Nov. 7, 2009

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The University of Dayton Flyers came up one foot short in a heartbreaking 31-28 loss to Butler on Saturday in a Pioneer Football League first-place face-off. UD quarterback Steve Valentino threw a 40-yard Hail Mary pass to JMichael Jonard with six seconds to go in the game, but the senior wide receiver was stopped inside the one-yard line by Jack McKenna and a host of Bulldog defenders to end the game.

The one yard would not only have won the game, but it was also what Valentino needed to tie the school record for passing yards in a single game. Valentino was 29 of 44 passing for 413 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Kevin Johns holds the Dayton record for single-game passing yardage with 414 at San Diego in 1996.

The loss is the just the second of the season for the Flyers, and drops them to second place in the PFL. Dayton is 7-2 overall and 5-1 in league play. Butler improved to 8-0 overall, keeping one of just three teams in FCS football that are still undefeated. The Bulldogs are also 6-0 in the PFL. All of the PFL wins have been deiced in the fourth quarter, and five by seven points or less.

UD delivered the first blow in the heavyweight fight. With just under two minutes to go in the first, Valentino connected with Justin Watkins for a 26 yard pick p, then again with Luke Bellman for another 22. Dan Jacob punched it in the end zone from the Butler four to give UD the early 7-0 lead.

The score stood up until the end of the second quarter. With 6:42 left in the half, Butler started a nine-play, 85-yard scoring drive which started at its own 15. After driving the ball to Dayton's 49, quarterback Andrew Huck hit Dan Bohrer for a 28-yard pick up. Bohrer then rushed for 14 before Huck capped off the drive with his first of three rushing touchdowns on the day.

The Bulldogs were able to force a three-and-out on UD's next possession, setting up another score. With just under a minute to play in the half, Huck completed a 35-yard pass to Ryan Hitchcock, and then again to Bohrer for a seven-yard touchdown. David Lang missed the extra point giving Butler the 13-7 lead at the half.

BU added to the lead on their second possession of the second half, when Huck rushed for his second touchdown completing a six-play, 37-yard drive. A failed two-point conversation kept the lead to 19-7

Dayton responded on its next possession. Valentino threw a 50-yard bomb to Watkins who was able to run it in for the touchdown, ending Butler's 19-0 run.

BU got back into the scoring to start the fourth. Jordan Koopman returned Nick Glavin's 51-yard punt all the way to the Flyer 38. After a two-yard rush by Scott Gray, Huck ran the ball 36 yards for the touchdown, but Lang missed the extra point again.

On UD's next possession, Valentino hooked up again on a big throw with Watkins, this time for 44 yards. Valentino then took it in four yards for the score, but the Flyers failed on the two-point conversation, leaving the score at 25-20.

Dayton stopped Butler on the next possession, and got the ball with a chance to take the lead. However a Valentino interception on his first play from scrimmage ended that momentum and gave BU great field position at UD's 23.

The Bulldogs took advantage. After two short rushes, Huck completed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Carter Walley fortifying Butler's lead at 31-20 with 3:22 left in the game.

But the Flyers refused to quit. Valentino marched the team down the field and connected on an eight-yard touchdown pass to Nick Collins, and then hit Luke Bellman for the two-point conversation cutting Butler's lead to 31-28.

Dayton got the ball back with no timeouts on their own 16 with 1:09 to play. Three complete passes, a Dan Jacob run and a heads-up play by Jacob to fall on a Valentino fumble put the ball at the Butler 41-yard line, setting the stage for the game's final and deciding play.

Valentino ended the day 413 yards of passing, completing 29 of 44 with two picks and two touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with 44 yards. Watkins caught seven passes for 163 yards and one touchdown, while Jonard and Collins each caught seven passes for 98 and 82 yards respectively. Collins also added a touchdown.

Defensively, Dayton was led by James Vercammen who had a game-high 14 tackles. Kevin Burns added nine hits, and Brandon Wingeier had seven tackles (4 solo) 1.4 sacks, two tackles for a loss, one pass batted down and one QB hurry.

The Flyers still have a chance to finish first in the PFL, but no longer hold their fate in their hands. UD must first win out, and the first challenge in that is a big one. UD will play Drake who is currently tied with Butler for first place in the PFL. Game time in Des Moines is 4 p.m. ET.

Written By Dan Vohden '11