2008 Woodie Awards
Drake drops the ball, loses second straight
Battle of the Bulldogs goes in Butler's favor in a 21-15 road loss for Drake
Jack Thumser
Issue date: 10/6/08 Section: Sports
Saturday's battle of the Bulldogs in Indianapolis proved that the only stat that really matters in football is the score.
Drake had 10 more first downs than Butler, 88 more rushing yards, 115 more passing yards, 203 more total yards, and had possession for nearly 10 more minutes. The Bulldogs won 21-15. The Butler Bullogs, that is.
For Butler, the game was their first against a conference opponent this year, and the win put them to 3-1 overall on the season. Drake droped to 2-3 with the loss and 0-2 in Pioneer League play. The win also snapped Drake's five-game winning streak against Butler.
Drake's downfall was simply a lack of red zone offense. Despite five trips inside Butler's 20-yard line, Drake was only able to muster one touchdown. Kicker Logan Rees (B4) was successful in three of his four field goal attempts - a career high.
"We stubbed our toe a couple of times," said Head Coach Chris Creighton of the team's inability to score in the red zone, "We just couldn't get it in."
Butler got on the scoreboard first, capping an eight-play, 91-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown from quarterback Matt Kobli to wide receiver Dan Bohrer.
In the second quarter, Drake's defense dominated, allowing less than two yards and forcing punts on both of Butler's possessions. After two Rees field goals, however, Drake quarterback Ben Ostermann (AS4) was intercepted by safety Rob Blevins who sprinted 39 yards for the score. Rees missed a 40-yarder before halftime, sending Drake to the locker room down 14-6.
Drake's offense cruised down the field to start the third quarter, scoring on a nine-yard Ostermann run. He totaled 302 yards, with a team-leading 70 of them coming on the ground. Ostermann's running, however, was not simply scrambling.
"Yes, it was planned," Creighton said of Ostermann's team-high 14 rushing attempts. "He's good with his feet."
Drake tried to tie the game with a two-point conversion but failed, leaving the score at 14-12.
Drake had 10 more first downs than Butler, 88 more rushing yards, 115 more passing yards, 203 more total yards, and had possession for nearly 10 more minutes. The Bulldogs won 21-15. The Butler Bullogs, that is.
For Butler, the game was their first against a conference opponent this year, and the win put them to 3-1 overall on the season. Drake droped to 2-3 with the loss and 0-2 in Pioneer League play. The win also snapped Drake's five-game winning streak against Butler.
Drake's downfall was simply a lack of red zone offense. Despite five trips inside Butler's 20-yard line, Drake was only able to muster one touchdown. Kicker Logan Rees (B4) was successful in three of his four field goal attempts - a career high.
"We stubbed our toe a couple of times," said Head Coach Chris Creighton of the team's inability to score in the red zone, "We just couldn't get it in."
Butler got on the scoreboard first, capping an eight-play, 91-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown from quarterback Matt Kobli to wide receiver Dan Bohrer.
In the second quarter, Drake's defense dominated, allowing less than two yards and forcing punts on both of Butler's possessions. After two Rees field goals, however, Drake quarterback Ben Ostermann (AS4) was intercepted by safety Rob Blevins who sprinted 39 yards for the score. Rees missed a 40-yarder before halftime, sending Drake to the locker room down 14-6.
Drake's offense cruised down the field to start the third quarter, scoring on a nine-yard Ostermann run. He totaled 302 yards, with a team-leading 70 of them coming on the ground. Ostermann's running, however, was not simply scrambling.
"Yes, it was planned," Creighton said of Ostermann's team-high 14 rushing attempts. "He's good with his feet."
Drake tried to tie the game with a two-point conversion but failed, leaving the score at 14-12.
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