Drake 45, Butler 20

Nov 10, 2012, 05:28 pm

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Mike Piatkowski threw for 366 yards and a career-high five touchdowns, helping Drake keep its Pioneer League title hopes alive Saturday with a 45-20 victory over Butler.

Piatkowski, who was 29 of 40 with two interceptions, found Grahm Butler and Gary Scott for two scores each and Joey Orlando for one. Scott added 79 rushing yards and a touchdown for Drake (7-3, 6-1), which can tie Butler and repeat as Pioneer League co-champion with a win against Jacksonville next week.

Matt Lancaster threw two touchdown passes and ran for another for Butler (8-3, 7-1), which trailed only 14-13 early in the third quarter after Lancaster hit Brendan Shannon for a 45-yard score. But then Piatkowski came alive, throwing four TDs for 28 unanswered Drake points. The last scoring pass, an 18-yarder to Butler, made it 42-13 with 10:36 to play.

Drake totaled 546 yards of total offense to Butler's 303.