USDvsValpo2016

GAME #7: The USD Toreros (5-1, 4-0 PFL), under the direction of fourth year head coach Dale Lindsey, return to Walter J. Zable Field at Torero Stadium this Saturday to take on the Valparaiso Crusaders (3-4, 2-2 PFL). Kickoff is slated for 1:00 pm. Torero players will wear purple socks, and coaches/staff purple polos, to help promote National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

SERIES RECORD: This is the 24th meeting between USD and Valparaiso with the Toreros owning a commanding 18-5 series lead... USD has won 12 straight games in the series, including last year's 38-3 road victory on September 26th in Indiana.

LIVE STREAM: Saturday's contest will be streamed live on TheW.tv with Darren Preston providing the play-by-play call. Preston is filling in for Jack Cronin (@JackCroninPXP) and live stats are also available at usdtoreros.com.

A LOOK AHEAD: The Toreros close out the month of October with a key PFL contest at Marist College (3-3, 3-0 PFL) in Poughkeepsie, New York. The contest is slated for 10:00 a.m. (Pacific) on Saturday, October 29th at Tenney Stadium (5,000).

PFL RECORDS/SCHEDULE FOR OCTOBER 22ND: San Diego (4-0 PFL, 5-1), Marist (3-0, 3-3), Dayton (3-1, 5-2), Campbell (1-1, 3-2), Drake (2-2, 3-4), Jacksonville (1-1, 2-3), Valparaiso (2-2, 3-4), Stetson (1-2, 3-3), Butler (1-3, 3-4), Morehead State (1-3, 2-5), Davidson (0-4, 2-5). PFL Schedule: Davidson at Marist, Dayton at Butler, Jacksonville at Morehead State, Stetson at Campbell, Valparaiso at San Diego. Off Week: Drake.

2016 PFL COACHES POLL: For the sixth straight year the Toreros were picked to finish first in the PFL Preseason Coaches Poll. USD received five first place votes and five second place votes for 95 points, narrowly edging Dayton (6 first place votes, 94 points). They are followed by Drake (68), Morehead State (64), Campbell (62), Marist (56), Butler (54), Jacksonville (53), Stetson (27), Valparaiso (21) and Davidson (11).

TOREROS LOOK TO CONTINUE PFL HOME WINNING STREAK: When the Toreros line up for Saturday's game with Valparaiso, they will be looking to secure their 26th straight home Pioneer Football League victory at Torero Stadium. The streak began on October 23, 2010 with a 30-10 win over Valparaiso. That win followed USD's last home PFL loss, a tough 21-20 decision to the Dayton Flyers on October 9, 2010. During the streak the Toreros have pitched three shutouts - 42-0 vs. Davidson (2011), 44-0 vs. Campbell (2012) and 27-0 vs. Drake (2015). The Toreros have also survived four contests that ended with final scores of three points or less, 31-28 vs. Dayton (2011), 35-33 vs. Marist (2013), 30-27 vs. Marist (2015) and 28-27 vs. Butler (2015).

TOREROS RANK #1 IN FCS IN TWO DEFENSIVE STATISTICS: The Toreros rank No. 1 in the nation for FCS programs in scoring defense (13.3 ppg) and team passing efficiency defense (86.13 rating).

TORERO TIDBITS:
* USD Football is in its 54th season of play, and 24th season as a member of the Pioneer Football League... San Diego ranks second for most PFL titles with seven (Dayton leads with 12)... The Toreros have won four of the past five PFL championships (2015c, 2014, 2012c, 2011c) and seven overall when adding in titles from 2007c, 2006, 2005.

* Since taking over the program in 2013, head coach Dale Lindsey's has guided the Toreros to a 31-9 overall record (77.5 winning percentage) and 20-2 mark (90.9 winning percentage) at Torero Stadium.

* In last week's 38-7 road win over Drake, QB Anthony Lawrence tossed four touchdowns on 19-29 passing for 259 yards... He connected on touchdown passes twice to WR Brian Riley (17, 14) and TE Ross Dwelley (8, 21)... RB Jonah Hodges totaled 112 yards rushing on 21 attempts, and FB Tevin Heyward found the endzone for the 4th time on a 2-yard blast... For the game USD totaled 467 yards of offense while limiting Drake to just 229 yards... The defense was paced by SAF Colton Giorgi (5 stops) and CB Jamal Agnew (4 tackles, 2 pass breakups)... LB Alec Moreno added an interception that he returned 22 yards.

* Along with being named the team captain for 2016, senior corner back Devyn Bryant (San Diego, Calif.) is getting recognition off the field as well... He is a 2016 semifinalist for the National Football Foundation Campbell Trophy Award, given to the nation's top scholar-athlete; for the second straight season Devyn was the team's candidate for the All-State AFCA Good Works Team; and this past summer he was recognized as a 2016 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar by the staff that produces the publication Diverse: Issues in High Education. Last year's team leader with 5 interceptions, he picked up his 7th career pick against Western New Mexico in this season's opener... He leads this year's defense, and the PFL, with 7 passes defended (6 breakups, 1 interception).

* Senior RB Jonah Hodges (Santa Cruz, Calif.) looks for a big year after he broke his collarbone in last year's opener against SDSU... He returned for the team's final three games and finished with 141 yards rushing... During the 2014 campaign he led the team with 1,214 yards rushing (101.2 yards per game) and 6 touchdowns... Thru 6 games this season he has rushed for 681 yards on 99 carries (6.9 yards per carry average; 113.5 yards per game) and 9 touchowns... His 4 rushing TDs against Davidson tied the school record... Among PFL players he ranks first in rushing (113.5), scoring (10.0), and all-purpose yardage (180.2).

* Sophomore QB Anthony Lawrence (La Mesa, CA) gets the starting nod for his 17th straight game... Thru 6 games he has completed 110-160 passes for 1,500 yards and 11 scores... Last season he was team MVP after completing 188-295 passes for 2,392 yards and 23 touchdowns... He was also named the PFL Offensive Freshman of the Year.

* Lawrence has some outstanding targets to throw to this season led by TE Ross Dwelley (34 catches for 420 yards, 7 TDs), WR Brian Riley (27 catches for 581 yards, 13TDs, and team-best 23.2 yards per reception) and RB Jonah Hodges (21 receptions for 268 yards, 1 TD). Lawrence has also received great protection from the Torero offensive line having been sacked only once this season.

* Senior cornerback Jamal Agnew (San Diego, Calif. / Point Loma HS), who led all FCS players two seasons ago (2014) in passes defended (2.1 average), owns career numbers of 42 pass break-ups (school record) and 10 interceptions (school record is 15 by Al-Rilwan Adeyemi and Kyle Slusser).

* Last season junior DE Jonathan Petersen (Poway, Calif.) ranked first in the PFL in tackles for loss (16, -87 yards) and second in sacks (8, -68 yards)... He chipped in with 51 tackles (5th on team) to go with 8 QB hurries and 3 forced fumbles... He got off to a great start in 2016 after recording 2 sacks (-22 yards), 3 tackles for loss (-32 yards), 2 QB hurries, and 5 tackles against WNMU... Thru 6 games he has a team-leading 7 QB hurries to go with 3 sacks (-27 yards), 6 tackles for loss (-43 yards), 1 blocked kick and 1 forced fumble.

* After 6 games the Toreros rank 1st in the PFL in scoring offense (35.2), scoring defense (13.3), rushing defense (114.0), total offense (457.7), pass efficiency (162.6 rating), pass defense efficiency (86.1 rating), sacks against (0.17), 3rd Down Conversions (54.1) and time of possession (34:09). Individuals leading the PFL include Jonah Hodges (113.5 yards rushing per game, 60 points, 10 touchdowns, 180.2 all-purpose yards per game), and Anthony Lawrence (166.4 pass efficiency rating).

* The Toreros are also FCS national statistical leaders in other areas - In addition to their #1 ranking in scoring defense and pass efficiency defense, USD is #2 in 3rd down conversions (54.1) and sacks allowed (0.17), #6 in time of possession (34:09), #7 in total defense (274.2), #8 in passing yards allowed (160.2), #9 in passing efficiency (162.62) and #13 in total offense (457.7)... USD is also receiving votes in all three FCS National Polls (STATS, COACHES, HERO SPORTS).

* This week's opponent, Valparaiso, comes to town with an overall record of 3-4 and PFL mark of 2-2... This past week they went on the road and defeated Stetson 21-18... FB Cody Boxrucker scored twice on runs of 3 yards to pace the offense... QB Jimmy Seewald was 13-30 for 170 yards and 1 TD (38 yards to Griffin Norberg... The Valpo defense tallied 4 interceptions led by Drew Snouffer with 2... On the season RB Jarrett Morgan ranks 7th in the PFL in all-purpose yards (102.4 yards per game)... LB Drew Snouffer leads the defense with 8.7 tackles per game... Valpo's other PFL win came against Davidson (24-20), while they were also in both games in their PFL losses (29-26 at Morehead State, 35-21 vs. Drake)... Head Coach Dave Cecchini is in his 3rd year.