Grizzlies set for 2023 home opener vs. Highland

EL DORADO, Kan. – The No. 13 ranked Butler Grizzly football team will take on the Highland Scotties on Saturday night at 7 p.m. for Butler's 2023 home opener at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex.

The Grizzlies (0-1, 0-1 KJCCC) will be searching for their first win of the season after dropping a hard-fought contest at then No. 5 ranked Garden City, 27-22, to open the season last Thursday.

Highland (1-0, 1-0 KJCCC) enters Saturday's game riding high off their week 1 victory over then No. 7 ranked Coffeyville.

HOW TO WATCH AND LISTEN

The game will be streamed on ButlerGrizzlies.com/WatchLive. You can also download BCTV+, a new app where you can stream all of Butler's home events. The game can be heard on 98.7FM and 1330AM KNSS with Dennis Higgins on the call and Fayne Henson providing color.

TICKETS

Tickets can be purchased here (butlergrizzlies.com/tickets). Butler volleyball also hosts its home opener on Saturday at 2 p.m. vs. Pratt. Tickets purchased for the volleyball match will gain fans entrance to the football game later in the evening.

GAME INFO

The game sponsor for Saturday's game is Smoothie King of El Dorado, located on 127 N. Oil Hill Road, a proud sponsor of Butler football. Gates open at 5 p.m. and game programs with team rosters and other information will be sold for $3 at the game.      

HOME OPENERS

Butler has had mixed results in home openers over the last couple of years. Lasts season they defeated Garden City 35-28. In 2021 Butler fell to Independence 50-28 in the season and home opener. In the spring 2021 covid season the Grizzlies lost the home opener 41-10 to Hutchinson. The 2019 season saw Butler take down Iowa Central 42-10 in the season and home opener. From 2009 to 2019, Butler won 11 consecutive home openers.

THE MATCHUP

Butler leads the all-time series with Highland 35-12-1 with the first meeting coming in 1953. The Grizzlies hold a nine-game winning streak over Highland. Highland's last win over Butler was Sept. 21, 2013 when they defeated #4 Butler 23-21 in El Dorado. The loss was the first home loss for Butler in a home game since 2005 and the first ever loss for the Grizzlies at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex. The last time Butler hosted Highland was during the spring 2021 season. They defeated the Scotties 34-7 on May 1, 2021 behind 180 rushing yards and two touchdowns from running back Kevontae McDonald.

THE LAST TIME THEY MET

The Grizzlies dominated the Highland Scotties from start to finish away from home at Porter Family Stadium in a 45-3 victory on Sept. 4, 2022. Butler found the end zone on their first three drives and cruised the rest of the way, taking a 35-3 lead into the half. The Grizzlies put up 451 yards of offense. Jake Wolff tallied 14 completions on 28 attempts, with 303 yards passing and two touchdowns. AJ King starred for Butler, totaling 129 yards and four receptions as well as a touchdown. Highland had no answer for Azhaun Dingle, who had another stellar day, finding the end zone three times on eight carries.

The Grizzly defense was relentless all game. It was the fourth straight year where Butler held the Scotties to less than 10 points. The Grizzlies held Highland to just 81 yards of offense and an average gain per play of less than two yards. Caleb Foster led Butler with two sacks and the Grizzlies totaled seven as a team. Caleb Brown forced the only turnover of the game, picking off Highland in the first half.

SCOUTING THE SCOTTIES

Highland enters Saturday's contest with a 1-0 record after defeating then No. 7 ranked Coffeyville 20-14 at home. Coffeyville outrushed Highland 127-55 and held onto the ball longer with a time of possession of 41:08 to Highland's 33:52, but penalties (11 for 97 yards) and two turnovers by the Red Ravens helped the Scotties earn the season opening victory. Highland's defense was swarming throughout as they posted seven tackles for loss.

The Scotties quarterback Tysan Robbins finished 15-of-35 for 197 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Dontevious Jackson led Highland with 51 rush yards on 12 attempts, but it was Jordan Jackson who led in carries with 17 for just six yards. Wide receiver Dariyonne Bryant led with four receptions for 85 yards and two touchdowns. Kicker Adonis Coyle was 2/2 on field goals and 2/2 on extra points. His long field goal was 32 yards. Defensively, LeBron Morgan and Eddie Whipple led with eight total tackles each. Malik Franklin had three pass breakups and the defense had seven tackles for loss.

LAST TIME OUT FOR BUTLER

Butler fell on the road to then No. 9 ranked Garden City 27-22. In a game where the Grizzlies struggled offensively, they played well enough in the second half to have a shot late to win the game. With less than two minutes remaining in the game and the Grizzlies having just scored and having only two timeouts remaining, there was only one option, and that was to try an onside kick. Freshman punter Isaac Saye proceeded to kick a dribbler that bounced off a Broncbuster and Butler freshman defensive lineman Seth LeClaire jumped on it. Just like that the Grizzlies had new life on their own 46-yard line down five points.

Butler QB Tanner Murray completed a 16-yard pass to freshman receiver Nick Brown and an 11-yard pass to sophomore receiver Jack Meylan during the drive, but ultimately Garden City picked off a Murray pass on fourth and nine at the Garden City 26-yard line that ended the game as GCCC took over with 21 seconds left.

Garden City's time of possession was 37:54 compared to Butler's 22:06. Butler finished with 62 total rushing yards while Garden City had 203. The Grizzlies finished with more passing yards, 195 to 142. Butler struggled sustaining drives and that was mainly due to their 3-11 (27%) success rate on third downs.

Sophomore linebacker Eunique Valentine led Butler with 15 total tackles as well as 1.5 tackles for loss. Sophomore linebacker Udoka Ezeani added six total tackles and a sack. Sophomore linebacker Armahn Hale had two pass breakups.

In his first game and start as Butler's quarterback, Murray was 14-of-32 for 195 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Sophomore running back and Oklahoma transfer Seth McGowan led the rushing efforts with 10 carries for 45 yards and a touchdown while freshman receiver Justin Stephens (Maize, KS) led the Grizzly wide outs with three receptions for 54 yards.

SPECIAL TEAMS WEAPON

Butler's punter, Melbourne, Australia native Chevy Edwards, was a threat for the Grizzly special teams. Edwards punted six times, averaging 41.0 yards per punt and boomed a long of 65 yards. Three of his punts landed inside the 20-yard line.

WHAT HAPPENED IN THE RANKINGS?

Butler fell one spot, from No. 12 to No. 13 after the loss to Garden City who jumped four spots to No. 5. Hutchinson jumped from No. 2 to No. 1 after their 42-6 win over then ranked No. 11 Navarro who now sits at No. 15. The Grizzlies week seven opponent, Iowa Central, sits at No. 9, jumping one spot up from the preseason rankings.Butler's week eight opponent, Iowa Western, is ranked No. 2 after beginning the season at No. 1. Coffeyville and Highland are receiving votes.

KJCCC STANDINGS

NJCAA RANKINGS

Receiving Votes: Coffeyville, Highland, Hinds, Mississippi Gulf Coast, Monroe College