SAN DIEGO – Riding the longest active home winning streak in the FCS, San Diego opens its much-anticipated 2019 home schedule with a matchup against No. 5/4 UC Davis on Saturday at Torero Stadium.
 
The Toreros have won 21 straight in their home confines as well as eight straight home openers. They are also seeking their first win against a ranked opponent since November 2017 when the Toreros topped No. 25 Northern Arizona in the FCS playoffs. UC Davis comes into Saturday ranked No. 4 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 5 in the STATS FCS Top 25.
 
Saturday's contest will be available on the WCC Network, with Voice of the Toreros Jack Cronin on the call. Livestream links, as well as live stats, can be found on the schedule page.
 
LAST TIME OUT: TOREROS DROP SEASON OPENER AT CAL POLY
- USD is off to a 0-1 start to the year after falling at Cal Poly, 52-34, in week one. The Toreros surrendered scoring drives on eight consecutive drives to start the game and allowed nine plays of 20+ yards to fall into an early deficit. Led by senior quarterback Reid Sinnett and receiving options in tight end Dalton Kincaid (career-high 152 receiving yards) and Michael Bandy (10 rec, 133 yd), the Toreros closed the gap late in the game. Sinnett finished the game 26-of-39 with 416 yards, 4 TD and 3 INT. The Mustangs scored 14 points off two of those interceptions.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST UC DAVIS
- USD is 1-4 all-time against the Aggies, with its lone win occurring in the first ever matchup back in 2008 in San Diego (W, 28-20). The Toreros have lost four straight against UC Davis, including twice in the last two years.
 
- USD and UC Davis announced in May that the two schools will continue their series through 2022. The two schools will not face each other in 2019 but resume the series in 2020 in Davis, followed by a 2021 game in San Diego and then back to Davis in 2022.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
- Following a bye week, the Toreros take the field again on September 21 against Harvard at Torero Stadium. It will be the second straight season the two schools face off as Harvard topped the Toreros, 34-16, in Cambridge in 2018.
 
FIND HIM, HE'S OPEN
- Preseason All-American and Walter Payton Award watch list selection Michael Bandy picked up where he left off from his record-setting 2018 season. The senior hauled in 10 receptions in the season opener at Cal Poly, gaining 133 yards and catching 2 TD.
- The 10 receptions were the most by any PFL player in week one, with no other non-USD player totaling more than three. Teammate Dalton Kincaid had the second-most among PFL players with six.
 
- It was Bandy's fourth career game of 10+ receptions, with his previous before Saturday occurring on Nov. 10, 2018 vs. Davidson (10 rec, 324 yds).
 
- Saturday was Bandy's 10th career game of 100+ receiving yards. In his last eight games, Bandy has registered 100 or more receiving yards seven times (9 in his last 11).
 
BANDY MOVING UP THE CAREER CHARTS
- MIchael Bandy's big day moved him up several USD career lists. The senior moved into the top-10 for career touchdown receptions (T-10th, 18) and is 20 receptions away from cracking the top-10 in career receptions. His 127 career grabs trail 10th place Justin Priest (147, 2014-17).
 
- Among active FCS players, Bandy enters this week fourth in career receiving yards (2,275) and third in career average yards per game (71.1).
 
SCORING THREAT
- Michael Bandy was not the only Torero with a big day receiving on Saturday as sophomore Dalton Kincaid recorded a career-high 152 yards on six catches. It was the first time he ever went over the 100-yard mark in his career, as his previous career-high was 87 (at Nicholls on Nov. 24, 2018). After week one, the tight end has the sixth-most receiving yards in the FCS.
 
- Kincaid also caught a touchdown pass at Cal Poly, giving him 12 in his career. Of those 12, nine of them have come inside the red zone, including last week's against the Mustangs.
 
PFL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
- Michael Armstead became the first Torero to earn player of the week honors from the PFL this season as he was named week one's Special Teams Player of the Week. It was his second PFL weekly honor of his career.
 
SPECIALIZING IN THE RETURN
- Wide receiver and return specialist Michael Armstead had a big day in the return game as his 221 combined kick return yards were the most in the FCS in week one. 
 
- The 183 kick return yards were also the fourth-most in a game by a Torero. The senior now holds four of the top-six kick return yards in a game records, including the most -- a mark he set in November 2018 against Davidson (225). Armstead has registered 167+ kick return yards in a game four times.
 
- The product of Monterey, Calif. leads all active Division I players (FCS and FBS) with 32.0 kick return yards per game in his career.
 
- Armstead is fast approaching seventh in the USD history in career kick return yards as he enters the game against UC Davis with 1,023 career yards on 32 kick returns. He trails Evan Hlavacek (1,061 from 1993-96) for seventh in program history.
 
- Armstead finished the game with 243 all-purpose yards, which are the second-most in the FCS after the first week. Entering Saturday, Armstead is fifth among active Division I players (FCS and FBS) with 129.1 all-purpose yards per game in his career. That number is second among active FCS players (Shane Simpson, Towson - 138.3).
 
SUPERLATIVE START
- Redshirt senior Reid Sinnett became the first USD quarterback to throw for 400+ yards in his first career start, totaling 416 on 26-of-39 passing. It was the most passing yards for a Torero quarterback since Anthony Lawrence set the school record with 556 vs. Davidson in 2018.
 
- It was only the 11th time in USD history a quarterback threw for 400+ yards in a game. 
 
- The 416 yards were the third-most yards by an FCS quarterback in week one. He was also one of five FCS quarterbacks to throw for 400+ yards. He is currently fourth in the FCS this season in passing yards.
 
Week One Passing Yards – Most in FCS
1.       Dalton Sneed (Montana) – 430 yards
2.       Joe Fagnano (Maine) – 423 yards
3.       Reid Sinnett (San Diego) – 416 yards
4.       Bailey Fisher (Tennessee Tech) – 415 yards
 
BEING EFFICIENT
- In his first career start, Reid Sinnett turned in a 174.7 passing efficiency, the eighth-best among FCS quarterbacks this season. It was the best passing efficiency in a game by a Torero since Anthony Lawrence on Nov. 17, 2018 at Marist (208.4). The redshirt senior is sixth in the FCS in yards per attempt (10.7) and 14th in passing yards per completion (16.0). His passing TDs are second-best in the nation.
 
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS
- The Torero offense was able to keep many drives going last Saturday as it converted 62.5% of their third downs, the seventh-best mark in FCS.
 
TOREROS IN THE PROS
- Entering the first week of the NFL season, there are three Toreros - Jamal Agnew (Detroit Lions), Ross Dwelley (49ers) and Josh Johnson (Detroit Lions) - on 53-man rosters. 
 
- Also of note is there are four Toreros playing professionally overseas in the X-League in Japan, a group that includes Al-Rilwan Adeyami, Jonah Hodges, Anthony Lawrence and Mason Mills.
 
TOREROS IN 2019
- USD is in its 57th season of play, and 27th season as a member of the Pioneer Football League. The Toreros own the second-most PFL titles with 10 (Dayton leads with 12) and have won seven of the past eight PFL championships (2018, 2017, 2016, 2015c, 2014, 2012c, 2011c). They also won three straight PFL titles from 2005 to 2007 (co-championship).
 
- The Toreros have reached the FCS Playoffs in three straight seasons and four times in the last five years.
 
COACH LINDSEY IN HIS SEVENTH SEASON
- Since the 2013 season under head coach Dale Lindsey, the Toreros have won 55 of 71 games, including 29 straight in conference play. 
 
TEAM CAPTAINS
- Michael Bandy (WR), Zach Nelson (TE) and Marcus Vaivao (LB) were selected as the team captains for 2018.
 
OVER A DECADE OF DOMINANCE
- Since the 2005 season, the Toreros have combined for an overall record of 119-40 (.748), and a PFL mark of 81-15 (.844). 
 
- USD's overall home record since the start of the 2005 campaign is 72-10 (.878). 
 
- The Toreros have won 35 straight home PFL games, dating back to Oct. 9, 2010, in a 21-20 loss against Dayton. USD has won 29 straight PFL games dating back to Oct. 10, 2015, in a 13-12 loss at Dayton.
 
BANDY SELECTED TO WALTER PAYTON AWARD WATCH LIST
- Michael Bandy was one of 25 players named to the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award Watch List, which is considered the Heisman of the FCS. It is the third straight year a Torero has appeared on the award's preseason watch list as former quarterback Anthony Lawrence received the preseason recognition in 2017 and 2018.
 
BANDY IS A PRESEASON FCS ALL-AMERICAN
- In addition to the Walter Payton Award Watch List, Michael Bandy was named a 2019 STATS FCS Preseason First Team All-American. He was one of 98 players selected to the three-squad team and one of nine players who were STATS FCS All-America first team selections last year.
 
ANOTHER TORERO ON A WATCH LIST
- Michael Bandy was not the only Torero to be recognized on a national player of the year watch list. Tanner Kuljian was named to the 28-player watch list for the FCS Punter of the Year Award, presented by The Augusta Sports Council (also home to the Ray Guy Award). Kuljian ranked 14th in the nation last year in punting average, turning in a 42.8 yards per punt clip.
 
SIX TOREROS EARN PRESEASON PFL HONORS
- Michael Bandy (WR) and Emilio Martinez (RB) were named to the Preseason All-PFL offensive team, while Nick Friedel (DE) and Kama Kamaka (NB) were selected on the defensive side. Michael Armstead (KR) and Tanner Kuljian (P/K) were named Preseason All-PFL special teams.
 
FOR NINTH STRAIGHT SEASON, THE TOREROS ARE THE FAVORITE IN THE PFL
- San Diego was selected to finish first in the Pioneer Football League Preseason Coaches Poll for the ninth consecutive season.
 
- USD was selected to finish first with 79 points while Dayton was picked to finish runner-up with 65 points. Drake (64) was voted to finish third, followed by Marist, Davidson (48), Stetson (44), Butler (37), Jacksonville (30), Morehead State and Valparaiso (15-point tie).
 
- The Toreros earned seven of the 10 first-place votes, with Dayton earning the other three.
 
COACHING STAFF RELOADS 
- The Torero coaching staff underwent some changes prior to the season, including changes at offensive coordinator and offensive line.
 
- Quarterbacks coach Christian Taylor will also now serve as the sole offensive coordinator, after splitting the role last season with former offensive line coach Jim Jackson, who took a coaching role with UMass.
 
- Replacing Jackson as the offensive line coach is Cory White, who served as the Torero tight ends coach last season but was the offensive line coach in 2013. White has spent a total of three years on the USD coaching staff, with the first being in 2012 as the tight ends coach.
 
- Dorian Keller, a former player and assistant coach at USD as well as assistant at Cal Poly (2015), is the new tight ends coach. Keller was the co-offensive coordinator/offensive line coach at Division III Luther College (Decorah, Iowa) last year and has coaching stops at San Diego State and Idaho State in addition to USD and Cal Poly.
 
TICKETS
Season tickets can be purchased at the following prices - $60-75 (plus a per-account contribution) for reserved seating, $50 (faculty/staff), and a promotional offer of $40 (plus a per-account contribution) for recent USD graduates within last five years.
 
Single game ticket prices for football include the following: reserved seating ($25), general admission ($10 adult, $5 children). USD faculty and staff receive up to four free general admission tickets (available upon request).
 
The Toreros provide an excellent Family Four Pack for $48; this comes with four general admission tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas and one popcorn. Group tickets for general admission are $7 (10 to 19 people), and $5 for groups of 20 or more. Additionally, all military personnel (with proper ID) can receive a complimentary ticket for all Torero home games (excluding premium games).