ST. GEORGE, Utah - Against the second-best rushing defense in the nation, Butler County sophomore running back Rudi Johnson had a game for the ages.

In front of an estimated 8,000 fans at Hansen Stadium, the 5-foot-10 all-purpose back from Colonial Heights, Va. ended his junior college career with a 373-yard rushing perfomance and scored seven touchdowns in the Dixie Rotary Bowl. Johnson’s big day helped the No. 2-ranked Butler County Grizzlies beat the top-ranked Dixie (Utah) Rebels 49-35 and secure their second straight national championship.

Butler became the second team in NJCAA history to win back-to-back national titles. Blinn (Texas) first achieved the feat by winning the 1995 and 1996 championships.

Heading into the game, the Rebel defense was allowing 50 yards per game on the ground before Johnson and the Grizzlies burned it for 402 yards rushing and 210 yards passing for 612 yards total offense.

Dixie led 7-0 after one quarter, but it was all Johnson in the second quarter as he scored four rushing touchdowns to give Butler a 28-7 halftime lead.

It was more of the same in the third quarter, as Johnson caught a screen pass from Cobb and went 17 yards for another touchdown. Dixie finally was able to respond with a stop of the Grizzly offense and put up score of its own, but Johnson would add two more scores in the quarter. 

Following Dixie’s touchdown, Johnson ran 56 yards up the right sideline on Butler’s first play. He then capped a three-play, 86-yard drive with a 25-yard touchdown run up the middle. 

The Rebels then turned the ball over on downs, and Johnson responded with his final touchdown of the day – a five-yard sweep on the left side. Butler had its biggest lead of the game, 49-14.

Dixie battled back to make the score respectable with three touchdowns in the final quarter, but the rally was too late.

Cobb led the Grizzlies in passing with 210 yards as he completed 12-of-23 passes. Butler was led in receiving by Sam Breeden, who finished with five catches for 90 yards.