Nothing defines the competitive success of a
college athletic program like a national championship. There is no
higher pinnacle and no greater stage on which teams and individuals
are called upon to prove their excellence. Butler's ability to
flourish in the national spotlight has elevated the football
program to the lofty position it enjoys today. With their most
recent triumph coming in 2008, the Grizzlies have won five of the
last 16 NJCAA National Championships in football.
That impressive fact is more than capable of
standing on its own, but Butler has taken its national dominance to
another level. The Grizzlies barely missed the national title game
in 2000, due to a four over time loss in the conference
championship game, however they did reach the national title game
in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010 & 2012. That makes nine
national title game appearances in the last 16 years for the Butler
football program, a feat unsurpassed by any other school in the
country.
Few football programs can set out each fall
with the pursuit of the national crown realistically listed among
its season goals. Butler, riding a rich history that makes such a
pursuit more than talk and more than dreams, is one of those
programs.
When its comes to national championships, the
Grizzlies have "been there, done that"....six times
SIX-TIME NATIONAL
CHAMPIONS
1981,
1998,
1999,
2003,
2007,
2008
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| TOP OF THE
MOUNTAINS BOWL - BUTLER 37, SNOW COLLEGE
30 |
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SANDY, Utah – The Butler Grizzlies
withstood a furious comeback and took advantage of a unique special
teams play in double overtime to defeat Snow College 37-30, winning
the Top of the Mountains Bowl and claiming back-to-back NJCAA
national championships.Butler had led 23-9 in the fourth quarter,
but Snow scored twice to send the game into overtime, when a Butler
field goal was partially blocked and the ball rolled into the end
zone. Butler’s Demonte Hill to fall on the ball for the
winning score. Butler linebacker Forlando Johnson ended the game
with an interception on Snow's possession. Butler finished the year
11-1.
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TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS BOWL
BUTLER 56, SNOW COLLEGE 27
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SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –The Butler
Grizzlies laid their claim to the NJCAA National Championship with
a dominating 56-27 win over the Snow College Badgers in the Top of
the Mountains Bowl in Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Snow carried a No. 1 ranking, but the Badgers never led in a game
in which Butler rolled up an astounding 529 yards of total offense.
The first half of the game was played under a heavy snowfall.
Butler led 21-13 at halftime and broke the game open in the second
half by scoring five touchdowns
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DIXIE ROTARY
BOWL
BUTLER 14, DIXIE COLLEGE 10 |
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The number one ranked Butler Grizzlies
traveled to St.George, Utah and defeated number two ranked Dixie
State College in the Dixie Rotary Bowl. Butler’s defense gave
up 3 points to a Dixie offense that had been averaging 40 points a
game. Butler’s offense had a total of 300 yards to
Dixie’s 138 yards. This win completed a 12 - 0 season and
Butlers fourth National Title, third in the last six years.
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DIXIE ROTARY
BOWL
BUTLER 49, DIXIE COLLEGE 35 |
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Number two ranked Butler traveled to St.
George, Utah and defeated number-one ranked Dixie College in the
Dixie Rotary Bowl. Butler's offense rolled up 593 total yards while
the defense held Dixie to 369 total yards, securing Butler's third
national title.
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REAL DAIRY BOWL
BUTLER 22, RICKS COLLEGE 18
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The number two ranked Grizzlies upset number
one ranked Ricks College in the Real Dairy Bowl at Pocatello,
Idaho. Butler's defense held Ricks to only six-yards rushing and
213 yards total. The Grizzly offense amassed 162-yards rushing and
169-yards passing, completing a 12-0 season and winning their
second national title.
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RODEO BOWL
BUTLER 21, NEO 14
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Butler County rallied to beat number one
ranked Northeastern Oklahoma in the Rodeo Bowl at Arkansas City,
Kansas. The Grizzly defense played well, gathering four
interceptions and two fumble recoveries in the second half.
Butler's offense also had a solid day both running and passing as
the Grizzlies captured their first national title.
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**National Title Game Appearances**
1981, 1987, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010,
2012
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Jayhawk
Conference Championships
1942 • 1950 • 1952 •
1981
1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987
1989 • 1993 • 1998 • 1999
2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004
2005 • 2006 • 2007 •
2008
2010 • 2011
• 2012 • 2013
Bowl Appearances
1951 Coffey Bowl
1981 Rodeo Bowl
1983 Roaring Ranger Bowl
1984 Garland Shrine Bowl
1985 Valley of the Sun Bowl
1986 Dixie Rotary Bowl
1987 Texas Jr. College Bowl
1989 R.C. Cola Bowl
1990 East Bowl
1993 Mineral Water Bowl
1996 Valley of the Sun Bowl
1998 Real Dairy Bowl
1999 Dixie Rotary Bowl
2000 Canon Empire Bowl
2001 Golden Isles Bowl
2002 Dixie Rotary Bowl
2003 Dixie Rotary Bowl
2004 Dalton Defenders Bowl
2005 Zion Top of the Mountains Bowl
2006 Dalton Defenders Bowl
2007 Zion Top of the Mountains Bowl
2008 Zion Top of the Mountains Bowl
2010 Citizen's Bank Bowl
2011 Citizen's Bank Bowl
2012 Graphic Edge Bowl
2013 Graphic Edge Bowl
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