BUIES CREEK, N.C.-- Campbell's football team (1-6, 0-4 Pioneer Football League) fell behind by 20 points to the top team in the conference and one of only four undefeated team in FCS in the second quarter, but fought back to get to within a touchdown in the last three minutes in a 23-16 loss to Butler (7-0, 4-0 PFL) at Barker-Lane Stadium/Ed Gore Field on Oct. 24. The day was Homecoming and Family Weekend for Campbell and CU fed off the crowd of 4,851 to keep the game within a nail-biting margin from the second quarter on.

Redshirt sophomore linebacker Milton Brown was able to end each of the first two Butler possessions with big defensive plays. He picked up a tackle for loss on the first attempt on third down and a pass knocked down on the team's second attempt on third down. Brown ended his afternoon with six tackles.

Adam Willets had a strong day for the Camels with 10 points on three field goals (38, 43 and 37 yards) and an extra point.

The Bulldogs scored first on Scott Gray's five-yard touchdown run. The extra point was missed to keep the score at 6-0 with 4:41 left in the first quarter.

BU scored their second touchdown of the game on the next possession as Zach Watkins caught a 22-yard pass from Andrew Huck. The David Lang extra point was good to increase the margin to 13-0 with 1:38 remaining in the first quarter.

The Bulldog attack kept it going early in the next quarter with Dan Bohrer catching the one-yard touchdown from Huck to complete a 13-play, 80 yard drive. The Lang extra point was good to increase the margin to 20-0 with 7:26 remaining in the second quarter.

CU scored their only touchdown of the afternoon as redshirt sophomore C.J. Oates was able to haul in the Polk pass at the two, break out of a tackle and scamper into the end zone for a nine-yard touchdown. Willets' kick was knocked through to make the score 20-7 with 3:52 left in the half.

After a big defensive stop by the Campbell defense, the CU offense marched down the field and got three points closer on Willets 38-yard field goal to make the halftime score 20-10 at the break.

Campbell started the second half with a defensive stop and then proceeded to march down the field in 14 plays, 56 yards and 6:24. The drive was finished off on Willets' 43-yard kick with 4:28 left in the third quarter. The kick was career long for the redshirt sophomore.

Butler drove down the field on the ensuing drive but Lang's 41-yard kick was missed to the right to keep CU within a touchdown with 1:07 left in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs came up with a defensive stop of their own before getting a Lang 21-yard field goal to increase the lead to 10 at 23-13 with 6:27 remaining. The Butler drive covered 11 plays, 66 yards in 5:06.

CU, after a failed offensive series, then got a huge defensive stop near Butler's goal line forcing a kick that sophomore Brandon Chandler returned 25 yards to the Butler 20-yard line. Willets then came through with his third field goal of the game, this one from 37-yards, to draw to within seven at 23-16 with just over three minutes left in the game.

After a failed on-side kick the Camels defense again came up with a stop and got the ball back for the offense deep in CU territory (at the one-yard line). The Camels fought all the way out to their own 12-yard line before Polk saw his pass attempt picked off by Nick Candicott with 00:27 seconds left to effective end the chance to tie the game.

CU was outgained in the game 381-301. Polk led the offense for CU with 63 yards rushing. The redshirt junior also completed 15 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown. Butler's Huck had 56 yards rushing and completed 22 passes for 214 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt sophomore Jared Hart had nine tackles for Campbell.

Next, Campbell continues the homestand and takes on Morehead State (2-6, 0-4 PFL) on Oct. 31 starting at 1 p.m. at Barker-Lane Stadium/Ed Gore Field