INDIANAPOLIS — Bret Bushka threw for four scores in the second half and Butler rallied to beat NAIA-member St. Thomas (Florida) 31-26 in the debut of first-year Bulldogs coach Mike Uremovich on Saturday.
Bushka threw touchdowns of 21, 63, 3 and 8 yards to Jeremy Johnson, Tyler Adams, Cameron Heald — and Adams again — respectively. His score to Heald gave Butler the lead for good at 24-20 with 11:52 left.
Rontavious Farmer and Damian Heller each scored a touchdown in the first half to put the Bobcats up 14-3 before intermission. Farmer crashed in from 2 yards out on a two-play drive that lasted only 13 yards which was set up by Caleb Walker's interception of Bushka on the Bulldogs' opening drive. Heller's 8-yard scoring run with 2:15 before halftime came at the end of a 17-play, 92-yard drive that lasted 7:05 for the Bobcats.
Uremovich is the 25th coach in Butler history.
The 2022 season for St. Thomas marks its fourth year of football while also providing its first-ever senior class.
