GAME 5:  Butler (2-2, 0-0 PFL) vs. MARIST (2-1, 0-0 PFL)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 27
Time: 1PM ET
Location: Indianapolis, Ind. | Sellick Bowl
Watch: FloSports

THE SERIES: This is the eighth meeting in the series between the two programs with Marist holding a slim, 4-3 advantage. Butler has won two straight in the series with the most recent match-up coming Oct. 22, 2022 (a 31-10 win by the Bulldogs in Indianapolis on Homecoming). The teams first met in 2011. 

BULLDOG BLITZ: 
- Saturday's game is the Pioneer Football League season opener for both teams; there are four Saturday PFL games on the league schedule. 
- Saturday's game is part of Homecoming Weekend on the Butler campus. Both the women's and men's soccer teams will also play at home Saturday. Butler head coach Kevin Lynch's father, Bill, will be recognized as honorary captain for Saturday's game. Bill served as Butler's head coach from 1985-89 and went 36-12-3 over that five-year stretch. As a player at Butler (1972-76), Lynch was a three-time Conference Player of the Year and his 60 career touchdown passes are still the Butler program record. 
- The Bulldogs are 16-4 when playing at the Sellick Bowl since the beginning of the 2022 season.
- Controlling the ball an average of 33:23 per game so far this season, Butler ranks 11th in FCS in time of possession. Butler had the ball for 40:10 in the Sept. 6 win over Truman State.
- Redshirt quarterback Gabe Passini had 175 yards rushing on 23 carries Saturday night at Weber State. He added five completions for 51 yards, while accounting for touchdowns both on the ground and through the air.
- Butler is one of only four defenses in FCS to not allow a fourth-down conversion so far this season. 
- Butler was 0-for-14 on third down Saturday against Weber State after entering the game ranked fourth in the FCS by converting 55 percent of their third-down opportunities. Even after Saturday's performance, Butler still is converting 43 percent of its third-down opportunities.
- After Weber State scored on five of their first six possessions Saturday, Butler allowed the home team only 10 points over the final 34 minutes of the game.
- 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. 

LAST WEEK: Down by 20 late in the first half to Weber State, Butler nearly was able to complete a comeback before ultimately falling on the road, 38-24, Saturday night in Ogden, Utah. Weber State led 27-7 after a touchdown with 4:46 remaining in the second quarter. Butler scored 10 points over the final stretch of the first half to pull within 10 at halftime. Gabe Passini's 12-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter cut the Weber State lead to 30-24 but the hosts were able to put the game out of reach with a touchdown with 2:54 remaining in the contest.

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 and fewest penalty yards. Butler's average of only 3.5 accepted penalties per game is sixth nationally. Butler's average of 32.3 penalty yards per game is ninth fewest nationally. 

YOU WANT ME ON THAT LINE, YOU NEED ME ON THAT LINE: The Bulldogs have allowed only three sacks through four games. That average of 0.75 sacks allowed per game is 12th in FCS. 

JUST KICK IT OUT OF BOUNDS: The Bulldogs rank fourth nationally, averaging 30.0 yards per kick-off return. Marist is the FCS leader at 38.0 yards per kick-off return. Butler's Ethan Loss ranks 11th in FCS, averaging 32.7 yards per kick-off return. 

Loss ranks 16th in FCS in all-purpose yards at 132.3 per game. Loss had a 90-yard kick-off return for a touchdown Sept. 13 at Hanover and a rushing touchdown at Weber State Sept. 20. He ranks second in the PFL with 23 receptions on the season and ranks third in the PFL with his 280 receiving yards. 

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.

HOT START: Reagan Andrew accounted for Butler's first four touchdowns Sept. 6 against Truman State – two passing and two rushing – before leaving the game in the third quarter with an injury. In just more than six quarters of play this season, Andrew has passed for 345 yards and three touchdowns, and has run for 109 yards and three touchdowns. 

SCOUTING MARIST: Marist is 2-1 on the young season with wins over New Haven and Wagner, with a loss to Bucknell. Head coach Mike Willis is in his second season leading the Red Foxes. Marist prioritizes a rushing attack that is averaging 178.7 yards per game so far this season. The Marist defense has 10 takeaways through the team's three games in 2025.  

SIDELINE SHAKEUP: 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. 

2024 RECAP: The Bulldogs won nine games in 2024, marking their highest total since 2013 when Butler shared the PFL crown with Marist (7-1). BU opened the year 5-0, defeated Davidson for the first time since 2016 and notched their first-ever win over St. Thomas.

Butler received votes in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll before the start of the 2024 season and were ranked No. 23 heading into the season finale.

ON THE OFFENSIVE -- 2024 VERSION: A year ago, Butler's offense led the PFL in scoring offense, red zone offense, third down conversions, first downs, fewest sacks allowed, fewest tackles for loss allowed, and fewest penalties. Butler scored on 47 of their 51 trips to the red zone in 2024. 

DAWGS ON D -- 2024 EDITION: Butler returns seven starters to a defensive unit that only allowed 16.3 points per game last year, the third-best scoring defense in the country. BU ranked sixth among their FCS peers in total defense limiting the opposition to just 292 yards per game. The Bulldogs also ranked sixth in FCS football in passing yards allowed (158) and seventh in red zone defense.

Butler came up with consecutive shutouts last year for the first time since 1947! The Bulldogs defeated Hanover 53-0 in Week 3 then dominated the action vs. Virginia-Lynchburg in Week 4 (63-0).

UP NEXT: Butler's first road Pioneer Football League contest of the season takes the Bulldogs to Minnesota to face St. Thomas Saturday, Oct. 4. The Bulldogs then return to the Sellick Bowl to host Presbyterian Saturday, Oct. 11; that contest is part of Family Weekend on the Butler campus.