Butler football nearly shuts out Taylor Allderdice in ‘most complete game of the year’ to improve to 7-1

October 10, 2025 Last Updated: October 10, 2025 11:54 PM Sports

Butler running back Mark Klemz (2) runs into a Taylor Allderdice defender in a football game Friday, Oct. 10, 2025 at Cupples Stadium, Pittsburgh. Josh Rizzo/Special to the Eagle

PITTSBURGH — An odd starting time on the road? No problem for Butler football.

The Golden Tornado (7-1) passed for 183 yards and threw for 180 Friday afternoon at Cupples Stadium, rolling past Taylor Allderdice 35-8. Butler reached seven wins in a season for the first time since 1992.

Butler did not allow a score until less than four minutes remained and the mercy clock was running.

“Probably our most complete game of the year,“ Tornado coach Eric Christy said.

Klemz rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Nicco Baggetta threw scoring passes of 27 yards to Marcus Vicari and 55 yards to Deacon Simko. He ran for a TD himself.

Klemz has 861 yards on the ground this year.

“Yeah, my goal all year has been to get to 1,000,” Klemz said. “The offensive line has been a huge part of this. I love running behind those guys.”

Baggetta has 1,122 yards and 11 touchdowns through the air.

“Nicco’s still learning,” Christy said of his junior quarterback. “He has a lot of room to get better. I’m excited about what’s ahead for him.”

Beau Burchett tackled a runner in the end zone for a safety, and Jacob Kollinger recovered a fumble on the Dragons’ first snap from scrimmage. That pair anchored a defense that limited Taylor Allderdice (4-3) to two first downs and 46 yards of offense in the first half.

The Tornado rolled into the intermission with a 27-0 lead, scoring touchdowns on four straight possessions after losing a fumble the first time they had the ball.

“We knew their quarterback was quite an athlete and we had to focus on him,” Kollinger said. “Everything else fell into place from there.”

The Dragons never crossed midfield in the first half. Running back Taivaun Turner missed the first half for disciplinary reasons.

“A violation of team rules,” Allderdice coach Mark Matson, a 2002 Slippery Rock High School graduate, said. “Taivaun does make a difference for us. He’s an explosive player.”

The Dragons took the second-half kickoff and kept the ball for 12 plays, eating more than six minutes off the clock. A first down at the Butler 10-yard line resulted in no points, however, as a second-down snap sailed over the quarterback’s head for a 21-yard loss. Allderdice wound up turning the ball over on downs.

Turner caught a 31-yard pass that moved Allderdice to the Butler 10 again. This time, Tyson Pino stepped in front of a pass in the end zone, returning the interception 26 yards.

That Butler possession stalled, but a 51-yard Baggetta punt pinned the Dragons back inside their own 10, setting up Burchett’s tackle for the safety. Nash Cuffman returned the free kick 41 yards, and Klemz polished off a 33-yard scoring drive with an 8-yard run, giving the Tornado a 35-0 lead.

“We had our chances, but we kept shooting ourselves in the foot,” Matson said. “Butler is a well-disciplined football team. You can’t get away with many mistakes against them.”

Turner scored on an 8-yard run with 3:15 remaining, enabling Allderdice to avoid the shutout.

“Our defense was outstanding today,” Christy said. “We settled in and were so focused. We contained them very well.”

The game was played at the strangest time of the year — a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on a Friday.

“Definitely different,” Butler running back Mark Klemz said. “I don’t think I’ve played a day game since Midgets. But this was pretty cool, especially playing down here.”

Butler returns home next week for the final game of the season at Art Bernardi Stadium, taking on Wheeling Park (W.Va.).

Butler 21 6 0 8 — 35

Taylor Allderdice 0 0 0 8 — 8

First Quarter

B — Marcus Vicari 27 pass from Nicco Baggetta (Alex Fulmer kick), 5:44

B — Mark Klemz 55 run (Fulmer kick), 3:10

B — Deacon Simko 55 pass from Baggetta (Fulmer kick), 1:01

Second Quarter

B — Baggetta 2 run (kick failed), 9:04

Fourth Quarter

B — Beau Burchett tackled Taivaun Turner in end zone for safety, 8:18

B — Klemz 8 run (kick failed), 7:10

TA — Turner 8 run (Nasir Scott run), 3:15

Individual Statistics

Passing: Butler, Nicco Baggetta 9-14-183-0, Tyson Pino 0-1-0-0. Taylor Allderdice, Tre Ford 7-17-73-1, Taivaun Turner 1-2-26-0.

Rushing: Butler, Nicco Baggetta 6-28, Mark Klemz 15-114, Deacon Simko 4-33, TEAM 1-(-3), Ahmir McAllister 3-18. Taylor Allderdice, Tre Ford 4-8, TEAM 3-(-28), Nasir Scott 11-38, Taivaun Turner 11-45.

Receiving: Butler, Tyson Pino 4-47, Deacon Simko 1-55, Nash Cuffman 1-13, Marcus Vicari 1-27, Mark Klemz 1-17, Jacob Kollinger 1-23. Taylor Allderdice, Nasir Scott 3-22, Brandon Beachaum 2-16, Dav’Veion Lee 2-40, Taivaun Turner 1-31.