DES MOINES, IOWA – Two key second half scores lifted host Drake to a 21-19 victory over Butler in the annual "Battle of the Bulldogs" at Drake Stadium on Saturday (Oct. 25).  It was Butler's third straight Pioneer Football League loss and dropped the Indianapolis squad to 3-5 on the year and 1-4 in conference play.

Drake (5-3, 4-1 PFL) came from behind to pull out its 19th consecutive PFL home win.  Trailing 10-7 at halftime, the Iowa squad came up with a big defensive score when cornerback Drew Ormseth came up with a pass interception early in the third quarter and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown.

And then, after Butler had regained the lead, the home squad put together a 12-play, 70-yard drive to open the final quarter.  Running back Conley Wilkins scored from two yards out to put Drake on top for good, 21-17.  The home squad took a safety on the final play of the game for the final margin.

The second half comeback spoiled Butler's bid to end an eight-game losing skid in Drake Stadium.  The visiting Bulldogs fell behind, 7-0, in the first quarter on a 22-yard pass from Drake quarterback Andy Rice to Lee Snell, but answered with just over six minutes remaining in the second period on a four-yard Malcolm Weaver to Brandon Collins touchdown pass.

Butler then drove to the Drake three-yard line in the closing minutes of the first half, but the home defense tightened and limited the visiting Bulldogs to a 22-yard field goal by junior Jon Treloar.  It was his fifth field goal in eight attempts this season, and it gave Butler a three-point advantage at halftime.

Following the Ormseth touchdown, his second in two weeks, Butler stormed right back, marching 73 yards in eight plays to regain the lead.  The big play of the drive was a 26-yard pass from Weaver to Collins that moved the ball to the Drake 20-yard line.  Three plays later, running back Sam Schrader scored his team-high seventh touchdown of the season from nine yards out to put Butler on top, 17-14.

Butler had the ball three times after Drake regained the lead, but the home squad, boasting the PFL's best defensive unit, limited the visiting Bulldogs to just one first down on those three possessions.

Collins finished with a career-high six receptions for 64 yards in the game.  Senior Derek O'Connor also had six catches in the game for 53 yards.  Weaver, getting his second career start, completed 16 of 31 passes with just the one interception for 146 yards.  Schrader led the ground game with 57 yards on ten attempts.

Linebacker Sean Horan paced Butler's defensive unit, finishing with a career-high 11 tackles for the second consecutive week.  Defensive back JoJo Ciancio added seven stops, while defensive linemen Bret Shannon and Josh Willis each finished with 1.5 quarterback sacks.  Butler's defense limited Drake to 240 total yards, including a minus-2 rushing yards.

Butler will play two of its final three games at home, starting with a game against Morehead State on Saturday, Nov. 1.  That game at the Butler Bowl will start at noon (ET).