INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Reagan Andrew threw three touchdown passes and ran for one and Butler beat NCAA Division II-member Upper Iowa 40-7 in a season opener on Saturday.
The Bulldogs used a quarterback rotation in their first game without graduated starter Brett Bushka, the 2024 Pioneer League offensive player of the year. In all, four quarterbacks attempted at least one pass.
Nick Howard, a graduate transfer from Dartmouth who helped lead the Big Green to a share of the Ivy League title in 2023, got the start and scored the game’s first touchdown, punching over from the 1 after Nick Bafka returned an interception 24 yards to the Upper Iowa 8. Howard also threw a 58-yard touchdown strike to Derek Allen Jr. for a score.
Andrew’s first play was an interception by Zacarius Murray that gave the Peacocks the ball at the Butler 24. He came right back to threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to William Enneking midway through the seconds quarter and a 70-yard TD to Luke Wooten just before halftime.
Upper Iowa’s lone touchdown occurred after its defense forced Butler to punt from its own 17 and Darryl Overstreet Jr. cashed in by throwing 23 yards to Eddie Burgess in the second.
Andrew completed 5 of his 10 pass attempts for 119 yards. Howard was 5 of 6 for 95 yards with no interceptions. Landon Hochstein and Sage Shindler, a transfer from Illinois Weslyan, also saw time under center and were a combined 4 of 6.
Howard, the all-time lead in rushing touchdowns at Dartmouth, broke for a 31 yard run and finished with five carries for 54 yards. Andrew carried five times for 29 yards.
Overstreet was held to just 12 of 31 passing for 121 yards and a touchdown but was picked off three times. Jayden Mitchell carried 16 times for 85 yards and RJ Wells carried 13 times for another 83.
Butler travels to play Murray State September 7.
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