GAME PREVIEW: Butler Football on the Road at NEO to Kick Off 2025 Season
The Kyle Woodall era kicks off with the preseason 13th-ranked Butler Grizzlies on the road in a non-conference matchup with Northeastern Oklahoma A&M to begin the 2025 season.
The Teams: No. 13 Butler Grizzlies (0-0) at. NEO A&M Norsemen (0-0)
Where: Miami, OK
Stadium: Red Robertson Field
Time: 7 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: https://neoathletics.com/sports/2018/8/20/njcaatv.aspx
Radio: KNSS 98.7 FM (knssradio.com) Pregame show begins at 6:30 p.m. with Dennis Higgins on the call.
The Kyle Woodall era kicks off with the preseason 13th-ranked Butler Grizzlies on the road in a non-conference matchup with Northeastern Oklahoma A&M to begin the 2025 season.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday will be the 14th all-time meeting for the Grizzlies and Norsemen. Butler leads the series, 7-6. Butler lost the first two meetings in 1933 and 1934 and the two teams did not play again until the 1981 Rodeo Bowl national championship, Butler's first national championship victory. Butler then lost three straight matchups from 1993-95 before going on a four-game win streak from 1998-2001 with James Shibest and Troy Morrell each leading the Grizzlies to two wins over the Norsemen. The series resumed in 2018 as Tim Schaffner led Butler to a 34-30 Midwest Classic Bowl victory over NEO. Last year the Grizzlies lost to NEO in the 2024 season opener at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex 23-26 in OT.
Butler has played NEO in three different bowl games with the Grizzlies holding a 2-1 advantage in them. The lone loss came in the 1993 Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs, Mo., as NEO won 52-50.
THE LAST TIME THEY MET
August 31, 2024 – EL DORADO, Kan. – Butler 23, NEO 26
NEO shocked the Grizzlies in last season's 2024 season opener in El Dorado in overtime. The Grizzlies were held to 187 total yards of offense, whereas NEO gained a total of 313 total yards of offense. Grizzlies quarterback Mac Armstrong led the Grizzlies with seven of 12 passing for 73 yards and two touchdowns. Grizzlies running back Vinny Smith led things on the ground with 14 carriers for 68 yards. Grizzlies All-American Seven Cloud had nine total tackles, one sack, and a fumble recovery for 16 yards. Grizzlies started the contest up 13-0 by the second quarter, but NEO responded by scoring 20 unanswered and took a 20-16 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Butler received the first possession in overtime, and the drive ended with a 45-yard missed field goal. NEO won the game with a 34-yard field goal to upset the Grizzlies and their first win over the Butler since 1995.
LOOKING AT NEO
The Norsemen are coming off a 3-6 season in 2024. Zach Crissup (11-33 overall) begins his sixth season leading NEO in 2025 after being hired on September 10, 2020. Beyond that it is difficult to scout NEO as they do not have a roster available.
FAMILIAR FACES IN NEW PLACES
The 2025 Butler Grizzlies football season sparks a new era as former Butler linebacker/defensive back Kyle Woodall was named the interim head coach back in March. Woodall previously served as the Grizzlies defensive coordinator the past three seasons under former Grizzlies head coach Brice Vignery. In 2024, Butler allowed just 16.9 points per game (second best in KJCCC) and held three opponents under 10 points and six teams under 20 points.
After Woodall was named the interim head coach back in March, Woodall promoted the Grizzlies defensive line coach Jake Landoll as the new defensive coordinator. Landoll's defensive line put together a strong year in 2024, highlighted by first team All-American and KJCCC Defensive Player of the Year, Seven Cloud. Cloud finished his 2024 campaign with 48 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, three blocked kicks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.
Coaches that are new in 2025
Brandon Niccum – Co-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line
Patrick Hall – Wide Receivers/Pass Game Coordinator
Tyson Andrus – Defensive Backs
Dorien Robinson – Defensive Backs
Imoni Donadelle – Running Backs
RANKINGS AND STANDINGS
The Grizzlies have been ranked 13th in both the preseason and week one NJCAA D1 Polls.
| Place | Name | Region | Record | Points | 1st | Prev. |
| 1 | Hutchinson | 6 | 0-0 | 150 | 12 | 1 |
| 2 | Iowa Western | 11 | 0-0 | 140 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | Northwest Mississippi | 23 | 0-0 | 124 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Navarro | 14 | 0-0 | 119 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | Snow | 18 | 1-0 | 104 | 0 | 6 |
| 6 | Georgia Military | 17 | 1-0 | 101 | 0 | 5 |
| 7 | Garden City | 6 | 0-0 | 89 | 0 | 7 |
| 8 | Tyler | 14 | 1-0 | 75 | 0 | 9 |
| 9 | Copiah-Lincoln | 23 | 0-0 | 73 | 0 | 8 |
| 10 | Mississippi Gulf Coast | 23 | 0-0 | 47 | 0 | 10 |
| 11 | Trinity Valley | 14 | 1-0 | 37 | 0 | 14 |
| 12 | Lackawanna | 19 | 0-0 | 34 | 0 | 12 |
| 13 | Butler | 6 | 0-0 | 29 | 0 | 13 |
| 14 | Iowa Central | 11 | 0-0 | 19 | 0 | 15 |
Receiving Votes: Coffeyville, East Mississipi, Cisco, Ellsworth
KJCCC STANDINGS
| Conf. | Overall | |||||
| GP | Record | Win% | GP | Record | Win% | |
| Butler | 0 | 0-0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0-0 | 0.000 |
| Coffeyville | 0 | 0-0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0-0 | 0.000 |
| Garden City | 0 | 0-0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0-0 | 0.000 |
| Highland (KS) | 0 | 0-0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0-0 | 0.000 |
| Hutchinson | 0 | 0-0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0-0 | 0.000 |
| Dodge City | 0 | 0-0 | 0.000 | 1 | 0-1 | 0.000 |
| Independence | 0 | 0-0 | 0.000 | 1 | 0-1 | 0.000 |