GAME 2: Butler (1-0) vs. #1 Montana State (1-0)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 5
Time: 8:30PM ET / 6:30 PM MT
Location: Bozeman, Mont. / Bobcat Stadium
Live Stats: Butlersports.com
Live Stream: ESPN+ 
Radio: The Varsity Network 
 
The Butler football team will travel to Bozeman, Mont. to take on the reigning National Champions and current No. 1 overall team in FCS, the Montana State Bobcats. Kickoff in Bozeman is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. MT and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+. 
 
Butler opened the 2026 season with a 27-23 victory over Georgetown College (Ky.) at the Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl last weekend. Gabe 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: This will be the first meeting between the two sides in program history. Montana State is ranked No. 1 in the FCS national poll and is coming off its first national championship since 1984.
 
 
BULLDOG BLITZ:  

• Chet Yardley tallied 59 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Tigers. Nick Munson followed closely behind with 56 receiving yards. 
• Jackson Stratton led the defense with nine total tackles and two QB hurries against Georgetown College. Will Beesley had a stellar first game as a Bulldog recording seven tackles and an interception in his Bulldog debut. 
• Reagan Andrew returns for the Bulldogs in 2026 after a productive 2025 that saw him earn Phil Steele All-PFL Fourth Team honors. Andrew threw for 1,553 yards and added 12 touchdowns through the air. The signal caller was Butler's leading rusher a year ago, with 615 yards and eight touchdowns to his credit. 
• The Bulldogs added Albert Kunickis III from Northwestern and Desmin Jackson from Dartmouth this offseason. The duo will serve as a solid 1-2 punch out of the backfield for the Bulldogs. 
• 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.  
• The Bulldogs are 19-6 when playing at the Sellick Bowl since the beginning of the 2022 season. 

• 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 #1 MONTANA STATE

• The Bobcats opened the season with a 54-0 victory over Utah Tech in St. George, Utah. 
• Justin Lamson threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns for Montana State in the season opener. Receiver Dane Steel had a career day for the Bobcats recording 174 receiving yards and a touchdown on eight catches. 
• Dominic Solano led Montana State on defense with six tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack. 
• The Bobcats blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown against Utah Tech. The reigning national champions also had a pick-six in the contest. 
• Montana State's 54 points was the team's fourth-most points in any season opener in program history. 
• Brent Vigen is in his sixth season at the helm of the Bobcats. 

 
 
UP NEXT
Following the Bulldogs' trip to Montana, Butler will return to Indianapolis and host Franklin College on Saturday, Sept. 12 at the Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 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).