Even with senior quarterback Andrew Huck throwing a career-high 381 yards, the Butler football team was not able to stop the running game of Pioneer Football League foe Campbell, dropping Saturday’s game 38-23.

“In any game, you’re going to get your ups and downs, and that’s kind of how our game went,” freshman cornerback  Jimmy Schwabe said.

The Bulldogs (3-3, 1-2) started the game off on the right foot—senior kicker David Lang’s—with two consecutive field goals in the first half, giving Butler an early 6-0 advantage.

Campbell’s offense rallied during the second quarter and took the lead from the Bulldogs, driving 54 yards in seven plays.

The Fighting Camels (2-3, 1-2) reached double-digit points with a field goal, but Lang came through with his third field goal of the half to make it a one-point game going into the locker room.

“We were in control the first half,” sophomore safety Jayme Szafranski said. “Then  they made a couple of plays [in the second half], and the momentum just kept going.”

The Fighting Camels stepped up their running game in the third quarter, scoring back-to-back touchdowns and boosting their lead to 24-9.

“In the second half, they  really went back to their running attack,” Schwabe said. “That was their philosophy.”

Campbell ended the game with 247 rushing yards compared to Butler’s 79.

Photo by Maria Porter

The Bulldogs were hampered by the losses of senior running back Trae Heeter and sophomore wide receiver Brandon Grubbe, who both left with injuries.

The game went on, however, and the Bulldogs ended the third quarter with a 67-yard touchdown pass from Huck to senior wide receiver Zach Watkins.

It was déjà vu for the Bulldogs in the fourth quarter.

Butler was able to end the game on a high note with a 41-yard pass from Huck to senior wide receiver Jeff Larsen.

However, the Fighting Camels scored two more touchdowns in the quarter to seal the victory.

Huck is now the second Butler quarterback to throw for more than 6,000 career yards after hitting the 6,020 mark on Saturday.

He also completed a career-best 34 of 47 passes against Campbell.

Huck wasn’t the only Bulldog to have a career-best performance during the game.

Sophomore wide receiver Brendan Shannon had a career-high 10 catches for 87 yards, and junior linebacker Jordan Ridley, who was later named the PFL Defensive Player of the Week, recorded a career-high 19 tackles.

Senior defensive back Andy Dauch also had a career-high 10 tackles.

Butler will play next at home, competing in the “Hoosier Helmet” game against Valparaiso on Saturday at 1 pm.