The Butler football team remained undefeated in Pioneer League play as they defeated rival Valparaiso 56-17.

The Bulldogs (4-2, 3-0) were led by quarterback Matt Lancaster’s 246 yards and three touchdowns, as he played only the first half.

Lancaster finished the first half with a 41-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver JT Mesch to give the Bulldogs a 42-3 lead over the Crusaders (0-5, 0-2) at the break.

Sophomore backup Wade Markley took over in the second half, throwing for 90 yards and one touchdown and completing eight of 14 pass attempts.

Running back Trae Heeter added three scores on the ground for Butler, all in the first nine minutes of the game.

Butler totaled 598 yards of total offense, with 336 passing yards combined between Lancaster and Markley. The Bulldogs rushed for 262 yards spread out with six different ball carriers.

Former quarterback Tom Judge caught four passes for a career high 114 yards at wide receiver.

The defense used three fumble recoveries, two of which were on the Crusaders’ first two possessions to hold their rival to just 263 yards of total offense.

Defensive back Sean Grady led the team with nine tackles, while Paul Yanow recorded eight.

The Butler football team got off to a slow start Saturday night against the Dartmouth Big Green and never recovered, falling 35-7.

The Bulldogs (1-2) were able to keep pace for most of the first half in their first-ever game against an Ivy League opponent.

Despite giving up an 85-yard touchdown on the opening kickoff to Miles Gay, Butler trailed 14-7 late in the half. But Dartmouth was able to score with 19 seconds left to lead 21-7 in their season opener.

Butler coach Jeff Voris said the team kept it closer than the score shows.

“We didn’t play complementary football,” Voris said. “When the defense got a stop, we didn’t capitalize on it, and when the offense scored, they came back and scored.”

The Bulldogs threatened multiple times in the second half, but they lost momentum after a goal-line stand by the Big Green (1-0) in the fourth quarter.

Butler receivers Derek O’Connor and JT Mesch each set career highs in the losing effort. O’Connor had 164 receiving yards on nine receptions, both career marks. Mesch accumulated 67 yards on his record eight catches.

O’Connor caught a 5-yard pass from quarterback Matt Lancaster in the second quarter for the team’s only points.

The Bulldogs return home on Saturday to open Pioneer Football League play against Campbell University.

“Our goal is to win the conference championship, and that starts this week,” Lancaster said.

The Camels (1-2) fell on the road last week to No. 6 Old Dominion 70-14.

Campbell junior quarterback Dakota Wolf, made his first career start last week in the loss.

He, like Butler’s Lancaster is an athletic quarterback that can run the ball.

Wolf finished with 22 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown. He threw for 56 yards on 8-of-16 passing.

Voris said Campbell is a relatively new program, but it has a good team.

“They’re kind of a mirror image to us,” Voris said.

Kickoff is at noon on Saturday.