The Snow College football team earned a 50-49 overtime win against the Butler Community College Grizzlies Saturday in a game that will be remembered as instant classic.
 
Following a tough loss to the No. 1 ranked Broncos a week prior, the now No. 10 ranked Badgers were faced with their second top-10 matchup in as many weeks as they traveled to El Dorado, Kansas to take on the No. 8 Grizzlies.  
 
BCC entered the matchup with a 2-0 record after claiming wins over Garden City Community College and Highland Community College in its first two weeks of action.  The Grizzlies also touted one of the nation's top quarterbacks in freshman Jake Wolff, who led the nation in passing yards and was second in the country in yards per game entering the matchup.
 
That didn't stop the Badgers from coming out of the gates flying.  The Badgers forced a three-and-out on the Grizzlies opening possession.  On fourth down, Maclaran Bird blocked the BCC punt and Snow College recovered it at the 1-yard line.  Carsen Manookin wasted no time and punched in the short rush to give the Badgers the early lead.
 
After forcing a punt on the Grizzlies subsequent drive, Snow College would put together an eight-play 76-yard drive that resulted in a quarterback keeper from Daisean Cash, who scampered 19 yards into the end zone to give the Badgers a 14-0 advantage after the successful PAT.
 
Snow College's defense continued to play well in the first quarter and converted another BCC punt into points on the next series. This drive was aided by a 30-yard completion from Cash to Elijah Ervin to set up the Badgers in Grizzly territory.  Cash would culminate the drive by finding a wide-open Dallin Bentley who waltzed untouched into the end zone to give Snow College a 21-0 advantage in the first quarter.
 
The Badgers flexed their defensive muscles yet again on the Grizzlies next drive.  BCC drove down the field and were set up first and 10 from the 11-yard line.  An incomplete pass, a sack and a completed pass left the Grizzlies with forth and 2 from the 3-yard line.  Snow College stuffed the attempted run play and took over on downs from inside the 2-yard line.
 
The Badgers would then proceed to march 98 yards down the field and score its fourth touchdown of the game.  It was again Cash who completed back-to-back passes to Manookin, the first was 29 yards, the second a 23-yard touchdown reception that Manookin took to the end zone weaving between Grizzly defenders to give Snow College a 28-0 lead.
 
BCC would punch back and would score on the next drive.  The Grizzlies moved quickly down the field and scored in just under two minutes to bring the score to 28-7.  They would force a three-and-out, but the Badger's punt was greatly influenced by a strong wind and set BCC up at the Snow College 30.  Three plays later and the Grizzlies had cut the Badger lead in half in a matter of minutes.  The score would stay 28-14 going into halftime.
 
The Grizzlies received the second-half kickoff and used a good return to their advantage.  They capitalized on the short field and scored within five plays to bring the score 28-21 just minutes into the third quarter.  BCC would even the score with a 33-yard passing touchdown from Wolff to Quavez Humphreys midway through the period.
 
Snow College would respond immediately and score on the subsequent drive going nine plays and 75 yards to find the end zone.  It was Rahsul Faison who carried the ball across the goal line on a 15-yard rush to give the Badgers the lead 35-28.
 
The Badgers would be forced to punt to open the fourth quarter.  The punt was returned 82 yards for a touchdown by AJ King.  After a successful PAT the score was again level at 35 apiece.
 
The bulk of the fourth quarter would remain scoreless until the Badgers took the lead late in the period.  Faison capped off an eight-play, 80-yard drive with a 10-yard rush and his second touchdown of the game, giving Snow College a 42-35 lead. 
 
The Grizzlies had two timeouts and needed to go the length of the field after a touchback on the ensuing kickoff.  BCC moved the ball well and were aided by defensive pass interference calls on back-to-back plays and eventually found itself set up first and goal from the 2-yard line after converting a fourth and 10.  Wolff called his own number on the goal-line play and fumbled the football, which was recovered by Snow College at their own 1-yard line with 15 seconds to play.
 
The Badgers elected to call a quarterback sneak to try and get some breathing room from their own end zone.  Cash fumbled the snap, and the ball was recovered by the Grizzlies in the end zone for a touchdown which brought the game to 42-41 with the PAT pending.  BCC originally lined up to go for two and the win, but a procedural penalty moved them back five yards and the Grizzlies elected to just kick the extra point, which was good to tie the game and sent it into overtime.
 
BCC got the ball first in overtime beginning at the Snow College 25-yard line.  Facing a third and 8, Wolff again found Humphreys in the end zone and with a successful PAT took a 49-42 lead – the Grizzlies first lead of the game.
 
Snow College's chance from the 25-yard line ended as quickly as it started.  Manookin took the handoff from Cash to the left and then pitched it to Marquise Montgomery on the reverse.  Montgomery shoveled the ball back to Cash who found a wide-open Bentley in the end zone to bring the Badgers within one.
 
Instead of attempting the PAT and force a second overtime, Snow College elected to go for two.  Cash handed the ball to Faison who took it across the goal line untouched to give the Badgers the 50-49 overtime victory.
 
Snow College amassed 511 yards of total offense.  Cash finished the game going 18-29 with 292 yards and three touchdowns.  Faison led all rushers with 75 yards and two touchdowns on 15 attempts.  Manookin added 177 all-purpose yards – 65 rush, 112 receiving – and two touchdowns.  Bentley caught two touchdown passes totaling 37 yards in the win.
 
Snow College will return home to take on the Hawks from Gila River Junior College Saturday inside Terry Foote Stadium.  Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.  For video streaming and live stat information, visit snowbadgers.com.