Saturday, October 31
Indianapolis, Ind.
12:00 p.m.
Davidson College
7
at
14
Butler
Kenny Mantuo rushed for a career-high 147 yards.
Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com
Late Score Lifts Butler to 14-7 Win
10/31/2009 2:52:15 PM | Football
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Butler quarterback Andrew Huck threw for 136 yards, ran for 81 and scored the game-winning touchdown to lift the Bulldogs to a 14-7 Pioneer Football League victory over Davidson Saturday afternoon at the Butler Bowl.
With the score knotted at 7-7, Huck scored on a 1-yard run with 4:09 remaining, and David Lang added the extra point to cap an 11-play, 98-yard drive for the Bulldogs (8-0, 5-0 PFL). The Wildcats were able to get two offensive possessions the rest of the way but wound up turning the ball over on downs on each one.
Kenny Mantuo ran 16 times for a career-high 147 yards and a touchdown to lead the 'Cats (2-6, 2-4 PFL), and Michael Blanchard threw for 91 yards and ran for 41. Patrick Hunt led the defense with 11 tackles, and Alex Griswold had seven stops and 2.5 tackles for loss.
“I'm proud of our kids' effort against an undefeated team that is at the top of our conference,” said Davidson coach Tripp Merritt. “I told them in the locker room that we've got to find a way to get it done on those three to four plays that we have to make in order to win.”
It was a defensive contest in which field position proved to be a huge key. Trailing 7-0 at the break, Mantuo helped the 'Cats tie the score 36 seconds into the second half. The junior broke away for a 61-yard gain on Davidson's first play from scrimmage and finished the job with a 9-yard touchdown run on the next play.
Then excellent special teams work by Butler and the help of a freak play flipped the field on Davidson, giving the Wildcats the ball on their own 1-yard line on their last two possessions of the third quarter.
The Wildcats forced a Butler punt on 4th-and-1 from the Bulldogs' 39. Nick Savarino blocked the punt, but punter Michael Wilson recovered the ball behind the line of scrimmage and was able to punt again, a 60-yarder that rolled dead at Davidson's 1-yard line. Davidson went three-and-out, and Butler got the ball at the Wildcat 49. The Davidson defense held the Bulldogs off, but Wilson placed another punt at the Davidson 1.
“When you have that kind of field position, it really limits what you can do,” said Merritt. “That was the craziest play I've ever seen. The ball bounced right back into his hands, and credit him for getting off a good kick and pinning us in with some other good punts.”
The 'Cats got a special teams break of their own to start the fourth quarter when Butler was whistled for roughing the kicker on an Andrew Wohler punt attempt from his own end zone, giving Davidson a fresh set of downs. Davidson's drive stalled at the Butler 32-yard line, but Wohler pinned the Bulldogs on their own 2-yard line to flip the field position back in Davidson's favor.
Unfortunately, the Wildcats were flagged for a roughing the passer penalty on second down, allowing Butler to move the ball out of the shadow of their end zone, and Huck took over from there, leading the Bulldogs down for the game-winning score.
Ryan Hitchcock put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard with an 8-yard touchdown that capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive late in the first quarter. A 19-yard pass from Huck to Dan Bohrer, and a 17-yard scramble by Huck set up the score.
The Bulldogs had a chance to add to the lead early in the second quarter as Gray's 31-yard run sparked a Butler drive down to the Davidson 20-yard line. But the Wildcat defense forced a 35-yard field goal try by Lang, and the kick went wide left.
Davidson used the 2-minute offense to drive down to the Butler 48 late in the half, but Jordan Ridley picked off a Blanchard pass with 28 seconds left to end the threat.
The Wildcats travel across the country to face PFL opponent San Diego next Saturday. It will be the 1,000th game in Davidson football history.
Game Notes: Mantuo's 61-yard run was the longest of his career… It was the longest for Davidson since John Leverett had a 71-yard run in 2003… The Wildcats played an opponent with a share of first place in the league for the third straight week… Today's game was the 300th contest in PFL history… Davidson has scored 20 points in the first half this season… The Bulldogs improved to 8-0 for the first time since 1961 and are one of three remaining undefeated teams in Division I FCS.
With the score knotted at 7-7, Huck scored on a 1-yard run with 4:09 remaining, and David Lang added the extra point to cap an 11-play, 98-yard drive for the Bulldogs (8-0, 5-0 PFL). The Wildcats were able to get two offensive possessions the rest of the way but wound up turning the ball over on downs on each one.
Kenny Mantuo ran 16 times for a career-high 147 yards and a touchdown to lead the 'Cats (2-6, 2-4 PFL), and Michael Blanchard threw for 91 yards and ran for 41. Patrick Hunt led the defense with 11 tackles, and Alex Griswold had seven stops and 2.5 tackles for loss.
“I'm proud of our kids' effort against an undefeated team that is at the top of our conference,” said Davidson coach Tripp Merritt. “I told them in the locker room that we've got to find a way to get it done on those three to four plays that we have to make in order to win.”
It was a defensive contest in which field position proved to be a huge key. Trailing 7-0 at the break, Mantuo helped the 'Cats tie the score 36 seconds into the second half. The junior broke away for a 61-yard gain on Davidson's first play from scrimmage and finished the job with a 9-yard touchdown run on the next play.
Then excellent special teams work by Butler and the help of a freak play flipped the field on Davidson, giving the Wildcats the ball on their own 1-yard line on their last two possessions of the third quarter.
The Wildcats forced a Butler punt on 4th-and-1 from the Bulldogs' 39. Nick Savarino blocked the punt, but punter Michael Wilson recovered the ball behind the line of scrimmage and was able to punt again, a 60-yarder that rolled dead at Davidson's 1-yard line. Davidson went three-and-out, and Butler got the ball at the Wildcat 49. The Davidson defense held the Bulldogs off, but Wilson placed another punt at the Davidson 1.
“When you have that kind of field position, it really limits what you can do,” said Merritt. “That was the craziest play I've ever seen. The ball bounced right back into his hands, and credit him for getting off a good kick and pinning us in with some other good punts.”
The 'Cats got a special teams break of their own to start the fourth quarter when Butler was whistled for roughing the kicker on an Andrew Wohler punt attempt from his own end zone, giving Davidson a fresh set of downs. Davidson's drive stalled at the Butler 32-yard line, but Wohler pinned the Bulldogs on their own 2-yard line to flip the field position back in Davidson's favor.
Unfortunately, the Wildcats were flagged for a roughing the passer penalty on second down, allowing Butler to move the ball out of the shadow of their end zone, and Huck took over from there, leading the Bulldogs down for the game-winning score.
Ryan Hitchcock put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard with an 8-yard touchdown that capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive late in the first quarter. A 19-yard pass from Huck to Dan Bohrer, and a 17-yard scramble by Huck set up the score.
The Bulldogs had a chance to add to the lead early in the second quarter as Gray's 31-yard run sparked a Butler drive down to the Davidson 20-yard line. But the Wildcat defense forced a 35-yard field goal try by Lang, and the kick went wide left.
Davidson used the 2-minute offense to drive down to the Butler 48 late in the half, but Jordan Ridley picked off a Blanchard pass with 28 seconds left to end the threat.
The Wildcats travel across the country to face PFL opponent San Diego next Saturday. It will be the 1,000th game in Davidson football history.
Game Notes: Mantuo's 61-yard run was the longest of his career… It was the longest for Davidson since John Leverett had a 71-yard run in 2003… The Wildcats played an opponent with a share of first place in the league for the third straight week… Today's game was the 300th contest in PFL history… Davidson has scored 20 points in the first half this season… The Bulldogs improved to 8-0 for the first time since 1961 and are one of three remaining undefeated teams in Division I FCS.
WEEK3: Coaches Corner with Head Coach Saj Thakkar presented by Atrium Health.
Tuesday, September 09
WEEK 2: Coaches Corner with Head Coach Saj Thakkar presented by Atrium Health.
Tuesday, September 02
Davidson coach Saj Thakkar's inspiration
Friday, August 29
2025 Davidson Football -- GridIron Club Kickoff Call
Friday, August 29