INDIANAPOLIS – The Bulldogs scored 28 second half points to erase an 11-point halftime deficit and record a 31-26 win in the 2022 season opener against St. Thomas (Fla.) on Saturday afternoon. Bret Bushka led the comeback charge at the Sellick Bowl with four passing touchdowns, two of which were caught by newcomer Tyler Adams. The victory marks the first BU win in a season opener since 2018 and places first-year head coach Mike Uremovich in the win column as a Bulldog!
 
Bushka threw for 309 yards and four touchdowns by completing 25 of his 35 pass attempts. He targeted Adams 12 times in the game and Adams would deliver 10 receptions for 143 yards and two scores. Jeremy Johnson and Cameron Heald also caught touchdown passes for the Bulldogs. Johnson won a 50-50 ball in the right side of the end zone to score the first TD of the season for BU and Heald would get open from three yards out for the go-ahead score.
 
Bushka led the ground game for BU as well with 13 rushes for 60 yards. AJ Deinhart was involved with 11 carries for 40 yards and Brody Reder took off three times for 23 yards.
 
Connor Reid and true freshman Will Mason led the Butler defense. Reid was the team-leader with eight total tackles while Mason added seven. Mason also picked off a pass in the end zone early in the contest to get Butler out of trouble.
 
The Bulldogs trailed the Bobcats 7-0 after the first quarter. St. Thomas blocked a punt to set up their first score. The ground game was good to St. Thomas throughout the afternoon with two student-athletes accounting for three rushing touchdowns. Damian Heller scored two touchdowns on just five carries and Rontavious Farmer took the rock 20 times for 103 yards and the first score of the game.
 
The first points of the season for Butler came from Luka Zurak in the opening stages of the second quarter. The Bulldogs had first and goal from the three, but were forced to settle for the 19-yard field goal. St. Thomas would follow with a 17-play 92-yard drive after the kick to lead BU 14-3 at the half.
 
Johnson's leaping TD grab to start the third quarter gave Butler some life and the quick strike from Bushka to Adams pulled the home team within three at 20-17.
 
Butler's first lead of the contest came just over four minutes into the fourth quarter. That TD pass from Bushka to Heald capped off a 10-play 80-yard drive and gave BU a 24-20 lead. The icing on the cake for Butler came on the very next drive with Bushka hitting Adams for the second time allowing BU to extend their lead to 31-20.
 
St. Thomas would not lie down facing the deficit. They scored on an 82-yard pass from Tyler Thomas to C'quan Jnopierre to get back within five points at 31-26. St. Thomas opted to go for two, but were denied after a penalty.
 
The Bulldog defense did their part when it really mattered and pressured Thomas on a fourth-and-two play at the Butler 47. The stop allowed the offense to get into victory formation with the Bobcats out of timeouts.
 
Butler will enjoy this victory for the rest of the day, but will shift their focus to Taylor for next weekend. The Bulldogs will host the Trojans under the lights at the Sellick Bowl for a 6 PM kick-off.