Butler downs #13 Trinity Valley 33-23, repeats as Midwest Classic Bowl champs

MIAMI, Okla. – For the second consecutive year, Butler football took home the championship trophy of the Midwest Classic Bowl as the seventh-ranked Grizzlies defeated No. 13 Trinity Valley 33-23 on Sunday at Red Robertson Field.

Butler (10-3 overall) took an early 21-0 lead behind three offensive touchdowns in the first half, then held off a Cardinals' comeback bid as the Grizzly special teams unit recorded a blocked punt for a touchdown and safety in the second half.

With the postseason victory, Butler reached the 10-win plateau for the first time under head coach Tim Schaffner and the first since the 2012 season. The Grizzlies also recorded back-to-back bowl victories since winning the NJCAA National Championships during the 2007 and 2008 title campaigns.

"It seems like it was a fitting win tonight because this is how most of our season has been," Schaffner said. "Nip and tuck, we couldn't quite put them away until the end and that's what matters, but it just epitomizes what we talk about with this group and these guys having grit, resiliency and their survivability. They showed it again tonight."

Grizzly running back Adarius Thomas received offensive Most Valuable Player honors, as he gained 178 yards on 28 attempts and scored a rushing touchdown.

"I couldn't do it without the boys up front moving stuff," said Thomas, who was Butler's offensive catalyst by playing a key role in the Grizzlies' three first-half touchdown drives. "We had a good game plan and we stuck to it. I knew there wasn't anyone else (at running back) so I had to step up. I knew I had to make plays and get the win. When you get your opportunity, you have to make the most of it and ball out."

"Darius did a great job tonight," Schaffner said. "When we started the season, he was fourth on the depth chart. He stepped into his role and you can see the future is pretty bright."

Trinity Valley (7-4) outgained Butler 376 to 272 in total yards, but racked up 179 yards on 17 penalties and had three turnovers. In the fourth quarter, the Cardinals amassed more yards in penalties (73) than offensive yards (10), killing Trinity's chances after rallying back within 28-23 after three quarters of play. The Cardinals' offense stumbled out of the gate with just 48 offensive yards combined on their first four possessions – including two turnovers.

Butler scored on its opening possession following a Cardinals' punt to the Trinity 44. Thomas opened the drive with a 17-yard run, then had a key 12-yard run on 4th-and-2 to the 7-yard line. Three plays later, Grizzly quarterback Nick Davenport kept the ball on a 7-yard scramble and backpedaled his way into the end zone with help from tight end Hillard Cozine for the touchdown.

Thomas had runs of 47 and 45 in the second quarter, which set up both touchdowns as Butler took a 21-0 lead.

Butler had solid field position following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after a JaQuez Durham punt return to the Butler 38. With the ball moved to the Trinity 47, Thomas busted loose down the Cardinals' sideline for a 45-yard run. Two plays later, Thomas scored up the middle for a 2-yard score for a 14-0 lead.

Butler's defense set up the Grizzlies' next score, as Trinity elected to keep the offense on the field for a 4th-and-2 situation from the Butler 19. Grizzly defensive back Alfahiym Walcott forced a fumble on a Ja'Quan Tillis rush attempt, which was recovered by Derick Newton.

The Grizzly offense would convert a 3rd-and-1 from their own 27 on a Daymonn Sanchez 2-yard run, then moved the ball near midfield on a Davenport 14-yard pass to Ke'John Batiste. Thomas then rumbled up the middle for 47 yards down to the Trinity 10-yard line. Two plays later, Davenport scrambled to his right on a play-action pass and hit Romello Kimbrough for a 9-yard touchdown with 7:21 remaining before halftime.

With the wind advantage in the second quarter, Trinity finally broke through on the scoreboard with three consecutive scoring drives – getting a touchdown and a pair of field goals to make the score 21-13 at halftime.

Trinity's opening touchdown came after Davenport's passing score in the second quarter, with the Cardinals capping an 11-play, 75 yard drive with a 1-yard Jeremy Hurt touchdown run. A Tillis 11-yard run and a Hunt 12-yard pass to Deshon Moreaux on 3rd-and-10 moved the ball to the Trinity 47, then Tillis added a 39-yard run to the Butler 2. Two plays later, Hunt snuck up the middle for the touchdown.

Trinity kicker Eddie Godina kicked a pair of field goals on the next two drives – including a season-best 56-yarder that easily cleared the crossbar with a north wind at his back. Godina added a 25-yard scoring kick just before the halftime break to pull the Cardinals within eight.

"When you jump up that early that quick, it is hard to keep guys focused in and that was our struggle," Schaffner said. "We had to get refocused in a hurry when they got it to one score. We were able to reestablish ourselves there late, but it is tough to stay locked in in those situations."

Butler's defense and special teams helped put the Grizzlies back in front by two scores in the third quarter, beginning with a defensive stop on 4th-and-1 from the Trinity 47. The defense swarmed to stuff Hunt on a rushing attempt, with Newton finishing off the tackle. Butler's offense managed just two yards on the ensuing possession, setting up a Taiten Winkel punt to pin Trinity Valley at its own 1-yard line.

Trinity failed to get out from under the shadow of its own end zone, gaining only three yards to force a punt. With Butler rushing the punt, Godina fielded a low snap and had his attempt blocked by Lane Lunt. Shareal Taylor would recover the blocked kick for the touchdown, putting Butler up 28-13 with 8:20 left in the quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, Trinity Valley was flagged for an illegal block, then hit with two unsportsmanlike conduct flags after the play, which pinned the Cardinals' offense again – this time at the Trinity 4.

Trinity would overcome the flags, quickly driving 96 yards in six plays for a 2-yard Cordrick Dunn touchdown run. Dunn had a 17-yard run on the drive, then Hunt completed passes of 26 and 41 yards down the Butler 2. Two plays later, Dunn ran right untouched into the end zone.

With 49 seconds remaining in the third, Godina pulled the Cardinals within 28-23 on his third field goal of the day after three Hunt incompletion passes from the Butler 25. Trinity's offensive drive was extended prior to the passes courtesy of a Butler roughing the kicker penalty on a 4th-and-3 at the Trinity 46.

Late flags against Trinity would set up Butler's final five points of the contest – a 35-yard Jacob Abel field goal and a fumbled snap on a punt resulting in a safety.

Abel put Butler up 31-23 with his only field goal of the game at the 5:41 mark. The Grizzlies moved into position for the kick after Trinity's Marques Williams was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct following a 3rd-and-1 stop by the Cardinals.

On Butler's kickoff, Dunn was hit with a personal foul on a late hit, sending Trinity Valley back to the 12-yard line to start the drive. Following a three-and-out, Godina failed to handle the snap and was ruled down in the end zone in an attempt to recover the fumble, resulting in a safety to give Butler a 10-point lead with 4:33 remaining.

"The defense was huge," said Schaffner. "When we started bowl prep, we talked about how our punt block was going to be a factor and we were able to score and get a safety with that group."

Butler ran nearly three minutes off the clock as Trinity burned the remainder of its timeouts, then Grizzly linebacker Justin Amaro intercepted a tipped ball to effectively end the game.

In his second collegiate start, Davenport completed just 7-of-16 passes for 54 yards. Batiste finished as Butler's leading receiver with two receptions for 20 yards.

For Trinity Valley, Hunt passed for 222 yards on 20-of-48 attempts and two interceptions. Tillis led the Cardinals' ground game with 77 yards on 13 carries, while Moreaux caught five passes for 73 yards.

Grizzly linebacker Charlie Gray received defensive MVP honors with four tackles and 1.5 sacks for 12 yards.

NOTES: Butler improves to 16-13 all-time in bowl games… The Grizzlies won their fifth straight game against Trinity Valley and leads the all-time series 5-1-0 against the Cardinals.