INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – Butler battled back from one deficit, but couldn't overcome a second and wound up dropping a 21-14 decision to Dayton in a Pioneer Football Leage game at the Butler Bowl on Saturday (Nov. 15).  The outcome left Butler with a final 4-7 season record.

Trailing, 21-14, in the closing minutes, the Bulldogs had two final opportunities.  The first ended at midfield with just under two minutes remaining on an incomplete, fourth-down pass.  But the Bulldogs' defense held, and Butler had a final possession with 0:46 left.

A 22-yard pass from Malcolm Weaver to senior Derek O'Connor gave the Bulldogs a first down at the Butler 32-yard line with 0:35 left, but a quarterback sack and a short completion ended the final bid.

"All day, defensively we were outstanding," said Butler head coach Jeff Voris. "There were a couple of plays here and there that they made, and good teams will do that.  But our defense gave us a chance to win.  We just weren't consistent enough offensively today."

The visiting Flyers (7-3, 5-2 PFL) jumped to a 14-0 advantage with a pair of first quarter touchdowns.  But the Bulldogs erased that deficit with back-to-back scoring drives at the end of the first period and the start of the second.

O'Connor ignited the offense with a 62-yard touchdown reception with just eight seconds remaining in the opening period.  He found an opening over the middle, took a pass from Weaver in stride and out-raced the defense to the end zone for his fifth touchdown of the season.

Butler then tied the game on its next possession, marching 73 yards in 12 plays.  Weaver finished the drive with a 37-yard touchdown run, his third of the season.

The game remained tied until the third quarter, when the Flyers took advantage of a Butler mistake to mount the eventual winning drive.  Butler looked ready to take charge, when senior David Burke picked off a pass from Dayton quarterback Will Bardo and returned it to midfield, but the Bulldogs were called for pass interference on the play and Dayton's drive continued.

Three plays later, Bardo found Ross Smith with a 28-yard scoring pass for the game's final touchdown.

O'Connor, playing his final game for the Bulldogs, led Butler with eight receptions for 144 yards.  Running back Guy DiBalsamo paced the Butler ground game with 17 carries for 71 yards, while Weaver finished with 157 passing yards.

Sophomore linebacker David Starkey finished with a team-high nine tackles, while Burke added eight.  Senior safety JoJo Ciancio, playing his final collegiate game, had seven tackles and a fumble recovery.

The game was the final contest for 17 Butler seniors.  That group helped Butler to 26 wins, a pair of PFL championships and the school's first NCAA Division I playoff berth over the past four seasons.

"We're certainly losing some good senior players, who have meant a lot to the program over the past four years," said Voris.  "It's always tough to replace those guys, but moving forward, we're optimistic that we have a good core nucleus back that has experience and will be ready to take over next year."