Box Score /// PDF Stats
DAYTON -- The University of Dayton football team fell on 33-30 on Senior Day to the Butler Bulldogs Saturday at Welcome Stadium. UD tied the game 30-30 with 8:12 to go after 24 unanswered points by Butler, but the 'Dogs kicked what turned out to be the game-winning field goal with 3:29 left and held on for the win.

Dayton led 27-13 at halftime despite losing star running back Connor Kacsor due to an injury five plays into the game. Kacsor, who came into the game with 659 yards in his last four games, had two carries for 29 yards before heading to the sidelines. Kacsor came into the game with four consecutive 100+ yard games, but without him (and backup Robert Washington, who scored two TD's before getting hurt early in the third quarter) Dayton was held to 107 yards rushing as a team.

Quarterback Will Bardo, who also left the game with another injury just before the Flyers tied it at 30 in the fourth quarter, was 17 of 25 passing for 299 yards and two TD's. Gary Hunter caught a career-high seven passes for 155 yards. Ross Smith had four receptions for 84 yards.

Cornerback Howard Savage, linebacker Colin Monnier and linebacker Christopher Beaschler all had 10 tackles for the Dayton defense. Nine of Savage's tackles were solos, and he also broke up two passes.

Butler was led by quarterback Matt Lancaster, who was 18 of 27 through the air for 232 yards passing and carried the ball 20 times for 116 yards. He accounted for all four Butler touchdowns (two rushing, two passing), and even had a 20-yard reception.

Dayton scored the game's first two TD's and led 13-6 after one quarter. A Butler touchdown with 45 seconds left in the half made it Dayton 27, Butler 13 at halftime. That Bulldog TD was the start of s 24-0 run for Butler, giving BU a 30-27 lead with 12:17 left in the game.

UD came back to tie it on a 25-yard field goal by William Will, but Bardo was injured during the drive. Butler moved the ball 54 yards on eight plays, and re-took the lead on a Jon Treloar 33-yard field goal. The Flyers had the ball twice more, and backup QB Luke Johnson was 4-for-6 for 33 yards, but Dayton was unable to penetrate Butler territory.

Dayton is now 6-3 overall, and 4-2 in the Pioneer Football League. Butler is now 7-3 on the season, and remains tied for first in the PFL with a 5-1 mark. Dayton will finish out the season on the road. The Flyers are at Drake on Nov. 9.