GAME 6:  Butler (3-2, 1-0 PIONEER FOOTBALL LEAGUE) at ST. THOMAS (2-2, 0-1 PFL)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 4
Time: 2PM ET / 1PM CT
Location: St. Paul, Minn. | O'Shaughnessy Stadium
 
LAST WEEK: Archie Cox took a short pass, broke a tackle and sprinted 48 yards for the deciding score with 1:47 remaining on the clock as Butler captured a 31-28 Homecoming win over Marist Saturday afternoon.
 
THE SERIES: This is the fifth meeting in the series between the two programs with St. Thomas holding a 3-1 advantage. Butler won last year's match-up in Indianapolis by a score of 36-20 (Nov. 16, 2024). The teams first met in 2021 and have played each season since.
 
ONE YEAR AGO: Nick Howard ran for three touchdowns and passed for one helping the Bulldogs pick up the 36-20 home victory over St. Thomas. The Bulldogs gave Howard 22 carries in the win which resulted in 97 yards. Butler ran the ball 49 times against the Tommies and limited one of the best backs in the PFL to just 61 rushing yards. Forty of Hope Adebayo's 61 yards came on one play. Butler's defense was led by Steven Stephany and his six-tackle, two-interception performance. The Bulldogs picked off four passes in total.
 
BULLDOG BLITZ:

• Following Saturday's win, the Bulldogs are 17-4 when playing at the Sellick Bowl since the beginning of the 2022 season.
• Butler quarterback Reagan Andrew returned to action for the Bulldogs after missing the last two games. He tossed three touchdown passes and combined for 151 yards through the air and 57 yards rushing against Marist.
• Will Mason had an interception, forced fumble and two passed defended for the Bulldogs in the win over Marist.
• Tight end Brady Preston has three receptions in 2025; each has resulted in a touchdown.
• Griffin Caldwin broke loose for a 56-yard touchdown run against Marist Saturday, which was the longest run of his Butler career.
• Caldwell's run contributed to 225 rushing yards for the Bulldogs in Saturday's win over Marist. Butler ran the ball 39 times for an average of 5.8 yards per carry. As impressive as Butler's rushing attack was, the Bulldogs' run defense was even better, limiting the Marist offense to only 21 yards on 23 carries for a 0.8-yards-per-rush average.
• Ten different Bulldogs have been parts of sacks so far during the young season, led by Jackson Stratton and his four sacks. That figure leads the PFL and is 25th in FCS.
• Marist entered last week's game leading FCS at 38.0 yards per kick-off return. Butler kicker neutralized them with touchbacks on all six kick-offs.
• Subbing for an injured Reagan Andrew in the Sept. 20 game at Weber State, redshirt freshman quarterback Gabe Passini had 175 yards rushing on 23 carries in the most extensive action of his Butler career. He added five completions for 51 yards, while accounting for touchdowns both on the ground and through the air.
• Butler was picked fourth in the 2025 Pioneer Football League Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Jeremiah Jackson and Danny Orgler represent Butler on the 2025 Preseason All-PFL Team.
• Butler added 29 newcomers to the 2025 roster, including transfers from Ball State, Idaho, and Toledo, and Tulane.

 
TAKING OUR TIME: Controlling the ball for an average of 33:26 per game so far this season, Butler ranks seventh in FCS in time of possession. Butler had the ball for 40:10 in the Sept. 6 win over Truman State.
 
MONEY ON THE MONEY DOWNS: Butler's defense did not allow Marist to convert a third down in Saturday's game as the Red Foxes were 0-for-13 on third down conversions. On the season, Butler opponents have converted only 28.8 percent of third-down chances. That figure places Butler's defense 12th in the FCS. Marist went for it on fourth down seven times in the contest, converting four. Those were the first successful fourth-down conversions against the Butler defense this season. On the season, Butler opponents have only converted 33.3 percent of fourth-down attempts, a mark that ranks the Butler defense 14th in FCS.
 
YOU SHOULDN'T BE THROWING THINGS: Butler has not seen many yellow flags so far this season. The Bulldogs rank among the FCS Top 10 in fewest penalties committed. Butler's average of only 4.0 accepted penalties per game is eighth nationally. Butler's average of 36.6 penalty yards per game is 16th fewest nationally.
 
MIGHT NOT NEED TO WASH THAT JERSEY: The Bulldogs have allowed only four sacks through five games. That average of 0.8 sacks allowed per game is ninth fewest in FCS.
 
NOT AT A LOSS FOR YARDS: Ethan Loss ranks eighth in FCS, averaging 142.6 all-purpose yards per game. He ranks second in the PFL with 28 receptions on the season and ranks fourth in the PFL with his 339 receiving yards. Loss had a 90-yard kick-off return for a touchdown Sept. 13 at Hanover and a rushing touchdown at Weber State Sept. 20.
 
BIG PAW: Butler redshirt sophomore Luke Green was named the Pioneer Football League (PFL) Special Teams Player of the Week after Green blocked two PATs in Butler's 37-27 Sept. 6 victory over Truman State. He is one of four players tied for the FCS lead with two blocked kicks on the season.
 
SCOUTING ST. THOMAS: The Tommies are 2-2 on the season and lost their PFL opener last week at San Diego, 30-27, as the home team used a pair of field goals in the final two minutes to take the win. St. Thomas has been part of relatively clean games all season, turning the ball over only twice (both fumbles) while forcing only three turnovers by their opponents.
 
NEW ON THE WHISTLE: Butler head coach Kevin Lynch was hired in December to lead the Bulldog program after serving as Ball State's offensive play caller last year (as well as the Assistant Head Coach and Quarterbacks Coach for the Cardinals during the 2024 season). Former Butler assistant Colin Johnson, who was part of the Ball State staff alongside Lynch, returned to the Bulldog staff as the offensive coordinator. Lynch hired Jordan Belfiori as defensive coordinator and retained Joe Cheshire, who has been part of the Butler staff since 2004, to oversee special teams.
 
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs return to the Sellick Bowl to host Presbyterian Saturday, Oct. 11; that contest is part of Family Weekend on the Butler campus. Presbyterian, which has a bye this weekend, is 5-0 and currently ranked in both FCS national polls (at No. 23 and No. 24, respectively).