For the first time since 2015, Butler came out on top against the Drake Bulldogs 33-21. The Dawgs improve to 6-2 on the year and keep pace atop the Pioneer Football League, while Drake falls to 2-6 in a less-than-fortunate season for first-year head coach Matt Walker.
Drake opened the game with a quick nine-play touchdown drive — featuring a 22-yard pass from graduate quarterback Riley Warzynski to sophomore wide receiver Willis Nofsinger and a 32-yard touchdown pass from Warzynski to sophomore wide receiver Lincoln DeLaere. Butler responded on its opening possession with a 37-yard field goal by junior kicker Beck Janki.
The home team continued to pressure the Dawgs offensively with a 7-yard rushing touchdown by redshirt sophomore running back Kavaughn Clark, growing their lead to 11. However, Butler brought itself back in the game by way of a 44-yard reception by sophomore tight end Drew Sullivan to get the Dawgs in the red zone, followed by a 2-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Gabe Passini to graduate tight end Luke Snyder later on in the drive.
After Butler’s defense forced Drake to punt, the offense picked up where it left off. A 31-yard completion from sophomore running back Michael Dellumo to junior tight end Gage Goralski and a 23-yard rush by graduate running back Desmin Jackson set up a 2-yard rushing touchdown by Dellumo.
Before halftime, Drake mounted an efficient two-minute drill, marching 66 yards from its own territory to cap off the first half with an 11-yard receiving touchdown by senior wide receiver Lucci Fidone, giving the home squad a 21-17 lead going into the locker room.
The second half began with both Bulldog offenses trying to find the same rhythm they had before the break. Instead, both teams found themselves doing the opposite and committing the first major mistakes of the game.
In a possession that saw the Dawgs rush their way to Drake’s 17-yard line, Passini drifted to his left and forced a pass into the end zone on third down, which was intercepted by sophomore defensive back Nicholas Humphries and downed for a touchback.
After Drake took possession, it ran only three plays from its own 20-yard line before senior defensive end Ashton Nawrocki stripped Warzynski of the ball, which was recovered by junior defensive lineman Dantu Gardner Jr. After another three-and-out from Butler, Janki marched out again and kicked a 27-yard field goal to make the score 21-20.
After a nearly silent beginning to the fourth quarter, Butler made a four-down stand and got the ball on Drake’s 35-yard line. From that position, the Bulldogs did not waste any time scoring as a 28-yard completion to Snyder and a 5-yard rush by Passini spearheaded a 2-yard touchdown by Jackson to take the lead. They would go for two, but fail the attempt.
Drake looked to answer those points, but its drive was over before it began. As backup first-year quarterback Braylon Wilson scrambled to his right, he threw a ball right to first-year defensive back Kian Kelly, who returned it to Drake’s 1-yard line. Passini would run it in two plays later, extending Butler’s lead to 12.
Drake was not able to recover from that mistake offensively, turning the ball over on downs in its next drive, and Butler was able to bleed the clock down to zero with their running game. The Dawgs left Des Moines with its first win there since 1994, and its ninth win against Drake all-time in the rivalry series.
Butler continues their season on the road again next week as they travel south to take on Presbyterian College on Oct. 31.