GARDEN CITY, Kan. – No. 15-ranked Butler turned the ball over seven times but still was able to get a 20-10 road win over No. 16 Garden City on Saturday at Buffaloes Stadium.
Butler scored two second-half touchdowns to overcome a 3-2 halftime deficit and get back on the winning ledger after a rare conference loss two weeks ago against Highland.
The Grizzlies were the first team to score in the game when DaVon Durant sacked Garden City quarterback Akeem Jones in the end zone for a safety at the 10:15 mark in the first quarter.
Garden City answered with a 26-yard field goal by Tyler Peterson with 2:21 left in the first quarter to take the lead.
Neither team scored in the second quarter and the unusual score stood at halftime. It was the third time this season that the Butler offense has failed to score in the first half and the second consecutive week in which the Grizzlies trailed at the break.
Both teams continued to struggle offensively after halftime before Butler eventually found the end zone. The Grizzlies capped an eight-play, 50-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run by Dalton Buehler with 5:55 to go in the third quarter. A play-action pass from quarterback Hunter Vaughn to tight end Aden Olsen put Butler up 10-3.
The Grizzlies would add a 24-yard field goal from Robert Rawlings with 1:07 left in the quarter to take a 13-3 lead. That would prove to be the game-winning score.
For all of Butler's turnover problems, it was a Garden City fumble that allowed Butler to seal the contest, as Nick Cook scooped up a loose ball and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown with 9:24 to go in the game.
Garden City would get its only touchdown of the game with 3.5 seconds left in the contest on a 12-yard pass from Jake Curran to Brandon Snell.
The Butler defense only allowed 199 yards of total offense to Garden City, half of what the Broncbusters average per game. Butler had eight sacks in the game with two apiece from Dominic White, Owen Williams and DaVon Durant.
Offensively, Ty Suggs became the first Butler rusher this season with more than 100 yards in a game, as he carried 28 times for 109 yards to lead the Butler offense. Hunter Vaughn completed 11 of 17 passes for 133 yards and an interception.
Butler will have a bye next weekend and will return to action on Oct. 19 at Coffeyville. The Red Ravens are 3-3 after a 21-14 loss to Highland on Saturday.
