Butler returns to the Sellick Bowl Saturday afternoon, hosting Drake in a Pioneer Football League contest. The game will be streamed via Facebook Live on the ButlerBulldogs page. Mark Minner will have the play-by-play call with production provided through a partnership with the Butler College of Communication.

The Bulldogs are 2-2 on the season, coming off a 37-17 defeat at San Diego in the PFL opener for both teams. The Toreros were the preseason favorite to win the league. Drake (2-2 overall) enters the contest off a 38-13 win at Valparaiso Saturday.

Drake owns a 17-8-1 lead in the all-time series between the two Bulldog-mascoted universities. Drake won the 2016 edition, 28-14.

Junior receiver Pace Temple led the offensive attack with eight catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns Saturday at San Diego. It was just off his career-high of 156 receiving yards at Franklin Sept. 9. His first half included 130 yards receiving. He now has 101 career receptions and five career 100-yard games.

Temple, a preseason All-Pioneer Football League selection, had 978 receiving yards in 2016, which was 24^th in FCS.

Temple's average of 92.3 receiving yards per game this season is third in the PFL and 20^th nationally.

In its last non-conference game of the season, Butler posted a dramatic 27-21 victory over Taylor (Sept. 16) in the closing minutes. After leading for much of the game, Taylor took a 21-20 lead in the fourth quarter, but quarterback Will Marty was able to orchestrate a late drive that included a one-yard touchdown run with seven seconds remaining. That performance came one week after posting 313 yards in the win over Franklin. His 313 passing yards were one short of his career-high 314 that he posted in the 2016 game against Marist.

Nick Weaver had a career-best eight receptions in that win over Taylor. Marty and James Marbaugh connected on the first touchdown reception of his career as Marty spread his 32 completions among nine receivers. Freshman Cam Cooper had career-bests of four catches for 43 yards.

Cooper has played a key role in the return game, averaging 21.5 and 8.4 yards, respectively, on kick-off and punt returns this season. He had season-best returns in the win over Taylor (37 yards on a kick-off return and 32 yards on a punt return). He has 59 return yards on seven punts this season (despite missing the San Diego game due to injury); by contrast, Butler has allowed an average of 1.17 yards per punt return, which leads the PFL and is tenth nationally.

Redshirt senior Duvante Lane led the ground attack at Franklin, posting 117 yards on 26 carries. He had two touchdowns in addition to a single reception of 16 yards. It was Lane's third career 100-yard rushing game of his career. His career-high of 29 carries and 156 yards came against Valparaiso in 2016. Lane joined Temple as a preseason All-PFL honoree after finding the end zone nine times last season.

Isaak Newhouse has led the Bulldogs in tackles in three of the team's four games. He had 11 tackles (eight solo) at San Diego. That performance followed a 14-tackle (12 solo) game against Illinois State in the 2017 opener. Newhouse averages 9.8 tackles per game this season, which is third in the PFL. His average of 7.0 solo tackles per game leads the PFL and is fourth nationally.

Ethan Brunhofer led the Bulldogs with eight tackles in the game against Taylor. Brunhofer joined Newhouse as honorable mention All-PFL choices last season. Brunhofer is the team's leading returning tackler with 74 a season ago, including a career-high 12 in the game against Marist. Fellow linebackers David Starkey and Sean Horan had 77 and 75, respectively, before graduating.

Luke Sennett grabbed the second interception of his Butler career Saturday at San Diego. He has both of the Bulldogs' picks this season. Josh Willis and Chad Burdo are tied for the team-lead with 1.5 sacks apiece.

Butler has averaged 32:25 per game in time of possession, second in the conference. That is highlighted by Butler's offense having the ball for 44:21 minutes Sept. 9 at Franklin. Franklin had possession of the ball for only 4:22 of the second half's 30 minutes.

Butler has converted six of its eight fourth-down attempts this season, while their opponents are 4-for-4 on fourth down as well. The Bulldogs have also scored in 10 of 11 red zone possessions, including eight touchdowns.

Butler has only committed two turnovers through its four games this season. That leads the PFL as all other league teams have at least four turnovers. Butler is fourth in FCS in fewest turnovers committed.

Marty, Lane and Newhouse join defensive lineman Connor Andras as the team's four seniors for the 2017 campaign.

Voris, in his 12^th season on the Butler sidelines, enters Saturday's contest with a 66-62 mark at Butler.

Butler was picked to finish seventh in the Pioneer Football League preseason poll. The conference's 11 head coaches voted in the poll and were not allowed to vote for their own team. San Diego was picked as the preseason favorite.

Butler continues conference play next weekend, traveling to Morehead State (Saturday, Oct.7).