Most people are familiar with the Butler Bulldogs for their accomplishments on the basketball court. But the Bulldogs are starting to make a name for themselves on the gridiron as well. At the moment, it’s easy to find cheap Butler football tickets because the program competes at the FCS level. However, the Bulldogs have played football for over 100 years and are finally starting to gain some traction, which means it won’t be long until last-minute Butler football tickets are in high demand.

The Godfather

As is the case with Butler basketball, Tony Hinkle is the person responsible for the growth of Butler football. For decades, Hinkle coached basketball, football, and baseball at Butler, creating a winning tradition in all three sports. As a football coach, Hinkle led the Bulldogs to 17 conference championships over multiple stints. His tenure includes six straight conference titles from 1935 to 1940 and later a run of seven championships in a row from 1958 to 1964.

Far From the End

When Hinkle finally walked away from coaching, Butler’s success on the football field didn’t end. Head coach Bill Sylvester made the Bulldogs a powerhouse at the Division II level, leading Butler to five conference titles in a six-year span from 1972 to 1977. Later, Sylvester took the Bulldogs to the Division II Playoffs for the first time in program history in 1983.

A Brave New World

After being a dominant Division II program throughout the 1980s, Butler moved up the ladder to the FCS level in 1993 as a member of the Pioneer Football League. Slowly but surely, the Bulldogs found their way at the new level, especially after Jeff Voris took over in 2006. Voris led Butler to multiple conference titles and the program’s first FCS Playoff appearance in 2013, making it obvious that the Bulldogs are a football program worth watching.