Butler–Drake football rivalry

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Butler–Drake football rivalry
SportFootball
Teams
First meetingNovember 5, 1932
Butler 0, Drake 0
Latest meetingOctober 2, 2021
Drake 6, Butler 3
Next meetingTBA, 2022, Des Moines
StadiumsBud and Jackie Sellick Bowl
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Drake Stadium
Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Statistics
Meetings total31
All-time seriesDrake leads 22–8–1 (.593)[1]
Trophy seriesBattle of the Bulldogs
Largest victoryDrake, 53–6 (October 23, 1999)
Longest win streakDrake, 6 (2016–present)
Current win streakDrake, 6 (2016–present)
[Interactive fullscreen map]
Locations of Butler and Drake

The Butler–Drake football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Butler Bulldogs and Drake Bulldogs. The rivalry began in 1932 when both teams were members of the Missouri Valley Conference and re-emerged in 1993 following a 60-year hiatus due to the founding of the Pioneer Football League. The teams have met each year since 1993 and the game has been referred to as the “Battle of the Bulldogs” in reference to each school’s bulldog mascot.[2]

Summary[]

Drake leads the all-time series 22–8–1. The schools tied a hard fought first meeting 0–0 on November 5, 1932 in Indianapolis. Drake won the next year in Des Moines 26–6.[3] On September 25, 1993 the series was renewed with Butler picking up their first win 28–3 on a dominant rushing performance in Indianapolis. Butler would also win the 1994 game in Des Moines with a near record setting rushing day.[4]

Beginning with the game on September 30, 1995, the rivalry would be defined by winning streaks. Drake won the next two before Butler rallied to score fourteen fourth quarter points in 1997 to secure a 14–13 victory.[5] Drake then won the next four prior to Butler scoring twenty-eight fourth quarter points in a 48–44 win on October 26, 2002.[6] Two notable games occurred within Drake's four game winning streak. In the 2000 match-up Drake prevailed 62–41 on a series high 103 combine points and the next year a 41–39 thriller occurred prior to Butler's 2002 victory.

Drake won five in a row from 2003 to 2007 including a 29–0 victory on October 14, 2006[7] which was the rivalries second shutout. Butler won 21–15 in 2008 and again 20–17 on game-winning field goal in 2009.[8] Both wins were in Indianapolis due to a Pioneer Football League scheduling change. Drake won 10–7 in 2010 on a cold day in Des Moines,[9] then 24–14 in Indianapolis, [10] and 45–20 in Des Moines before Butler snapped the three game streak winning 24–14 in Indianapolis on October 19, 2013.[11] The teams would trade close home victories the next two years with Drake winning in Des Moines 21–19 and Butler coming out victorious in Indianapolis 20–13 on November 14, 2015.

Drake is currently on a series high six game winning streak. The 2020 match-up postponed from November 14 to April 10, 2021 and moved to Indianapolis due to the Covid-19 pandemic is included in the streak;[12] [13] along with the 2021 Drake 6–3 victory[14] on a rainy day in Indianapolis providing the lowest combine points scored since the series opening 0–0 tie. No other game within the current six game steak has been decided by less than ten points. The second closest was an eleven point Drake victory in 2017. [15]

Game results[]

Butler victoriesDrake victoriesTie games
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 November 5, 1932 Indianapolis, IN Tie0–0
2 October 7, 1933 Des Moines, IA Drake 26–6
3 September 25, 1993 Indianapolis, IN Butler 28–3
4 October 1, 1994 Des Moines, IA Butler 28–20
5 September 30, 1995 Indianapolis, IN Drake 29–8
6 October 5, 1996 Des Moines, IA Drake 51–7
7 November 8, 1997 Indianapolis, IN Butler 14–13
8 October 31, 1998 Des Moines, IA Drake 41–7
9 October 23, 1999 Indianapolis, IN Drake 53–6
10 October 28, 2000 Des Moines, IA Drake 62–41
11 October 27, 2001 Indianapolis, IN Drake 41–39
12 October 26, 2002 Indianapolis, IN Butler 48–44
13 October 18, 2003 Des Moines, IA Drake 24–7
14 October 16, 2004 Indianapolis, IN Drake 43–6
15 October 29, 2005 Des Moines, IA Drake 56–10
16 October 14, 2006 Indianapolis, IN Drake 29–0
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
17 October 6, 2007 Des Moines, IA Drake 37–19
18 October 4, 2008 Indianapolis, IN Butler 21–15
19 November 21, 2009 Indianapolis, IN Butler 20–17
20 November 13, 2010 Des Moines, IA Drake 10–7
21 September 24, 2011 Indianapolis, IN Drake 24–14
22 November 10, 2012 Des Moines, IA Drake 45–20
23 October 19, 2013 Indianapolis, IN Butler 24–14
24 October 25, 2014 Des Moines, IA Drake 21–19
25 November 14, 2015 Indianapolis, IN Butler 20–13
26 November 12, 2016 Des Moines, IA Drake 28–14
27 September 30, 2017 Indianapolis, IN Drake 27–16
28 October 6, 2018 Des Moines, IA Drake 36–6
29 October 12, 2019 Indianapolis, IN Drake 42–7
30 April 10, 2021 Indianapolis, IN Drake 33–7
31 October 2, 2021 Indianapolis, IN Drake 6–3
Series: Drake leads 22–8–1

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "2018 Football Fact Book". calameo.com.
  2. ^ "Drake beats Butler 6-3 in battle of the Bulldogs – October 2, 2021 – ABC News". abcnews.go.com.
  3. ^ "Drake vs. Butler – Game Recap – October 7, 1933 – Sports Reference". sports-reference.com.
  4. ^ "Butler U Football History vs. Drake". Butler University Athletics.
  5. ^ "Butler vs. Drake - Game Recap - November 8, 1997". Butler Football Status.
  6. ^ "Butler vs. Drake – Game Recap – October 26, 2002 – ESPN". ESPN.com.
  7. ^ "Butler vs. Drake – Game Recap – October 14, 2006 – ESPN". ESPN.com.
  8. ^ "Butler vs. Drake – Game Recap – November 21, 2009 – ESPN". ESPN.com.
  9. ^ "Drake vs. Butler – Game Recap – November 13, 2010 – ESPN". ESPN.com.
  10. ^ "Butler vs. Drake – Game Recap – September 24, 2011 – ESPN". ESPN.com.
  11. ^ "Butler vs. Drake – Game Recap – October 19, 2013 – ESPN". ESPN.com.
  12. ^ "Butler vs. Drake – Game Recap – April 10, 2021 – Yahoo Sports". sports.yahoo.com.
  13. ^ "Corwin passes for 3 TDs in 2nd quarter as Drake tops Butler – April 10, 2021 – CBS Sports". cbssports.com.
  14. ^ "Battle of the Bulldogs: Butler football defeated at home 6–3 by Drake – October 2, 2021 – The Butler Collegian". thebutlercollegian.com. 3 October 2021.
  15. ^ "Bulldogs vs Bulldogs matchup ends in favor of Drake – September 30, 2017 – Times Delphic". timesdelphic.com. 7 October 2017.
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