CSU’s Gio Divers collects one of his five tackles and one of the Cougars’ five tackles for loss in a 47-20 loss to Butler. (Photo by GoCSUCougars.com)
By Barry Bottino
Chicago State scored on three big plays Saturday, but FCS Butler responded each time and ran away with a 47-20 victory against the Cougars.
Butler (3-1) was 5-for-5 in the red zone and put up 366 yards of total offense.
CSU (1-3), which won its first game as an FCS program last weekend, fell behind 16-0 less than 5 minutes into the game in Indianapolis.
Butler blocked a punt on the first series of the game, recovering at the Chicago State 8-yard line. That turnover resulted in a 7-0 lead two plays later on a 9-yard run by quarterback Gabe Passini.
On the next CSU drive, Butler forced a safety for a 9-0 lead. Two plays after the safety, Passini connected with wide receiver Nick Munson for a 32-yard touchdown pass.
Chicago State running back Chris Edmonds got the Cougars on the scoreboard with a 74-yard TD run less than 90 seconds later.
Early in the second quarter, CSU answered another Butler touchdown when quarterback Ashton Pannell threw an 11-yard scoring pass to Arshawn Powell, trimming the Butler lead to 23-14.
With Butler leading 33-14 early in the fourth quarter, Edmonds scored on a 77-yard pass play. Butler tacked on two touchdowns in a span of 1:36 late in the fourth quarter.
Game changers
8:48, 1st quarter: Edmonds ran for a 74-yard score to trim Butler’s lead to 16-6.
11:22, 4th quarter: Pannell connected with Edmonds on a 77-yard pass play for a TD.
5:25, 4th quarter: Desmin Jackson rushed for a 72-yard score to help Butler reach 47 points.
What it means
The Cougars lost to their second FCS opponent and dropped to 1-3 this season.
What’s next?
The Cougars host Norfolk State for a 6 p.m. game Sept. 26 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview.
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
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