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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Stephen Dennis' four-yard touchdown run in overtime served as the game winner and Butler narrowly escaped an upset bid by NAIA-level Indiana Wesleyan with a 30-27 win on Saturday.
Brad Sznajder's 14-yard touchdown run gave Butler (1-1) its first lead of the game at 24-17 with 7:16 left in regulation. On the last drive of the game, Indiana Wesleyan quarterback Zack Blair led a 16-play, 75-yard drive in a little more than 2 1/2 minutes and knotted the game with a three-yard pass to Brayden Smith as time expired. The Wildcats managed just a field goal in overtime.
Blair gave the Wildcats a 7-0 lead in the first quarter with a 32-yard touchdown pass to Smith. The one-play drive was set up when Issac Abeo sacked Sam Brown to force a fumble that Vincent Versteg recovered.
Indiana Wesleyan extended the lead to 14-3 when Blair threw a 10-yard touchdown to Smith. Butler narrowed the margin when Sam Brown threw a 31-yard touchdown to Dennis before intermission.
Sam Brown led Butler with 251 yards passing and two touchdowns.
Blair was 17-for-43 passing for 250 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
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