Bulldogs Stun Morehead State In Overtime
Sophomore Andrew Huck tossed a 22-yard touchdown
pass to junior wide receiver Eddie McHale in
overtime to cap a stunning comeback and give Butler a 28-21 victory
over host Morehead State at wet Jayne Stadium on Saturday (Sept.
25). The dramatic game was the Pioneer Football League opener
for both teams.
Huck’s decisive throw came on second down in the first
overtime period. Tailback Scott Gray gained three yards on
the first play of the overtime session, and then Huck spotted
McHale in the end zone on the second play. The throw was on
target and McHale made the grab to break a 21-21 deadlock.
Sophomore placekicker David Lang added the extra
point to give Butler a seven-point advantage.
Morehead State (2-2, 0-1 PFL) gained just two yards on the first
three plays of their overtime possession. On fourth down,
quarterback Zach Lewis lofted a pass toward the end zone, but
sophomore safety Mark Giacomantonio stepped in
front and intercepted the throw at the two-yard line to seal
Butler’s victory.
The Bulldogs (4-0, 1-0 PFL), who never trailed in their first three
games this season, never led in regulation play at Morehead
State. A disastrous start left the Bulldogs trailing, 21-0,
less than 10 minutes into the game and facing long odds at a
stadium where they were winless in six previous tries.
The host Eagles scored on their second play of the game, a 60-yard
pass from Evan Sawyer to Donte Sawyer (no relation), and then added
a 63-yard pass interception return for a touchdown by Derek
Harkness 24 seconds later. When Evan Sawyer found Drew Morgan
with a 28-yard scoring pass with 5:59 left in the first quarter,
Morehead State had more points than Butler had passing yards!
The Bulldogs dominated the second half, the way that the Eagles
controlled the first. Huck, battling the persistent rain,
engineered an 82-yard drive on Butler’s first possession of
the third quarter and capped it with a nine-yard touchdown pass to
wide receiver Zach Watkins. The Butler
quarterback then cut Morehead State’s lead to seven points
with a nine play drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown pass to
wide receiver Dan Bohrer.
The score by Bohrer was his 19th career touchdown catch, giving him
sole possession of Butler’s all-time record for TD
receptions.
Butler eventually tied the score early in the fourth quarter, after
linebacker Derek Guggenberger recovered a Morehead
State fumble at the Eagles’ 25-yard line. Bohrer gained
18 yards on an end-around play to begin the drive, and then Huck
finished it with a seven-yard strike to Watkins.
Huck rebounded from a slow start to complete 26 of 49 passes for
208 yards and four touchdowns. Watkins caught a career-high
13 passes for 130 yards. Gray led the Bulldogs on the ground
with 59 yards on 15 carries, defensive end Grant
Hunter paced Butler’s defense with seven tackles,
including three quarterback sacks. Defensive back
Tadd Dombart had a pair of pass interceptions in
the victory.
Butler returns to Indianapolis to host preseason PFL favorite San
Diego on Saturday, Oct. 3. That contest, Butler’s
Homecoming game, is scheduled for 1 p.m. (ET) at the Butler
Bowl.
