EL DORADO, Kan. – The No. 2-ranked Butler Grizzlies opened their new stadium in style on Saturday night, dominating the first and third quarters on their way to a 28-10 win over No. 5 Blinn at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex.
Playing in front of 6,157 fans in the first-ever game at the new $12 million facility, the second-ranked Grizzlies took the opening kickoff and marched 80 yards in 11 plays. Billy Cosh plunged into the end zone on a quarterback keeper from one yard out, giving Butler the first touchdown in the new building just 3:47 into the game.
Butler would score again in the first quarter when running back Dreamius Smith burst through the middle of the line of scrimmage and outran the defense for a 58-yard touchdown run to make it a 14-0 game with 2:51 left in the first quarter.
Blinn would take control of the second quarter, getting its only touchdown of the game on a two-yard run by Donavan Williams with 11:58 left in the first half. Later in the quarter, the Butler defense held on a key stretch deep in its own territory, holding Blinn to just a field goal that made it 14-10.
Butler would score two quick touchdowns late in the third quarter to put the game away. The first came at the 3:37 mark as Cosh scored on another one-yard keeper to put Butler up 28-10. The Grizzlies defense forced a quick Blinn punt and Cosh took advantage, hooking up with Chris Fields on a 64-yard pass play for the final score of the night.
For the Grizzlies, Cosh completed 21 of 35 passes for 232 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Dreamius Smith had 10 carries for 84 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, linebacker Rahman Swain had a big ballgame with 11 total tackles, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a pass deflection.
The Butler defense held Blinn to just two first downs and 40 yards of total offense in the second half.
Butler is now 2-0 on the season. The Grizzlies step back into Jayhawk Conference next week at home against Fort Scott, which fell by a 35-7 score to No. 16 Tyler (Texas) on Saturday.
