BY ADAM WINAY | STAFF REPORTER
The Butler football team will return home with a 2-1 record for its game against Dartmouth College Saturday after winning on the road against Franklin College, 31-28.
This will be Dartmouth’s first game of the season. It is Butler’s third. Butler’s game against Dartmouth will be the second time in two seasons the Bulldogs and Big Green have played each other. The Bulldogs lost on the road last season, 35-7.
“It’s exciting for our guys to play against an Ivy League team,” coach Jeff Voris said. “There is a huge unknown. It’s their first game. We have some advantages because we are at home and we’ve got some games under our belt but we have the disadvantage because this is a new team with new players.”
The Bulldogs started the Franklin game off cold but were able to warm up in the second quarter. The Grizzlies prevented the Bulldogs from scoring and only gave up 58 yards in the first quarter.
Butler’s second possession of the second quarter lasted seven minutes, 36 seconds and ended with a one-yard rushing touchdown by Butler senior quarterback Matt Lancaster. Similarly, 10 out of the 17 plays called during this possession were running plays.
The Bulldogs went into halftime down by a touchdown, 14-7. Butler came out for the second half ready to play and outscored Franklin 24-10.
Lancaster completed 24 of 33 passes, throwing for 221 yards and one touchdown. Lancaster also ran for 37 yards on nine attempts and two touchdowns.
Senior wide receiver Brendan Shannon finished the game with 119 receiving yards, averaging 10.8 yards per catch.
Senior running back Trae Heeter ran for 129 yards on 27 attempts and one touchdown.
Last Saturday’s game was the first time this season both Lancaster and Heeter played the full game. The previous games, Lancaster and Heeter were taken out of the game to rest and prevent injury.
Lancaster has already thrown for 566 yards while running for 137 yards. Heeter has run for 215 yard three games into the season.
It has been a different story for the defense. Three games into the season, the Bulldogs’ defense has not been able to stop the air game of their opponents, giving up 843 yards over three games.
Franklin senior quarterback Jonny West went 36-for-58 through the air, accumulating 360 yards and three touchdowns.
Butler’s defense was able to stop Franklin’s running game, only allowing 29 total rushing yards.
The game against Dartmouth will be Butler’s final game before Pioneer Football League play begins. Voris said Dartmouth will be a good challenge before league play starts.
The Bulldogs will face Dartmouth at the Butler Bowl for another game under the lights Saturday at 6 p.m.
