EL DORADO, Kan. — No. 1 Hutchinson (8-0, 4-0) scored 21 unanswered points to pull away from No. 9 Butler (5-2, 3-2) Saturday night.
The Dragons and Grizzlies were deadlocked at six after a pair of Alejandro de la Poza field goals (from 46 and 37) and a Butler 30-yard touchdown.
Butler looked ready to take the lead after a Tate McNew touchdown pass to Nakai Poole with 1:42 before halftime.
However, an unsportsmanlike penalty after the score pushed Hunter Rioux's extra-point attempt back 15 yards.
Brady Whitman managed to block the kick and keep the scored tied.
Christian Johnson and the offense worked quickly with little time left in the first half.
Johnson marched the Dragons down the field on a 10-play, 75-yard drive that left just two seconds on the clock.
Johnson capped the drive with a seven-yard touchdown run.
Hutchinson went into the locker room with a seven-point advantage.
Kade Smith got the nod at running back for Hutchinson and saw his first work in the backfield this season.
Smith led the Dragons with 98 rushing yards on 25 carries. His touchdown from five-yards out with 3:23 left in the third put Hutchinson up 20-6.
Johnson scored again on the ground from one yard away early in the fourth quarter to complete the 21-0 run and put Hutchinson up 27-6.
Butler running back Markellus Bass scored on a fourth-down carry late in the game to pull the Grizzlies within 15.
Rioux's extra-point attempt went wide.
It was a rough day for Rioux. He had an extra-point attempt blocked, a field-goal attempt blocked (by Jlynn Allen) and an extra-point attempt miss wide.
The Dragons now have a record nine blocked special teams attempts this season, a program record.
FINAL: Hutchinson 27 Butler 12
Bass ran for 108 yards and became the first runner with 100-plus yards against the Dragons since the semifinal against Georgia Military last season.
Bass, the nation's leading rusher with 130.8 yards per game, came into the contest averaging 7.1 yards per touch, but was held to just 4.5 yards per carry.
The Dragons have now won 12-consecutive games (since last year's only loss to Butler) and 24 straight on the road (dating back to 2021).
This is the fourth Top-10 win for Hutchinson. The Dragons now have wins over No. 2 Iowa Western, No. 9 Iowa Central, No. 10 Coffeyville and No. 9 Butler.
Hutchinson has a bye next week before hitting the road to face Highland on Nov. 15.