Football 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.
Kerwin Douglas Bell is an American football coach and former player who has been the head coach of the Western Carolina Catamounts football team since 2021. Bell was born in the rural North Central Florida town of Live Oak and was a star high school football quarterback at Lafayette County High School. Though he led the Lafayette Hornets to their only state championship, he did not attract the attention of top college football programs while playing at the small high school. He enrolled at the University of Florida, made the football team as a walk-on, and was redshirted during his freshman season of 1983.
The 2008 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the 63rd year of season play for Houston. The team was coached by first-year head football coach, Kevin Sumlin whose previous position was as co-offensive coordinator for the Oklahoma Sooners. He replaced Art Briles. The team played its home games at Robertson Stadium, a 32,000-person capacity stadium on-campus in Houston. Competing against the Air Force Falcons in the 2008 Armed Forces Bowl, the Cougars won their first bowl game since 1980, and broke the longest current bowl game losing streak in Division I FBS football at that time. In addition, Houston defeated two nationally ranked opponents, which the Cougars hadn't achieved since their 1984 season.
The Jacksonville Dolphins are the intercollegiate athletics teams that represent Jacksonville University, located in Jacksonville, Florida. The Dolphins participate in NCAA Division I athletics, and are primarily members of the ASUN Conference. Some teams in sports that are not sponsored by the ASUN play in other conferences; specifically, the men's and women's rowing teams are in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The men's lacrosse team had played in the Southern Conference (SoCon) from 2015 to 2022, but that sport will return to the ASUN for the 2023 season.
The 2014 Jacksonville Dolphins football team represented Jacksonville University in the 2014 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by eighth-year head coach Kerwin Bell and played their home games at D. B. Milne Field. They were a member of the Pioneer Football League. They finished the season 9–2, 7–1 in PFL play. The 7–1 record would have been good enough to claim a share of the PFL title. However, Jacksonville withdrew from contention for the PFL title and the FCS Playoffs as a result of its internal review of compliance matters regarding the PFL’s financial aid rules.
The 2016 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the University of Georgia in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulldogs played their home games at Sanford Stadium. They were members of the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference. They were led by first-year head coach Kirby Smart. They finished the season 8–5, 4–4 in SEC play to finish in a three-way tie for second place in the Eastern Division. They were invited to the Liberty Bowl where they defeated TCU.
The 2016 Bethune–Cookman Wildcats football team represented Bethune–Cookman University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Terry Sims and played their home games at Municipal Stadium. They were a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). They finished the season 4–6, 4–4 in MEAC play to finish in a two-way tie for fifth place.
The 2016 South Alabama Jaguars football team represented the University of South Alabama in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Jaguars played their home games at Ladd–Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, and competed in the Sun Belt Conference. They were led by head coach Joey Jones, who was in his eighth year with the team. They finished the season 6–7, 2–6 in Sun Belt play to finish in a three-way tie for eighth place. They were invited to the Arizona Bowl where they lost to Air Force.
The 2016 Campbell Fighting Camels football team represented Campbell University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by fourth-year head coach Mike Minter and played their home games at Barker–Lane Stadium. They were members of the Pioneer Football League. They finished the season 5–5, 3–4 in PFL play to finish in sixth place.
The 2016 North Alabama Lions football team represented the University of North Alabama during the 2016 NCAA Division II football season. They were led by head coach Bobby Wallace, who was in his 15th season at North Alabama. The Lions played their home games at Braly Municipal Stadium and were members of the Gulf South Conference.
The 2017 FIU Panthers football team represented Florida International University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Panthers played their home games at the Riccardo Silva Stadium in Miami, Florida as members of the East Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by first-year head coach Butch Davis. The Panthers finished the season 8–5, 5–3 in C-USA play to finish in second place in the East Division. They received an invitation to the Gasparilla Bowl where they lost to Temple.
The 2017 Houston Cougars football team represented the University of Houston in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cougars played their home games at TDECU Stadium in Houston, Texas, and competed in the West Division of the American Athletic Conference. They were led by first-year head coach Major Applewhite. They finished the season 7–5, 5–3 in AAC play to finish in second place in the West Division. They were invited to the Hawaii Bowl where they lost to Fresno State.
The 2017 Campbell Fighting Camels football team represented Campbell University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by fifth-year head coach Mike Minter and played their home games at Barker–Lane Stadium. They were members of the Pioneer Football League until the end of the 2017 season before transitioning to the Big South Conference for the 2018 season. They finished the season 6–5, 5–3 in PFL play to finish in a three-way tie for third place.
The 2018 Jacksonville Dolphins football team represented Jacksonville University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Ian Shields and played their home games at D. B. Milne Field. They were members of the Pioneer Football League (PFL). they finished the season 2–8, 1–7 in PFL play to finish in last place.
The 2018 Valparaiso Crusaders football team represented Valparaiso University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by fifth-year head coach Dave Cecchini and played their home games at Brown Field. They competed in the Pioneer Football League. They finished the season 2–9, 2–6 in PFL play to finish in a three-way tie for seventh place.
The 2019 Stetson Hatters football team represents Stetson University during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They are led by seventh-year head coach Roger Hughes and play their home games at Spec Martin Stadium. They are members of the Pioneer Football League.
The 2019 Davidson Wildcats football team represents Davidson College in the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They are led by second-year head coach Scott Abell and play their home games at Richardson Stadium. They are members of the Pioneer Football League.
The 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of college football in the United States, was organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level.
The 2020 Drake Bulldogs football team represented Drake University as a member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL) during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The season was suspended in the fall of 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and played in the spring of 2021. Led by second-year head coach Todd Stepsis, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 2–3 with an identical mark in conference play, placing fifth in the PFL. The team played its home games at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
