GAME NOTES | WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
 
INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler football team will return to the Sellick Bowl this Saturday afternoon with a showdown against the visiting Dayton Flyers. The 1 PM kick-off will serve as the PFL home opener for the Bulldogs. Those not in attendance can catch the action live on FloSports.com.
 
Gameday
Date: Saturday, October 8
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Indianapolis, Ind. / Sellick Bowl
Live Stats: ButlerSports.com
Watch: FloSports/Butler+
 
2022 PFL Standings
Davidson 2-0, 4-1
Dayton 1-0, 3-1
Stetson 1-0, 3-1
St. Thomas 1-0, 3-1
Valparaiso 1-0, 2-2
Morehead State 1-1, 2-3
Marist 1-1, 1-3
Butler 0-1, 2-2
San Diego 0-1, 1-3
Presbyterian 0-2, 1-4
Drake 0-2, 0-5
 
2022 PFL Schedule – Week 6
Marist at Stetson - 1 PM
Dayton at Butler - 1 PM
Valparaiso at Presbyterian - 1 PM
Davidson at St. Thomas - 2 PM
San Diego at Drake - 2 PM
 
Bulldog Bits
- The game on Oct. 8 will be the 47th meeting between Butler and Dayton.
- The Bulldogs lead the FCS in tackles for loss allowed (2).
- BU leads the PFL and ranks 3rd nationally in sacks allowed (2).
- Butler leads the PFL and ranks 8th in the FCS in red zone offense (91%, 11-for-12)
- The Bulldogs lead the PFL in net punting (39.8) and punt return defense.
- Butler ranks second in the PFL in third down conversion percentage (48%), and fourth down conversion percentage (50%).
- Connor Reid came up with a career-high 14 tackles at Davison (9 solo).
- Austin Korba and Byron Hubbard II shared a sack Saturday at Davidson.
- Bret Bushka rushed for a career-high 102 yards at Davidson on just six carries. He had 96 yards at halftime.
- The last time Johnny O'Shea played Dayton he caught 13 passes for 164 yards.
- Will Mason leads the PFL in solo tackles per game.
- Joey Audia leads the PFL in punt and kick returns.
 
SCOUTING DAYTON: The Flyers are 3-1 overall after defeating Drake at Welcome Stadium last weekend 27-14. Dayton outscored Drake 14-0 in the third quarter to take control of the contest. The ground game was the difference on Saturday as Dayton rushed for 184 yards while limiting the Bulldogs to just 90. Jake Chisholm rushed for two touchdowns and Dante Casciola would hit Ty Stylski for a 21-yard score to open up the second half. Chisholm, Casciola and Stylski headline the Dayton rushing attack. Casciola also throws for 144 yards per contest. On the other side of the ball, Ben Schmiesing leads the Flyers with 29 tackles and an interception in 2022. Joe Durham will look to apply pressure from the defensive line and Cole Hildebrand will lead the Dayton defensive backs.
 
Senior RB Jake Chisholm earned PFL Offensive Player of the Week honors after rushing for 131 yards Saturday against Drake. He also caught five passes for 38 yards. Chisholm had 10 plays that resulted in a first down or touchdown in the victory and five rushes of 10-plus yards.
 
LAST MEETING: Dayton claimed a 38-31 win over Butler last year on Oct. 30. The Bulldogs outscored the Flyers 24-14 in the second half, and had the ball with less than a minute to play, but a Dayton interception would set up victory formation for the home team. Dayton's final three touchdowns of the game all came on big plays. They scored on a three-play drive in just 44 seconds before the half, they added a two-play TD drive to start the third quarter (33 seconds) and their final TD came on just the third play of the series (44 seconds).
 
Bret Bushka had a career day with 403 passing yards to go along with 58 rushing yards vs. Dayton. He was responsible for three total touchdowns and became just fourth Bulldog in program history to throw for 400+ yards.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES: Dayton leads the all-time series against Butler 33-12-1. The first-ever meeting was held in Indianapolis in 1925.
 
The Flyers have won seven-straight games against Butler. The Bulldogs pulled out a 33-30 victory over Dayton in 2013. Their last win at home over the Flyers was the previous year by the final score of 21-11.
 
IT'S GOOD: Special teams play has been solid for Dayton and Butler this season. Reigning PFL Special Teams Player of the Week Sam Webster is perfect this year on field goals (7-7) and extra points (10-10). Luka Zurak hasn't missed either for the Bulldogs going 3-for-3 on field goal attempts and 12-for-12 on PAT's.
 
Zurak also punts for the Bulldogs. He is averaging a PFL-best 43 yards per punt and boomed a league-best 67-yard punt last Saturday at Davidson. Zurak has three 50+ yard punts this season and has pinned the opponent inside the 20-yard line six times.
 
BURCH BREAKS OUT: Jack Burch put together his best game as a Bulldog last Saturday at Davidson with four tackles and his first career sack against the Wildcats.
 
Butler's defense has four sacks this season and the BU offensive line has only allowed two all year.
 
BUSHKA IS BALLIN: Bret Bushka ranks second in the PFL in total offense (264.5). The Butler QB is fifth in the PFL in rushing (67.7) and sixth in passing (196.7). He is averaging 6.78 yards per rush this season and 11.0 yards per pass.
 
Bushka was responsible for 252 yards of offense at Davidson. He completed passes to eight different bulldogs. Luke Wooten was his top target (7), Johnny O'Shea led BU with three receptions and Tyler Adams had the most yards with 49.
 
RETURN GAME: Joey Audia leads the PFL in kick return yards (368) and ranks third in punt return yards (49). His longest kick return this season covered 49 yards. His longest punt return went for 19 yards.
 
Audia ranks third in the PFL in all-purpose yards (109.75). He had 147 kick return yards at Davidson.
 
HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS: The Bulldogs have scored 62 points in the second half this season and just 32 in the first half. They have outscored their opponents 62-60 over the final 30 minutes of action, but have been outscored 52-31 in the opening 30 minutes.
 
Butler had scored at least 10 points in the fourth quarter in every game leading up to contest at Davidson. Three second half turnovers kept BU out of the end zone.
 
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs will play at Valparaiso on Saturday, Oct. 15. The 2 PM kick-off will be held at Brown Field.
 
Valpo is in control of the Hoosier Helmet after defeating Butler 47-3 a year ago at the Sellick Bowl.