WEEK 9: 'Cats Host Butler in Key PFL Matchup

GAME 8 | OCT. 26, 2024 | 1:00 PM | DAVIDSON COLLEGE STADIUM (5,000) | DAVIDSON, N.C.

DAVIDSON WILDCATS
2024 Record: 5-2 (3-1 PFL)
2023 Record: 7-4 (6-2 PFL)
Head Coach: Scott Abell
Davidson Record (Yrs): 46-25 (7)
Career Record (Yrs): 85-49 (13)

BUTLER BULLDOGS
2024 Record: 5-2 (1-2 PFL)
2023 Record: 7-4 (5-3 PFL)
Head Coach: Mike Uremovich
Butler Record: 19-10 (3)
Career Record: 52-55 (10)

INSIDE THE SERIES
Meetings: 16
Series Record: Davidson leads, 10-6
First Meeting: Davidson Won, 45-27 (9/20/03)
Last Meeting: Davidson Won, 35-33 (10/14/23)
Streak: Won 5
In Davidson: 6-3
In Indianapolis: 4-3
Abell vs. Butler: 5-0

1ST AND 10

Davidson, which has won five of its last six, enters 5-2 overall and 3-1 in Pioneer Football League action.
Behind 667 total yards, the Wildcats are coming off a 70-48 win over Stetson.
The 70-point day is a season-high and ties the mark for the most for the Wildcats in a PFL game since a 70-35 win over Presbyterian in 2021.
Mari Adams, the reigning PFL Offensive Player of the Week, led Davidson with 135 yards on the ground and three touchdowns last weekend.
In addition to leading the league in every rushing category, Adams ranks among FCS National leaders in rushing yards (884 / 7th), rushing yards per game (126.3 / 4th), yards per carry (7.69 / 3rd) and rushing touchdowns (11 / 4th).
Adams is just 116 yards from becoming the fourth player in program history with multiple 1,000-yard seasons.
Backfield mate Mason Sheron is second in the PFL in yards per carry (6.1) and touchdowns (9), while ranking third in rushing yards (608) and yards per game (86.9).
The 'Cats are 34-15 in PFL play under Head Coach Scott Abell, while capturing two regular season crowns and making three FCS Playoff appearances.
Dating back to 2020, the Wildcats are 16-1 in PFL home games.
Davidson, which has possessed the nation's top rushing offense five of the last six seasons, leads all of FCS in 2024 averaging 359.1 yards per game.
The Wildcats also rank among FCS national leaders in total offense (486.6 / 4th), scoring offense (41.3 / 3rd), passing efficiency (165.24 / 8th) and time of possession (34:39 / 3rd).

INSIDE THE SERIES

Saturday's meeting marks the 17th all-time between Davidson and Butler on the gridiron.
The Wildcats have won the last five meetings and lead the all-time series, 10-6.
Davidson's current win streak ended a stretch of six consecutive victories for Butler in the series.
The series of streaks started in 2002 with the 'Cats winning the first five meetings.

LAST TIME OUT | DAVIDSON 70, STETSON 48 -- OCT. 19, 2024 |DAVIDSON, N.C.

Behind 667 total yards (411 rush | 256 pass), Davidson averaged 9.3 yards per play and bounced back with a convincing 70-48 win over Stetson in Pioneer Football League action last Saturday at Davidson College Stadium and Field 76.
The 70-point day is a season-high and ties the mark for the most for the Wildcats in a PFL game since a 70-35 win over Presbyterian in 2021.
Mari Adams led the way for Davidson with 135 yards and three scores, while quarterbacks Andrew Frazier (108 yards) and Luke Durkin (146 yards, 2 TDs) combined to complete 12 of 14 passes.
As has been the case in games played on their home field this season, the Wildcats started fast once against jumping out to a 21-0 lead in the first 6:31.
Following touchdown runs from Adams (16 yards) and Durkin (17 yards), Davidson caught the Hatters off guard with an onside kick, which set up a Sam Valor score from five yards out three plays later.
Stetson answered with 14 straight points to make it a one-score game before the 'Cats closed the half with a 20-yard Adams touchdown run and a Durkin-to-Brody Reina 34-yard pass off a double-reverse flea flicker to make it 35-21.
Davidson extended its lead with touchdowns just 13 seconds apart early in the third quarter. After a Frazier 17-yard scamper, linebacker John Tessmann picked off a Brady Meitz pass on Stetson's next play from scrimmage to put the 'Cats up 48-28.
Not long after, Adams put the game out of reach with his 11th rushing touchdown of the season, a 54-yard run down the near sideline.
The Wildcats also got third-quarter scores from Will Jones (21-yard run) and Aaron Maione (28-yard reception).

LAST MEETING | DAVIDSON 35, BUTLER 33 -- OCT. 14, 2023 |INDIANAPOLIS, IND.

Mari Adams rushed for a career-high 171 yards and three more scores, and Coulter Cleland finished 19-of-20 for 224 yards and two touchdown passes, as Davidson held on for a 35-33 win at Butler Oct. 14, 2023.
Luka Zurak had a chance to win it for Butler with three seconds remaining, but his 58-yard game-winning field-goal attempt missed short.
In addition to its 224 yards in the air, Davidson ran for 282 to finish with 506 total yards.
Mark McCurdy, who had a diving catch to extend Davidson's final possession, led all receivers with 81 yards, while Aaron Maione had eight receptions for 80 yards to go along 40 on the ground.
Davidson wasted little time grabbing the early lead as the 'Cats scored less than three minutes into the contest on a 46-yard touchdown pass from Cleland to Brody Reina, capping a six-play, 87-yard drive.
A Daniel Carter interception set up Adams' first score of the day, but Butler responded again to even the score midway through the second quarter, 14-14.
Carter led the Davidson defense with eight tackles, finishing just ahead of Jonathan Hammond, who ended with seven, a break-up and a quarterback hurry.
The Wildcats started to take control late in the opening half with a pair of scores in the closing 4:11. Adams scampered 36 yards, followed by Cleland's second touchdown pass, a 25-yard toss to a wide-open Maione, giving Davidson a 28-14 advantage at intermission.
After the Bulldogs got back into the game with a blocked punt for a score and a 40-yard field goal from Zurak, the 'Cats extended their lead back to 11, 35-24, with an Adams 8-yard yard to conclude the third quarter.
Butler provided the only scoring in the final quarter, including a short touchdown from Jyran Mitchell with 6:24 to play, but Davidson's Sabin McGlaughlin came up with a huge stop on the two-point try to keep it 35-33.

UP NEXT

Davidson plays at league-rival San Diego next Saturday. Kick off is set for 4 p.m. (ET).

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