DES MOINES, Iowa — In an exciting matchup on Saturday, Luke Bailey connected with Taj Hughes for a 38-yard touchdown pass, propelling Drake to a 27-17 victory over Butler and handing the Bulldogs their first loss of the season.

With this win, Drake improved its record to 4-1 and maintained an unbeaten streak of 3-0 in the Pioneer Football League. The Bulldogs displayed a strong defense, stopping Butler twice on downs within Drake’s territory during the first half and intercepting two passes in the latter part of the game. Drake’s lone defeat this season came during Week 3 against South Dakota, where they fell 42-3.

The game started out with Butler taking an early lead. Reagan Andrew scored a touchdown from four yards out just before halftime, giving Butler a 6-0 advantage at the break. However, the momentum shifted in the second half as Shane Dunning successfully kicked a 44-yard field goal to even the score. Following this, Bailey’s touchdown pass to Hughes turned the tide in favor of Drake, establishing a lead that the Bulldogs would not relinquish.

In the fourth quarter, Drake continued to build on its lead with Blake Ellingson scoring on a one-yard touchdown run. Davion Cherwin then augmented the score with a 32-yard touchdown run, pushing Drake’s lead to 27-9. Butler managed to respond with a late touchdown and a two-point conversion with just five minutes remaining, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit.

Bailey had a productive game, completing 16 of 25 passes for 213 yards, albeit with one interception. Hughes emerged as a key player, catching seven passes for 127 yards. For Butler, Andrew threw for 174 yards, completing 22 of 32 passes while also running the ball 18 times for 81 yards and a touchdown. Ethan Loss made eight receptions totaling 86 yards, contributing to Butler’s overall effort.