Drake Bulldogs helping grow Chinese gridiron

The Drake University Bulldogs are putting a friendly bite in China's fledgling American football program, aimed at heightening the sport's profile while promoting cultural goodwill.

Drake, a private institution in Des Moines, Iowa, competes in the independent Pioneer Football League and had a 7-4 record this season.

The school is an academic partner of the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing, where the Bulldogs were scheduled to play the Drake-China Ambassadors Bowl on Saturday against an all-star squad made up of players from the American Football League of China champion Shanghai Titans and Beijing-based teams.