2018 Jacksonville Dolphins football team

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.

2018 Jacksonville Dolphins football
Conference	Pioneer Football League
2018 record	2–8 (1–7 PFL)
Head coach	Ian Shields (3rd season)
Offensive coordinator	Ian Shields (3rd season)
Defensive coordinator	Alan Darlin (2nd season)
Home stadium	D. B. Milne Field (Capacity: 5,000)

2018 Pioneer Football League standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 25 San Diego $^		8	–	0					9	–	3
Stetson		6	–	2					8	–	2
Drake		6	–	2					7	–	4
Marist		5	–	3					5	–	6
Dayton		5	–	3					6	–	5
Davidson		3	–	5					6	–	5
Butler		2	–	6					4	–	7
Morehead State		2	–	6					3	–	8
Valparaiso		2	–	6					2	–	9
Jacksonville		1	–	7					2	–	8
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from STATS Poll

Previous season

The Dolphins finished the 2017 season 7–4, 5–3 in PFL play to finish in a three-way tie for third place.

Preseason

Preseason All-PFL team

The PFL released their preseason all-PFL team on July 30, 2018, with the Dolphins having two players selected.[1]

Defense Caysaun Wakeley – LB Trevor Tufano – LB

Preseason coaches poll

The PFL released their preseason coaches poll on July 31, 2018, with the Dolphins predicted to finish in sixth place.[2]

Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
1	San Diego	81 (9)
2	Dayton	72 (1)
3	Drake	58
T–4	Butler	48
T–4	Valparaiso	48
6	Jacksonville	47
7	Marist	44
8	Morehead State	22
9	Stetson	19
10	Davidson	11

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 1	1:00 p.m.	St. Augustine's*	D. B. Milne Field Jacksonville, FL	ESPN3	W 63–14	2,417
September 8	6:00 p.m.	at Mercer*	Five Star Stadium Macon, GA	ESPN3	L 3–45	10,200
September 15	1:00 p.m.	Walsh*	D. B. Milne Field Jacksonville, FL	ESPN3	Cancelled [lower-alpha 1]
September 29	1:00 p.m.	Drake	D. B. Milne Field Jacksonville, FL	ESPN3	L 9–41	1,738
October 6	1:00 p.m.	at Davidson	Richardson Stadium Davidson, NC		L 37–44	3,524
October 13	1:00 p.m.	Marist	D. B. Milne Field Jacksonville, FL	ESPN3	L 17–20	2,533
October 20	1:00 p.m.	at Stetson	Spec Martin Stadium DeLand, FL		L 35–38	2,427
October 27	1:00 p.m.	at San Diego	Torero Stadium San Diego, CA		L 35–59	1,047
November 3	12:00 p.m.	Butler	D. B. Milne Field Jacksonville, FL	ESPN3	W 48–44	1,765
November 10	1:00 p.m.	at Valparaiso	Brown Field Valparaiso, IN	ESPN+	L 30–48	1,150
November 17	1:00 p.m.	Dayton	D. B. Milne Field Jacksonville, FL		L 7–34	1,492
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

• Source: Schedule

1. This game has been cancelled in anticipation of Hurricane Florence.

Game summaries

St. Augustine's

	1	2	3	4	Total
Falcons	0	7	0	7	14
Dolphins	14	21	28	0	63

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
First meeting

at Mercer

	1	2	3	4	Total
Dolphins	0	0	0	3	3
Bears	7	24	14	0	45

See also: 2018 Mercer Bears football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
0–2	2017	MERC, 48–7

Drake

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	14	17	0	10	41
Dolphins	0	0	2	7	9

See also: 2018 Drake Bulldogs football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
3–13	2017	DRAKE, 52–7

at Davidson

	1	2	3	4	Total
Dolphins	6	3	0	28	37
Wildcats	16	7	21	0	44

See also: 2018 Davidson Wildcats football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
14–6	2017	JACK, 35–21

Marist

	1	2	3	4	Total
Red Foxes	0	0	7	13	20
Dolphins	7	7	3	0	17

See also: 2018 Marist Red Foxes football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
6–3	2017	JACK, 44–37

at Stetson

	1	2	3	4	Total
Dolphins	7	7	7	14	35
Hatters	14	7	7	10	38

See also: 2018 Stetson Hatters football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
5–0	2017	JACK, 13–10

at San Diego

	1	2	3	4	Total
Dolphins	7	7	14	7	35
Toreros	7	21	14	17	59

See also: 2018 San Diego Toreros football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
4–6	2017	USD, 63–10

Butler

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	13	14	3	14	44
Dolphins	14	14	7	13	48

See also: 2018 Butler Bulldogs football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
8–3	2017	BUT, 37–22

at Valparaiso

	1	2	3	4	Total
Dolphins	0	10	7	13	30
Crusaders	14	13	14	7	48

See also: 2018 Valparaiso Crusaders football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
7–3	2017	JACK, 20–17

Dayton

	1	2	3	4	Total
Flyers	3	17	14	0	34
Dolphins	0	0	0	7	7

See also: 2018 Dayton Flyers football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
4–4	2016	DAY, 36–16

References

1. http://www.pioneer-football.org/news/archives/2018/1361/twelve-first-team-all-pfl-returnees-highlight-preseason-all-pfl-team/
2. http://www.pioneer-football.org/news/archives/2018/1362/defending-champion-san-diego-edges-dayton-in-pfl-preseason-coaches-poll/