University of St. Thomas Athletics
4-2 , 3-0
Butler
4-2 , 2-1
Team Stats
BUT 0, UST 3
UST - Shagen,Stephen 35 yd field goal 9 plays, 52 yards, TOP 04:29
BUT 0, UST 10
UST - Adebayo,Hope 2 yd run (Shagen,Stephen kick), 8 plays, 44 yards, TOP 04:37
BUT 3, UST 10
BUT - Zurak,Luka 21 yd field goal 15 plays, 61 yards, TOP 08:07
BUT 3, UST 17
UST - Adebayo,Hope 27 yd run (Shagen,Stephen kick), 9 plays, 88 yards, TOP 05:21
BUT 10, UST 17
BUT - Mitchell,Jyran 10 yd run (Zurak,Luka kick), 6 plays, 35 yards, TOP 01:31
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Tommies cage Bulldogs in 17-10 win
10/7/2023 4:17:00 PM | Football
Defensive goal line stand secures win for second consecutive week
ST. PAUL, MINN. – It's an established fact in college football: the University of St. Thomas football knows how to win. Whether down in the trenches, in the air, or with the run game, the Tommies prove time and time again they can come out on top when it matters most. St. Thomas reiterated that fact Saturday afternoon, as the team once again came up with a clutch win in the fourth quarter. For the second consecutive week, the Tommies defense came up with it mattered most, as they produced yet another goal line stand to secure a 17-10 win over Butler University. With the win, St. Thomas is now 4-2 overall and 3-0 in Pioneer Football League (PFL) play.
RECAP:
The Tommies looked strong on their first offensive possession of the ball game, driving right down the field into enemy territory behind Tak Tateoka (Waukesha, Wis. / South) and the St. Thomas run game. The true freshman utilized nearly every single one of his weapons during the offensive drive, spreading the Butler defense and leading a nine play, 52-yard drive that ended with a Stephen Shagen (Park City, Utah / Park City) field goal. The St. Thomas defense was equally as stifling, as it held the Bulldogs to just one first down in the first half, giving the offense a chance to extend its 3-0 lead.
Extend the Tommies did. After a three-and-out on its second offensive possession, the third proved to be the charm for the home team's offensive. Tateoka led another impressive St. Thomas scoring drive, this time utilizing the Tommies three-headed run threat. Thanks to long runs by Hope Adebayo (Inver Grove Heights, Minn. / Simley) and Gabe Abel (Trenton, N.J. / Salisbury), St. Thomas found itself on the Butler four-yard line just seconds into the second quarter. It was Adebayo that eventually found the end zone, as he barreled his way through, extending the Tommies lead to 10-3.
The Bulldogs eventually cracked St. Thomas' stingy defense in the second, cutting the lead to 10-3 seconds before halftime. The Tommies waited patiently until the third quarter to respond, and it was a statement. The St. Thomas run game churned its way to another end zone, as Shawn Shipman (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Champlin Park), Adebayo and Abel all had a hand in the 88-yard scoring drive. It was Adebayo again, though, who would find the end zone, putting the Tommies ahead 17-3 midway through the third.
In the end, it all came down to the fourth quarter. Despite strong play from the defense, the St. Thomas offense was unable to put Butler to bed, resulting in another scoring drive by the visiting Bulldogs. After cutting the lead to 17-10 with eight minutes remaining in the fourth, Butler found itself in prime position to tie the game and even take a lead. On the Bulldogs first possession after their touchdown, the Tommies forced a turnover on downs, courtesy of a sack by Joey Fitzgerald (Chicago, Ill. / Brother Rice) and Jonathan Bunce (Edina, Minn. / Edina). However, like the game at Dayton, St. Thomas' offense was unable to capitalize on the defensive turnovers, and Butler once again found itself in possession of the football. With two minutes remaining on the clock, the Bulldogs began their drive down field, advancing to the Tommies one yard line and whittling the clock down to eight seconds. Despite valiant attempts, Butler simply could not penetrate St. Thomas's stalwart goal line defense, as the Tommies came up with three consecutive stops from the one-yard line to secure the 17-10 victory.
TOP TOMMIES
- Though he didn't record a touchdown, Shawn Shipman (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Champlin Park) led St. Thomas' offensive efforts, recording his third 100+ yard rushing performance of the 2023 season. The junior closed Saturday's game with 103 yards on 22 carries, averaging 4.7 yard per carry.
- The Tommie defense was the star of Saturday's show, though not a single player recorded over 10 tackles in the game. Jack Mohler (Woodbury, Minn. / East Ridge) and Jonathan Bunce (Edina, Minn. / Edina) each recorded nine tackles, while Grif Wurtz (Chaska, Minn. / Chaska) closed the game with eight).
- Luke Herzog (Mendota Heights, Minn. / St. Thomas Academy) came up with two huge pass break ups, including on fourth-and-one on the final play of the game.
NOTABLES
St. Thomas extended its home field winning streak to 29 consecutive games on Saturday, having not lost at home since December 2016. More impressively, the Tommies won their last two games at home by a single score, something that hasn't happening in the Glenn Caruso era, according to available records. St. Thomas did lose back-to-back road games by a single score in 2018 (at Gustavus 14-13, at Bethel 21-15).
QUOTEABLES
Hear from head coach Glenn Caruso, Hope Adebayo and Jack Mohler after the game:
UP NEXT
St. Thomas will hit the road for its next two series, as the team is scheduled to travel to Des Moines, Iowa for a PFL showdown with Drake University. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CT.
