GAME NOTES
 
INDIANAPOLIS – The Hoosier Helmet will be up for grabs Saturday afternoon as the Butler Bulldogs travel to Brown Field to face the Valparaiso Beacons at 2 PM.
 
Gameday
Date: Saturday, October 15
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: Valparaiso, Ind. / Brown Field
Live Stats: ValpoAthletics.com
Watch: ESPN 3
 
2022 PFL Standings
St. Thomas 2-0, 4-1
Valparaiso 2-0, 3-2
Davidson 2-1, 4-2
Marist 2-1, 2-3
Butler 1-1, 3-2
Dayton 1-1, 3-1
Morehead State 1-1, 2-3
San Diego 1-1, 2-3
Stetson 1-1, 3-2
Drake 0-3, 0-6
Presbyterian 0-3, 1-5
 
2022 PFL Schedule – Week 7
Dayton at Marist - 12 PM
Morehead State at Davidson - 1 PM
Butler at Valparaiso - 2 PM
Drake at St. Thomas - 2 PM
Presbyterian at San Diego - 5 PM
 
Bulldog Bits
- The game on Oct. 15 will be the 82nd meeting between Butler and Valparaiso marking the most contests between the Bulldogs and any other PFL opponent.
- Butler snapped Dayton's scoring streak last Saturday with a 31-0 shutout win. The Flyers had scored points in 501 straight games, the longest streak in Division I football.
- Bret Bushka was named PFL Offensive Player of the Week and CFPA honorable mention for the FCS National Performer of the Week.
- Butler was recognized as the FedEx Ground FCS National Team of the Week by Stats Perform.
- Butler leads the PFL and ranks 4th in the FCS in red zone offense (93%, 15-for-16).
- Butler ranks second in the PFL and 11th in the FCS in third down conversion percentage (50%).
- Valpo and Butler each average 24 points per game heading into this contest. The 'Dawgs have averaged 35 ppg over their three wins this season.
- Cameron Heald caught two touchdown passes against Dayton last week. Three of his eight receptions this season have been touchdowns.
- Tyler Adams recorded a career-high 149 receiving yards vs. Dayton. His 75-yard TD reception from Bushka was the longest play of the year for Butler.
 
SCOUTING VALPARAISO: The Beacons are 3-2 overall with a 2-0 record against PFL opponents. They opened league play with a 28-21 win over San Diego on their homecoming weekend. That result was followed by a 41-21 win at Presbyterian last Saturday. Non-conference action opened with Valpo defeating Indiana Wesleyan 20-17. Their two losses of 2022 came at Illinois State (28-21) and at Dartmouth (35-13). Two different student-athletes have played quarterback for the Beacons over their last two games. Mikey Appel leads the team in completions, attempts and yards, but redshirt freshman Mason Kaplan helped lead Valpo to a win over San Diego in Week 4. Kaplan also threw a fourth quarter TD pass in the win at Presbyterian last Saturday.
 
Kaplan is a dual threat QB that ranks second on the team in rushing attempts. Valpo's lead back is Aaron Dawson (85.0 per game).
 
LAST MEETING: The Bulldogs would score three points on their opening drive, but that would be it for the rest of the day as the Beacons came into Indianapolis to land a 47-3 victory. Nimz threw for three scores and Washington rushed for two more. Bushka led Butler with 82 yards passing and 39 yards rushing. Connor Reid was the top defensive player in the huddle that day with seven tackles, two for a loss, and one sack.
 
Valpo scored two touchdowns in under a minute in the second quarter to go on top 30-3. Nimz threw a 38-yard TD pass to Ross with 48 seconds left and after a BU fumble, Nimz would added a rushing TD with just seven seconds showing on the game clock.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES: Butler leads the all-time series against Valparaiso 51-30. The first-ever meeting was held in Indianapolis in 1927.
 
The Beacons have won three-straight games against Butler. The Bulldogs last win at Brown Field was in 2016 (23-12), they also won 24-21 at the Sellick Bowl in 2019.
 
STATS PERFORM SELECTS BUTLER AS THE FEDEX GROUND FCS NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK: The Bulldogs posted their first shutout win since 2010, ended a seven-game losing streak against Dayton and halted the Flyers' NCAA record streak of scoring points in 501 consecutive games. Bret Bushka was 25 of 29 for a season-high 338 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for another TD. Kody Leach's end zone interception with 5:40 remaining helped preserve the shutout for first-year coach Mike Uremovich's 3-2 team.
 
Saturday's result was the first career shutout for BU defensive coordinator Jeff Knowles.
 
BUSHKA EARNS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS: Bret Bushka was responsible for all four touchdowns in Butler's 31-0 PFL victory against Dayton. He finished the day completing 25-of-29 passes for three touchdowns with no interceptions (218.25 pass efficiency rating) and added a touchdown on the ground where he had 33 yards on 10 carries, finishing the day with 371 total offensive yards. Bushka led drives of 12-plays for 87 yards, 12 plays for 69 yards, and 12 plays for 80 yards before capping the scoring with a 75-yard touchdown throw to Tyler Adams for the only play of the final scoring drive. He found nine different receivers on the day.
 
Bushka leads the PFL in completion percentage, passing efficiency, and passing touchdowns. He was also an honorable mention selection for the FCS National Offensive Player of the Week (Stats Perform).
 
SIGNATURE WIN: The Bulldogs won their PFL home opener for the first time since 2018! They knocked off Morehead State that year 24-21.
 
Butler opened the 2018 season with an upset win at #24 Youngstown State (23-21).
 
STRENGTH VS. STRENGTH: Butler has not allowed a sack since Week 1 of the regular season. The Beacons lead the PFL and rank sixth in the FCS with 19 sacks this year.
 
Butler gave up a sack on back-to-back plays late in the second quarter vs. St. Thomas (Fla.) and have not allowed one since.
 
SCORING SUMMARY: Butler's longest scoring drive of the season came against Dayton last weekend. The Bulldogs ended the third quarter with a 12-play 80-yard drive that took 5:40 off the clock.
 
Butler's fastest touchdown this season came on a 63-yard TD pass from Bushka to Adams. The play took just nine seconds. (Week 1).
 
UP NEXT: Butler will host Marist on homecoming weekend. The contest scheduled for Oct. 22 will feature a 1 PM kick-off at the Sellick Bowl.
 
The Bulldogs ended the 2021 campaign with a 28-21 win at Marist. Joey Suchy rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns in the victory. Trey Mason also helped put the game away with defensive TD for Butler in the fourth quarter.