Football Game Preview: Butler takes on Iowa Central for first time since 2019

Story by kalon Fullerton:

It's yet another battle of ranked teams for the Butler Grizzlies, as they face off against the 10th ranked Iowa Central Tritons at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex on Saturday night.

It's the fifth game that Butler has played against a ranked opponent this season, and the fouth time the Grizzlies have hosted a team in the top 10. Butler defeated seventh ranked Garden City, 35-28 to open the season before losing to seventh ranked Snow in a classic, 50-49 and falling on the road 27-19 at No 2 Hutchinson. 

Iowa Central comes into the game with a 4-2 record, coming off their second defeat of the season, as they lost to Coffeyville last week 47-30. The only other loss for the Tritons came at the hands of the top ranked team in the country, narrowly losing to Hutchinson, 31-28 in overtime in the second week of the season.

The Tritons come into the game against the Grizzlies with one of the best offenses in the country. Iowa Central is ranked second in scoring, behind only tonight's opponents, the Butler Grizzlies, and points per game, and fourth in total offense. They score 41.8 points per game and average 270.3 yards per game. They're led in the air by quarterback Justin Silverstein, a redshirt freshman who has over 700 yards this season. The Tritons are first in the nation in passing touchdowns with 23. 

The Tritons have established themselves as a national powerhouse, finishing ranked in the top 10 in 18 of the past 20 seasons. Butler has met the Tritons seven times all time, with the Grizzlies winning on five of those occasions. The last matchup between the two teams came in 2019, and it was Butler coming out victorious, as the 18th ranked Grizzlies knocked off the Tritons 42-10. 

Butler comes into the game riding a 77-14 victory over McDougal Tech last weekend. Butler scored 11 touchdowns and amassed nearly 500 yards of offense. The Grizzlies come into the game at 4-2 and ranked eighth in the nation. They are 2-1 at home, with their only loss at BG Stadium coming at the hands of Snow. Butler is 2-2 against ranked teams this season.

The Grizzlies are led by quarterback Jake Wolff, who has racked up 1,416 yards, 236 yards per game, and 10 touchdowns. He is eighth in completions and third in yards per game. Also providing offensive threats for the Grizzlies is AJ King, currently fifth in yards, eighth in receptions, and leads the nation in yards per game with 98.4. Azhaun Dingle has been the leader for Brice Vignery's squad on the ground, running for 281 yards and piling up nine touchdowns. 

It's the first game against a team from Iowa for the Grizzlies this season, as the KJCCC returns to an alliance with the ICCAC after a three year absence. Butler will play Iowa Western on the road next week, before ending the season with the third and final Iowa opponent, traveling to Ellsworth on November 12th.