GAME 3: Butler (1-1) vs. Franklin College (1-0)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
Time: 6PM
Location: Indianapolis, Ind. / Bud & Jackie Sellick Bowl
Live Stats: Butlersports.com
Live Stream: ESPN+ 
 
The Butler football team will host Franklin College on Saturday at the Bud & Jackie Sellick Bowl. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+. 
 
Last week, Butler took on No. 1 Montana State and dropped the contest, 51-24. Butler was led by Gabe Passini who completed 14-of-19 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown. Tristan Johnson had a solid day on defense, recording four tackles and an interception against the reigning national champions. 
 
Butler opened the 2026 season Aug. 29 with a 27-23 victory over Georgetown College (Ky.) at the Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl. Passini was sensational for the Bulldogs in the win, as the signal-caller recorded a career-high 176 yards on the ground to go with a rushing touchdown. He passed for 145 yards and a touchdown en route to Butler's sixth consecutive home-opening victory. 
 
LAST SEASON: The Bulldogs went 6-6 in 2025, with a 4-4 record in PFL action. BU opened the year 4-2 with wins over Truman State, Hanover, Marist and St. Thomas. Butler captured the Hoosier Helmet in the final week of the regular season with a 27-20 win over Valparaiso.
 
THE SERIES: Butler is 41-16-2 all-time against Franklin dating back to 1887. The Bulldogs are 6-0 in their last six matchups with Grizzlies. The last time the two sides met was in 2017 in Franklin, Ind., BU won the contest 43-24. Will Marty tossed for 313 yards and three touchdowns and Duvante Lane recorded 117 rushing yards and two touchdowns. 
 
BULLDOG BLITZ:  

• Butler Head Coach Kevin Lynch is facing his alma mater for the first time as a head coach. Butler is riding a six-game winning streak against the Grizzlies. 
• Butler ranks eighth nationally in FCS in time of possession and first in the PFL (35:26). The Bulldogs also rank eighth nationally with only one sack allowed so far this season. 
• Passini is the team's leading rusher with 198 rushing yards this season, a mark that ranks 12th in FCS and third nationally among quarterbacks. 
• The Bulldogs are 19-6 when playing at the Sellick Bowl since the beginning of the 2022 season. 
• Desmin Jackson scored a one-yard rushing touchdown against Montana State, marking his second touchdown of the season.
• Jarrin Alley scored his first collegiate touchdown of the season against Montana State on a one-yard rush. 
• Chet Yardley hauled in three catches for 55 yards against Montana State. Nick Munson followed closely behind with three catches for 32 yards and a touchdown. 
• Yardley leads the team in receiving yards with 114 to his credit this season and one touchdown. The wideout averages 16.49 yards per catch. 
• Mason Armstrong, a Preseason All-PFL selection at linebacker, returns to the Bulldog defense in 2026. Armstrong posted 65 tackles a season ago, which ranked second on the squad.
• Luke Green also represented Butler on the Preseason All-PFL team and will be a pivotal part of the Bulldog defensive line. Green recorded 23 tackles and two tackles for loss last season while blocking two kicks. His two blocks ranked first in the PFL and sixth nationally in FCS. 
• Butler returns all five starting offensive linemen from last year's team that ranked 43rd nationally and third in the PFL in rushing offense with 167.4 yards per game. Butler's O-line allowed only 15 sacks a year ago, a mark that ranked first in the PFL and 19th nationally. 
• Charles Mackley, Green and Armstrong represent Butler on the 2026 Preseason All-PFL Team.  
• Butler was picked fifth in the 2026 Pioneer Football League Preseason Coaches' Poll.  

• Butler added 35 newcomers to the 2026 roster, including transfers from Northwestern, Dartmouth, Princeton, Yale, Findlay, Catholic, Davenport, IWU, College of the Canyons and Augustana.

 
 
SCOUTING FRANKLIN

• Franklin opened the season with a 34-31 win over North Park. Marshall Kmiecik was sensational for the Grizzlies completing 20 of his 32 passing attempts for 291 yards and five touchdowns. 
• Owen Wright hauled in seven catches for 109 yards and three touchdowns in his first game back after missing the majority of last season with an injury. 
• Haden Durnil led the Grizzly defense last week with nine tackles in the contest. 
• Franklin went 5-5 last season with a 3-3 mark in conference play. 
• Mike Leonard returned for his second stint as head coach of Franklin in December 2024. Leonard had a 129-55 career record in his 17 years of leading the program before he left.

 
 
UP NEXT
Butler will return to action next Saturday, Sept. 19 as the Bulldogs host Chicago State at the Bud & Jackie Sellick Bowl on Homecoming. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+. 
 
Fans can purchase single-game tickets at https://am.ticketmaster.com/butler/buy. Football single-game tickets begin at $15 for adults and $10 for youth. Season tickets for the 2026 Butler football season include general admission adult tickets for just $85 and reserved seats for only $105. Season parking passes are also available for purchase.
 
Cabanas are also available again this season for Butler Football games. The package includes a private 9x10 cabana with enclosure on three sides. Two parking passes and 12 general admission tickets are included in the single-game package ($395) or three-game package ($999).