EL DORADO, Kan. – The No. 12 ranked Butler Grizzlies fell 21-14 to No. 3 Snow College on Saturday afternoon at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex in the NJCAA 'Game of the Week' streamed on ESPN+.
Click here for the postgame press conference from head coach Brice Vignery
The Grizzlies (2-2) did not trail until the Badgers (5-0) took the lead, 21-14, with five seconds remaining in the game on a seven-yard touchdown pass. The Grizzlies are now 0-2 at home this season and have led by double digits in the first half of both losses.
Butler was shut out in the second half after building a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. The Grizzlies were forced to punt on their first five drives of the second half, with the sixth drive resulting in a blocked field goal by Snow and the seventh being a desperation hook and ladder attempt with one second to play in the game.
Set up for a go ahead 39-yard field goal following a 42-yard scramble from quarterback Mac Armstrong to put them in scoring position, Grizzly kicker Aidan Battle's kick was blocked by Snow's Junior Kaufusi. The ball rolled into the endzone and Snow College took over at their own 20 yard line with 2:59 to play and the score knotted up 14-14. The Badgers proceeded to put together an 11-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to take the lead 21-14, leaving just five seconds on the clock for Butler to work with.
Butler's defense forced a punt on Snow's first drive of the game. The Grizzlies then got the ball for their first drive and marched down the field as quarterback Mason McHugh capped off a 9-play 79-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown rush to make it 7-0. It would be Butler's only offensive points in the game.
The Grizzly defense picked off the Badgers Donnie Smith on the next two possessions with Zayden Laing-Taylor snagging the first after linebacker Tae Bulock tipped it up in the air. The next interception saw linebacker Jaylen Lawrence pick Smith off in the flat and return it 53-yards for a touchdown to make it 14-0 Butler with 14:49 to play in the second quarter.
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— Butler Grizzlies (@ButlerGrizzlies) September 28, 2024
The Grizzlies take a 14-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter as Lawrence houses an interception 53 yards#RoarGrizz�� pic.twitter.com/awJFDE8RN8
Snow's first five drives went punt, interception, interception, field goal attempt and punt. The field goal attempt was from 37 yards out and Butler's Seven Cloud got a hand on it, forcing it to hit the right upright and miss.
The Badgers put together their first scoring drive right before the half. Smith found a streaking De'yhare Overstreet over the middle for a 30-yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Butler going into halftime. Overstreet finished with five receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns. His second touchdown came with 8:08 to go in the fourth quarter as he broke away from two Grizzly defenders, tying the game 14-14.
Butler finished with 194 yards of total offense compared to the Badgers 341. The Grizzlies were held to 89 yards rushing and were just 11-20 for 105 yards through the air between the two quarterbacks. Snow's Smith finished the game going 19-28 with 229 yards and three touchdowns. Butler won the turnover battle 2-0 as well as holding the Badgers to just 2.5 yards per carry. The Grizzlies finished 2-11 (18%) on third down while Snow was 9-18 (50%). Butler had eight tackles for loss to Snow's five.
Landon Boss finished with a career-high 14 tackles as well as a sack and quarterback hurry for the Grizzlies from his linebacker position. Cloud had 10 tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss and the blocked field goal. Defensive linemen Seth LeClair and Mark Debiak each recorded sacks while Laing-Taylor and Lawrence had interceptions. Demetrie Morgan led Butler with two tackles for loss. Offensively, Armstrong's one rush for 42 yards led the Grizzlies in rushing. Nolan Chambers had one reception for 27 yards to pace the pass catchers.
Butler has an off week this week and will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 12th, when they take on Highland at Porter Family Stadium at 1 p.m.
