Grizzlies Suffer 1st Road Loss of 2024 at Top Ranked Iowa Western

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – No. 10 ranked Butler football fell 48-7 to the Iowa Western Reivers on Saturday afternoon at Titan Stadium.

The Grizzlies (5-3) exited the first quarter tied 7-7 with the No. 1 ranked Reivers but were outscored 41-0 over the final three quarters, being handed their first road loss of the season.

Butler still has a conference title within its grasp after the non-conference loss to the Reivers. They sit in first place in the KJCCC as the only unbeaten team and host three consecutive conference games at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex to close the season, beginning this Saturday at 7 p.m. vs. Dodge City.

The offensive for the Grizzlies was unable to move the ball all game as they were outgained 513-116 by IWCC. Butler's offense managed just 2.1 yards per play and were 3-of-15 on third down, being forced to punt 12 times.

The lone score of the game for the Grizzlies came in the first quarter after Iowa Western became the first team to score on the Grizzlies defense in the first quarter this season, making it 7-0 as quarterback Hunter Dekkers found wide receiver Titus Myers for a seven-yard touchdown. On the ensuing kickoff, Butler's Da'Realyst Clark returned the kick 94 yards for a touchdown, finding some grass down Butler's sideline and outracing a host of Reivers to tie the game 7-7. It was Clark's second return touchdown of the year as he also returned a punt for a touchdown in a road win over Ellsworth on Sept. 7th.

TO THE HOUSE❗️@Darealystclark8 with a 94-yard kickoff return TD!#RoarGrizz�� pic.twitter.com/oP75i3D6yz

— Butler Grizzlies (@ButlerGrizzlies) November 2, 2024

Dekkers finished 31-43 for 404 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The former Iowa State Cyclone who threw for 3,044 yards in 2022, the fourth-most in a single-season in ISU school history, exited the game with 8:41 to play in the fourth quarter as the Reivers led 41-7. Myers was his top target on the afternoon racking up 149 receiving yards and a touchdown on nine catches. Jaivyn Moore added six catches for 99 yards and Fresh Walter had six for 92 and a score.

Butler quarterback Mason McHugh was 7-25 for 65 yards and an interception, facing pressure all afternoon. Wide receiver Cam Harris was the Grizzlies lone bright spot offensively becoming only the second Grizzly wide receiver to go for over 100 yards in a game this season. He finished with five receptions for 107 yards including a 65-yard catch and run.

Sophomore punter Chevy Edwards was busy, punting 12 times for a 34.4-yard average and landing three inside the 20.

Defensively, redshirt freshman linebacker Gabe Welch led the way with 10 tackles and a sack. Fellow linebacker Landon Boss added seven tackles, a tackle for loss and an interception.

Butler is now 2-9 all-time vs. Iowa Western and 0-9 in Council Bluffs. The 41-point loss is the largest loss Butler has suffered since 2016 when Garden City defeated Butler 43-0 in Garden City.