The Butler Bulldogs football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Butler University located in the U.S. state of Indiana. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and is a member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL). Butler's first football team was fielded in 1887. The team plays its home games at the 7,500 seat Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl (historically Butler Bowl) in Indianapolis. The Bulldogs are coached by Kevin Lynch.
History Classifications 1962–1972: NCAA College Division 1973–1992: NCAA Division II 1993–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS
Conference memberships 1884–1913: Independent 1914–1922: Indiana College Athletic League 1923–1931: Indiana Intercollegiate Conference 1932–1933: Missouri Valley Conference 1934–1947: Indiana Intercollegiate Conference 1948–1949: Mid-American Conference 1950-1977: Indiana Collegiate Conference 1978-1989: Heartland Collegiate Conference 1990–1992: Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference 1993–present: Pioneer Football League
Notable former players
Notable alumni include: Bill Lynch Arnold Mickens Chris Salvi Joseph "The Gentle Giant" Holzmer David "Mr. Automatic" Lang
Championships
Football Conference championships YearConferenceCoachOverall RecordConference Record 1952 Indiana Collegiate Conference (co-championship) Tony Hinkle 5–3–1 3–1–1 1953 Indiana Collegiate Conference Tony Hinkle 6–2 5–0 1958 Indiana Collegiate Conference Tony Hinkle 8–1 5–1 1959 Indiana Collegiate Conference Tony Hinkle 9–0 6–0 1960 Indiana Collegiate Conference Tony Hinkle 8–1 5–1 1961 Indiana Collegiate Conference Tony Hinkle 9–0 6–0 1962 Indiana Collegiate Conference Tony Hinkle 5–2–2 4–1–1 1963 Indiana Collegiate Conference Tony Hinkle 8–1 6–0 1964 Indiana Collegiate Conference (co-championship) Tony Hinkle 4–4–1 4–2 1972 Indiana Collegiate Conference (co-championship) Bill Sylvester 5–5 4–1 1973 Indiana Collegiate Conference Bill Sylvester 5–5 4–1 1974 Indiana Collegiate Conference Bill Sylvester 8–2 6–0 1975 Indiana Collegiate Conference Bill Sylvester 9–1 6–0 1977 Heartland Collegiate Conference (co-championship) Bill Sylvester 5–5 3–1 1983 Heartland Collegiate Conference Bill Sylvester 9–1–1 5–0–1 1985 Heartland Collegiate Conference (co-championship) Bill Lynch 8–2 5–1 1987 Heartland Collegiate Conference Bill Lynch 8–1–1 4–0–1 1988 Heartland Collegiate Conference Bill Lynch 8–2–1 3–0–1 1989 Heartland Collegiate Conference Bill Lynch 7–2–1 4–0 1991 Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference Bob Bartolomeo 9–2 9–1 1992 Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference (co-championship) Ken LaRose 8–2 8–2 1994 Pioneer Football League (co-championship) Ken LaRose 7–3 4–1 2009 Pioneer Football League (co-championship) Jeff Voris 11–1 7–1 2012 Pioneer Football League (co-championship) Jeff Voris 8–3 7–1 2013 Pioneer Football League (co-championship) Jeff Voris 9–4 7–1Total conference championships (modern era)25
Playoff appearances NCAA Division I-AA/FCS playoffs The Bulldogs have appeared in the FCS playoffs once, with an overall record of 0–1.
2013 First Round Tennessee State L, 0–31
NCAA Division II playoffs The Bulldogs made three appearances in the Division II playoffs, with a combined record of 0–3. 1983 Quarterfinals UC Davis L, 6–25 1988 First Round Tennessee–Martin L, 6–23 1991 First Round Pittsburg State L, 16–26
PFL Gridiron Classic results From 2006 through 2009, the PFL and Northeast Conference (NEC) staged the Gridiron Classic, an exempted postseason football game that matched the champions of the two conferences which were technically members of Division I FCS, but which were not the recipients of automatic invitations to the football championship playoff at the time. The Bulldogs appeared in the PFL Gridiron Classic once, with an overall record of 1–0. 2009Central ConnecticutW, 28–23
Future non-conference opponents Announced schedules as of July 13, 2026.
Georgetown (KY) at Northern Iowa at Austin Peay at Montana State Franklin College (IN) Chicago State
References
External links