SAN DIEGO — Little came easy for San Diego football in 2021. The strange, COVID-19-altered spring campaign dealt the program its first conference losses in years. The fall season offered no immediate reprieve as matchups against three scholarship programs to begin the year dug the Toreros an 0-4 hole as they entered Pioneer Football League (PFL) play. But as they stared down a long slog back to .500, USD didn't quit. It merely set its sights higher, embodying head coach Dale Lindsey's "If you don't grind, you don't shine" mantra as it rattled off gritty PFL win after gritty PFL win to put another conference title within reach. 

Last Saturday, that hard work and resilience culminated in a historic achievement as San Diego captured its 12th PFL Championship to tie Dayton for the most titles in conference history. Against all odds, USD grinded, and now it — along with the PFL championship trophy — shines, a feat that serves both as a testament to the Toreros' resilience and a reminder. 

A reminder that even amidst the most challenging of circumstances, the road to the Pioneer Football League championship runs through San Diego.

As we celebrate the Toreros' most recent title, here's a look back at the 11 championships — and the legacy — that preceded it.

2005 - Tradition of conference dominance begins with Harbaugh and Johnson

With future NFL quarterback Josh Johnson leading the offense and second-year head coach Jim Harbaugh at the helm, San Diego's 2005 season got off to a hot start. Neither had yet achieved what would eventually take them to the professional level — Johnson as a dynamic dual-threat QB and Harbaugh as a sought-after leader with a track record of winning — but this season would begin to put both of them on the map. 

Already boasting a 5-1 record after rolling their way through a formidable slate of non-conference opponents that included the likes of Azusa Pacific, Yale, Southern Oregon, and Menlo, USD was well-prepared for their PFL opener against Butler. They defeated the Bulldogs by a score of 49-7 behind 314 yards and three touchdowns from Johnson, setting the tone for the remainder of their conference schedule. 

In the following weeks of conference play, high-scoring affairs became the norm for the USD offense. Posting up point totals of 48, 31, 63, 60, and 42, San Diego cruised through the meat of their PFL slate of games. USD would go undefeated in conference play, hardly challenged until the last week of the season.

But even Morehead State proved to be no match for the 2005 Toreros in the end. Sitting at 11-1 coming into the game, USD earned their first-ever PFL Championship title with a hard-fought 47-40 victory over the visiting Eagles before 2,883 fans at Torero Stadium. They did so with yet another monster performance from Johnson, who tossed five first-half touchdowns.

"At the beginning of the season, I said there was a tremendous story waiting to be written about this 2005 team," Harbaugh said after the game.

What he perhaps didn't know then, however, was that San Diego's first-ever PFL title was the beginning of an even bigger story, one that would still be in progress more than 15 years after his team set the standard for USD football. 

2006 - Back-to-back champs for the first time

If the FCS world didn't know about USD before 2005, they certainly did in 2006. In early August of that year, the Toreros would be tabbed as the No. 1 team in The Sports Network I-AA Mid-Major Top 10, marking the first time that the program had earned the honor. 

And with a target now on their back, San Diego lived up to the hype. USD won their first 10 games in commanding fashion, sweeping their PFL slate with an average margin of victory of nearly 40 points per game. In those wins, the Toreros scored more than 50 points four times, even eclipsing the 60-point mark on October 14th in a 68-point effort against Valparaiso. 

The high point of the Toreros 2006 PFL campaign, however, came on November 6th versus Dayton, when USD sold out Torero Stadium for the first time since the venue expanded to 7,000 seats. Played at night with a 6 p.m. start time, the contest was televised on Channel 4 San Diego as the Toreros closed out their conference schedule. San Diego didn't disappoint underneath the bright lights, handily dispatching the Flyers by a score of 56-14 to move their record to a program-best 10-0 and secure the conference title for the second straight season. Josh Johnson, now a Payton Award Watch List Candidate, enjoyed a masterful performance against his team's conference rival, passing for four scores, running in two touchdowns and even catching a TD pass as USD totaled 584 yards of offense 

The 2006 season as a whole would also conclude on a high note for USD, as they were named the Mid-Major National Champion for the second consecutive season after they defeated 2nd-ranked Monmouth University. Six Toreros were named to The Sports Network's 2006 I-AA Mid-Major All-America team.

2007 - Success continues under Caragher

At the Division I-AA level of football, the cost of success is often the ascension of your team's coaches to the next level. Never was that more true than in 2007, when Harbaugh left for Stanford University after leading the Toreros to back-to-back Mid-Major Championships.

His departure, however, didn't interrupt San Diego's success, as the tradition of PFL dominance rolled right along under new head coach Ron Caragher. Caragher joined the Toreros from the University of Kentucky, where he served as an assistant coach.  

In their season opener on September 8th, the Toreros dispatched Marist — a future member of the PFL — with ease, taking down the Red Foxes in a 38-17 win. Josh Johnson, now a grizzled veteran and All-American, helped earn Caragher his first victory in San Diego by completing 24-of-28 passes for 403 yards and four touchdowns, at the time a career-best for the Oakland, CA native.

Soon after, it was time for San Diego to head out on the road to begin PFL play in 2007. Traveling to Indianapolis, Indiana to take on Butler, it was more of the same for San Diego, with USD putting up 56 points to the mere 9 they allowed.

Key to the Toreros' offensive barrage against the Bulldogs was Johnson, who enjoyed a record-setting day as he completed 25-of-30 passes to rack up 406 passing yards and six passing touchdowns, plus a touchdown run. All that was good for Johnson to become the school's all-time career leader in passing yards (7,801 yards) and attempts (853).

USD would win their next few PFL games in similar fashion, defeating Valparaiso, Drake, and Jacksonville all by at least two scores. Their matchup with Dayton, however, gave them more trouble, as the Flyers dealt San Diego just their third loss in their last three seasons by a 35-16 margin, snapping an 18-game regular-season winning streak.

Which meant that in their next game against Davidson, USD would need to get back on track to stay in contention for a share of the conference title. They were able to do that in exciting fashion on Senior Day at Torero Stadium, edging the Wildcats in a hard-fought 52-49 win. Junior wide receiver John Matthews delivered the deciding blow, hauling in a three-yard pass from Johnson to put the Toreros on top for good after a wild back-and-forth contest. The victory gave USD a share of the PFL Championship, but to take sole possession of it they needed both a win of their own at Morehead State in their next game and a win by Drake against Dayton. 

In the final week of the 2007 PFL schedule, USD held up their end of the bargain, taking down the Eagles 27-14 on the road. But Dayton prevailed against Drake, forcing USD to share the conference championship with the Flyers due to their loss to them earlier in the season.

The Toreros ultimately finished with a 9-2 record, and at least a share of the PFL Championship for the third consecutive year. Johnson concluded his USD career as the most prolific QB in program history, named the team's MVP for the year after finishing third in the Walter Payton Award voting and tossing a school record 43 touchdowns while ranking first in the nation in total offense, passing efficiency and points responsible for. He left USD with all the career passing records and to this day remains the NCAA FCS career leader in passing efficiency with a 176.68 rating.

2011 - Gritty year from Mills leads San Diego return to winning ways

After a three-year PFL championship drought at Torero Stadium, it was time for San Diego to resume their conference dominance. Their return to greatness within the league, however, wouldn't begin easily. And with the days of Harbaugh and Josh Johnson in Alcala Park long gone, it would feature a new cast of characters. 

Starring in the Toreros' resurgence was local talent Mason Mills, a product of nearby Coronado High School. Joining USD after stints playing both football and baseball at two other institutions, Mills wasted no time making an impact in San Diego. His first three games in a Torero uniform saw him light up the scoreboard, putting up big numbers early before he suffered a separated shoulder versus UC Davis — placing a cloud of uncertainty over the Toreros' upcoming PFL schedule, which was set to begin in the upcoming week. 

The sophomore QB did indeed miss a portion of USD's next game as San Diego opened conference play on the road against Morehead State. But with his team staring down a significant deficit early on, Mills came off the bench for a legendary performance, playing through the pain to rally his team to victory with five touchdown passes. Just how impressive was Mills' injury-hobbled 314-yard effort? Here's an excerpt from The San Diego Union-Tribune's August 2013 feature on the quarterback.

"Drugs having worn off, an hour after the game Mills couldn't raise his right hand above his shoulder. He threw few passes in practice the rest of the season, yet didn't miss a start…"

The final score was 48-44, the Toreros escaping with a thrilling win over the Eagles to begin their conference slate, and the tone had been set for the rest of the season.

As the SDUT mentioned, Mills did not miss a start for the rest of 2011. Similarly, USD didn't miss a beat. Their next game would be a tad less stressful, a 42-0 shutout of Davidson highlighted by a true team effort on defense that featured close to 30 different players accounting for at least one tackle.

San Diego would then stretch their win streak to three games before stumbling against Campbell on October 22nd, dropping a 48-24 decision on the road against the Camels. However, USD didn't allow the defeat to derail their season, quickly bouncing back with a close 31-28 victory over longtime PFL rival Dayton the following week. San Diego sophomore running back Kenny James scored on a 2-yard run with forty-seven seconds left for the game-winner as he totaled 184 yards rushing and 3 rushing scores.

Every game counted down the stretch for the Toreros in 2011, especially their second-to-last PFL offering on November 12. A rare rainy Saturday in San Diego created a wet and muddy environment on the field at Torero Stadium that led to an equally rare low-scoring affair for USD. 

Fighting to keep their PFL Championship hopes alive, USD jumped out to a 13-0 halftime lead with scores in each of the first half's quarters. And that would be all the offense USD needed, hanging on for a 13-7 victory against the Red Foxes. The hard-fought win set the stage for a pivotal regular-season finale against Jacksonville to determine who would grab a share of the 2011 PFL title. 

A week later, the rain had passed in San Diego and all eyes once again turned to Torero Stadium for USD's decisive matchup against the Dolphins, who were the defending conference champions. Running back Kenny James again sparked the Torero offense with a big day as he rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown on 34 carries. And in the end, USD battled for a 24-14 win that earned them their first PFL title since 2007. Though they shared the championship with Drake, the Bulldogs' only defeat in the conference came at the hands of San Diego on October 15 of that season.

"When the team came in I did not want to dictate goals," head coach Ron Caragher said after the game. "I wanted those to come from within. Those goals were to win some games, one of them being to beat Jacksonville, and also to win a PFL championship. We talked about that so much, and to see it come true is really an exciting manifestation of what this team has done. With hard work, commitment, dedication, dreams can come true. We set that as a goal and our dream came true."

2012 - Caragher steers Toreros to title in final year at USD

In the Toreros' first PFL offering of 2011, they were forced to overcome a large deficit before they stormed back to escape with a victory. In USD's 2012 conference opener, however, the game was never in question. Opening up the contest by scoring 37 unanswered points, San Diego cruised to a 51-14 victory over Valparaiso, aided by a balanced attack of 239 rushing yards and 291 passing yards. 

A rare stumble within the PFL came next for the Toreros, falling on the road to Butler. As demonstrated in their previous championship seasons, however, USD wouldn't allow it to become anything more than a small bump in their road to a title. 

They responded with a convincing 44-0 shutout win over Campbell, avenging their loss to the Camels in the season prior. Scoring on seven of their first eight possessions, USD out-gained the Camels 516-79 in total yardage. The win was headlined by a big debut from freshman running back Dallas Kessman, who scored four rushing touchdowns in his first career start. Junior QB Mason Mills was nearly perfect on the day, going 19-20 for 217 yards to go along with his rushing touchdown. Sophomore Brandon White had five receptions for 66 yards to lead all Torero receivers. 

Now back on track and returned to their winning ways, the Toreros would face a formidable test on the road in the following week, traveling to Florida to take on then-undefeated Jacksonville. 

San Diego's dominance would continue against the Dolphins. Mills tossed three touchdowns to help USD open up a 21-0 lead and the Torero defense played strong all game, good for a 24-7 win. 

USD went on to blow out their next two opponents — Dayton and Morehead State — before playing a close pair of games to finish the season. Their biggest test came in their second to last contest of the season, edging the Wildcats by a touchdown to keep their PFL title hopes alive. 

The Toreros' final game of the season, though, would be their most consequential. With a chance at back-to-back PFL titles for the first time since 2006-2007 on the line, USD rose to the occasion on the road. Behind a solid all-around effort in all three phases of the game, San Diego beat Marist 34-10, making them champions of the conference once again. The Toreros, who closed the season with six straight victories, shared the 2012 title with both Drake and Butler.

"The guys were focused and had a mission to come back here and win this football game," USD head coach Ron Caragher said. "To win the PFL championship. I couldn't be more proud of them."

2014 - Success resumes in Dale Lindsey era

Conference play began early for the Toreros in 2014, kicking off in just their second week of the season. It wouldn't be a pretty start. On the road against Jacksonville, San Diego struggled, surrendering nearly 450 yards of total offense to the Dolphins before they suffered a 35-18 loss. 

The rest of their PFL slate, however, would be a different story, perhaps more in line with the program's lofty conference expectations. With new head coach Dale Lindsey at the helm, San Diego won their next eight games in a row, finishing their conference schedule without another loss. Close games were perhaps a hallmark of the 2014 season for USD, a contrast from the often one-sided contests of years past. They escaped with a four-point win in week four against Marist, brought to victory by a last-second touchdown pass by sophomore quarterback Keith Williams to Reggie Bell. 

Two weeks later, San Diego would be tested again, this time coming up victorious in a hard-fought 27-21 contest on the road against Butler behind a well-balanced attack in all phases of the game. Williams again enjoyed a big day, going 20-of-28 for 251 yards and one score, while Jamal Agnew — who now plays for the NFL's Detroit Lions— paced the defense with two interceptions. 

True to form, clinching the PFL title that year would come in a nail-biter, and require more late-game heroics from the Toreros. Taking on Valparaiso in their final conference game of the 2014 season, USD won a 32-27 thriller behind a 44-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Brandon White as time expired, earning them the fifth PFL championship in program history.

2015 - Lawrence emerges at QB, new dynasty begins

The 2015 season saw the emergence of a new star for USD football, one that would be integral in the continuance of the program's PFL success. Quarterback Anthony Lawrence burst upon the scene that fall and made an immediate impact, quickly finding success with the Toreros. The redshirt freshman's first conference game was on the road at Valparaiso, and it saw him overcome a rough start to throw four touchdown passes and finish 21-28 for 214 yards. 

The rest of the season would be more of the same, with Lawrence progressing every week as he made his way through what would be a remarkable rookie campaign. The lone bump in the road for San Diego that year came in week four, when they suffered a heartbreaking one-point loss to Dayton, a bitter conference rival. 

But after that tough loss at home to the Flyers, the Toreros got back to business. Heading out on the road to take on Drake, USD responded with a resounding 27-0 victory over the Bulldogs, then rattled off five more wins in a row to conclude their season. 

In their perennially consequential final game of the season that year, San Diego would need to fend off one final test from a conference foe, this time tasked with Butler. 

Down by seven points, the Bulldogs scored a touchdown with 16 seconds left after recovering their quarterback's fumble in the end zone. Butler elected to go for the two point conversion, but Matt Shiltz's pass was intercepted by Yogi Hale in the end zone. After Justin Priest recovered the ensuing onside kick, the game was sealed and a co-championship was secured.

The title was their second consecutive, the first time they had achieved that mark since the 2011/2012 seasons. 

2016 - No sophomore slump for Lawrence

Though the 2015 season ended with a win for San Diego, earning them the seventh PFL  title in program history, the victory came at a price. Midway through the Toreros' final game of the year against Butler, quarterback Anthony Lawrence fell to the ground after a particularly hard hit. The diagnosis: a broken leg, ending what had shaped up to be a masterful rookie campaign. He spent the entirety of the offseason rehabbing, working tirelessly in hopes of returning on time in 2016. When the fall of 2016 came around, Lawrence was ready to roll, and there was more than just an early-season conference tilt on the line as PFL play began in week three. Opposite the Toreros were the Dayton Flyers, to whom USD had ceded the PFL's automatic FCS playoff bid in the previous year to after dropping the head-to-head matchup by just one point. A win in the rematch could set the tone for the rest of the year, and position the Toreros well to earn their first-ever bid to the FCS postseason. It took everything San Diego had that day, but they were able to get it done, earning a 34-22 win after scoring two late touchdowns in the final 4:31 of the game to hold off the Flyers. 

USD would go on to win their next nine games in a row, eight of which were played within the PFL. None of them were close, most being decided by at least 20 points, with a handful being 40-plus-point blowouts. Highlights included at 52-3 win over Davidson on Homecoming and Family Weekend at Torero stadium that saw running back Jonah Hodges score four times, a 49-10 victory against Valparaiso that featured five touchdown passes from Lawrence, and a 57-21 effort on the road against Campbell that earned San Diego the outright 2016 PFL Championship and a bid to the FCS Playoffs. They finished the season with a record of 10-2 overall, going a perfect 8-0 in the conference. 

2017 - Three-peat completed, PFL win streak extends

In 2017, USD continued their dominance within the PFL. Though they were met with a tough non-conference slate to begin the campaign, the Toreros' performance within the PFL was more of the same from the previous year. San Diego got things started with a 38-17 victory against Butler in week four, Lawrence leading the way with 367 passing yards and five touchdowns. Dayton was up next, easily dispatched in a 23-7 win on the road before a series of high-flying offensive games for USD began.

Score totals of 56, 63, 48, 45, and 63 characterized the remainder of the Toreros' regular season slate as they blew past each of the next PFL opponents they were presented with. The 63-point effort came on the back of six touchdown passes from Lawrence against Jacksonville, while the 48 points San Diego put up versus Stetson were complemented by a staunch day on defense that saw them surrender only one score. Their second 63-point performance of the year was perhaps their most well-rounded and complete one, posting up 408 yards on offense while the Torero defense held Davidson to just 135 yards and a single touchdown.

They rode that wave of success all the way into the FCS playoffs, their berth to the postseason earned after they defeated Marist by a score of 35-7 in the final week of the regular season to secure the 2017 PFL Championship. Once in the playoffs, they took down nationally-ranked NAU in an upset victory before falling to FCS powerhouse North Dakota State in the second round. 

Their final record stood at 10-3 overall, going a perfect 8-0 in conference for the second consecutive season. Eighteen Toreros would earn All-PFL honors that year, including nine being named to the first team. Linebacker Jonathan Petersen was recognized by the San Diego Hall of Champions for his contributions on defense, running back Jonah Hodges was named to the AP FCS All-America Team, and offensive tackle Daniel Cooney was selected as a 2nd Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association.

2018 - Lawrence leads way in final season

Though star quarterback Anthony Lawrence returned for his redshirt senior season in 2018, few other key players from their 2017 PFL Championship team did. Defensive end Jonathan Petersen, the Football Championship Subdivision's career sack leader?

Gone.

Wide receiver Justin Priest and tight end Ross Dwelley, who combined for 125 catches and 23 touchdowns?

Gone and gone.

Fourth-fifths of the starting offensive line?

Gone, gone, gone and gone. 

The 2018 season presented a challenge for the Toreros in filling the gaps left behind by the graduation of some of their most important players, but head coach Dale Lindsey and the rest of the team eagerly embraced the task. Not only embraced the task, but crushed it. A new crop of Toreros rose to the occasion and made a name for themselves, propelling San Diego to their fifth consecutive PFL title.

USD endured a similarly difficult non-conference schedule they did in 2017 prior to entering PFL play, suffering losses to Harvard and UC Davis early in the season. But once the Toreros picked up their conference slate, they resumed their dominance over the rest of the league. A convincing 49-10 victory over Stetson demonstrated that USD hadn't lost a step, then the Toreros set out on the road, rolling over Morehead State in a 51-point effort.

A test came in the form of Dayton, a familiar foe for the Toreros within the league as the two teams tangled on Homecoming and Family weekend at USD. But still, San Diego prevailed by a score of 36-34 behind 434 yards and three touchdown passes from Lawrence.

The Toreros' next several games would be less eventful, handily defeating Butler, Jacksonville, and Drake. Lawrence and wide receiver Michael Bandy emerged as a dynamic combination for the offense, teaming up for a litany of clutch passes and touchdowns. 

In week 10, USD welcomed Davidson to Torero Stadium, setting the stage for San Diego's most thrilling game in recent memory. It was a wild contest filled with offense as FCS offensive records and program records were broken en route to the Toreros' (8-2, 7-0 PFL) seventh PFL title in the past eight years and fifth consecutive. In the end, it would be a 56-52 win for USD.

One more PFL game awaited San Diego that season, a trip out to the East Coast to take on Marist in the final regular-season contest of the year. With the PFL championship already clinched, USD rested many of their starters, but still earned a win, completing the program's third consecutive undefeated season in the conference. The conclusion of the season marked the end of Lawrence's USD career, and he finished as the most prolific passing quarterback in program history. 

2019 - Sinnett takes over at quarterback in seamless transition

It would have been easy for quarterback Reid Sinnett to quit. A less motivated player might have hung up the cleats after years of serving as a backup and perhaps opted to enjoy everything else that college life in San Diego has to offer. Stuck behind Torero legend Anthony Lawrence at quarterback, Sinnett saw limited playing time in his first four seasons in San Diego. But when Lawrence graduated and moved on to the professional ranks, Sinnett had a chance to prove himself and make his own mark on the program. The redshirt senior took the opportunity and ran with it, seizing the moment as he led his team to its sixth consecutive PFL title and continued Toreros' tradition of dominance within the conference. 

Sinnett's inaugural PFL start came against Marist in week four of the 2019 season. Though he would go on to be a key part of the Toreros' conference success that season, the highlight of that day came from elsewhere: the San Diego defense. Leading 21-7 over the Red Foxes late in the game, USD recorded interceptions on four consecutive possessions. Seniors Daniel and David Tolbert each recorded a pick, while junior cornerback Cassius Johnson added in two of his own. And that would be all the Toreros would need for the win, coming out on top by a score of 31-7.

The rest of USD's PFL schedule went perhaps as expected, consistent with the high standard that's been set for the program over the last 15 years. San Diego finished their conference slate on a nine-game winning streak. USD's final four regular-season games saw them score at least 45 points, and in two of them the defense surrendered just one score. 

2019's PFL Championship was secured on Senior Day at Torero Stadium with an overwhelming victory over Morehead State by a score of 52-20. San Diego dominated both sides of the ball until the waning minutes of the fourth quarter when the game was out of reach. Much like the entire conference season, USD had a balanced offensive attack – 266 rushing yards, 231 passing – to match a defense that shut out Morehead State (5-6, 3-4 PFL) for the first 43 minutes of the game. Sinnett threw four touchdown passes and ran for one while accumulating 224 yards in the air on 18-of-30 passing in his final start at Torero Stadium. He spread his four touchdown passes among three different receivers, including two to sophomore Dalton Kincaid. The wide receiver registered a 100-yard game, the 16th of his career, by hauling in eight passes for 103 yards and a touchdown. Six months later, Sinnett signed with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his performance down the stretch for USD undoubtedly a factor in his ascension to the next level. 

USD's 2019 PFL title marked their sixth straight conference championship, their eighth in the last nine years, 11th overall, and earned them their fourth consecutive trip to the FCS playoffs. The outgoing senior class never lost a conference game at home. 

2021 - Toreros rebound from down season, make history

After an uncharacteristic four straight losses to begin the campaign, the turnaround began in week five for the Toreros. Taking on PFL newcomer St. Thomas in its first conference home game of the season, USD set forth a clutch offensive and strong defensive performance to take down the Tommies,  27-24. The win came despite trailing early on, with the Toreros prevailing courtesy of 13 unanswered points on offense, and a late-game defensive stand. Backup QB Judd Erickson was a factor as he threw a pair of touchdowns, as was the USD defense as a whole. The play of the game came in its final minutes when senior linebacker Kama Kamaka ripped the ball from the Tommies' running back, recovered the fumble, and ran it back 38 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 24.Terrence Smith dashed for 63 yards to set up USD at the opponent's 17-yard line. Eickert later knocked in a 31-yard field goal to put the Toreros in front, 27-24. Terrence Smith then dashed for 63 yards to set up USD at the opponent's 17-yard line before kicker Brandon Eickert knocked in a 31-yard field goal to put the Toreros in front, 27-24. 

A road trip to Indianapolis to take on Butler the following week marked a return to form for San Diego, hanging 52 points on the Bulldogs in the type of win Torero fans had become accustomed to across USD's most recent run of greatness. The Toreros outscored Butler 38-7 in the second half, with quarterback Mason Randall completing 24-of-29 passes for 257 yards, Rhyle Hanson compiling 85 total yards on nine rushes and five receptions (including his first career touchdown in the third quarter), Christian Brown registering four receptions for 72 yards and two touchdowns in the win, and wide receiver Vance Jefferson catching his first career touchdown on a 22-yard pass in the second quarter. The USD defense did its part as well, with senior cornerback Michael Hawkins (24 yards) and junior cornerback Zamir Wallace (53 yards) each taking interceptions back for six as the Toreros secured the win to move to 2-1 in PFL play.

Homecoming and Family Weekend at USD in week seven certainly did not disappoint, with San Diego football sending everyone home happy after a thrilling 13-10 win over Drake before 3,358 at Torero Stadium behind a strong defensive effort, two long field goals, and a timely touchdown. Led by Muhindo Kapapa's three sacks, including two on the last drive of the game, the defensive unit allowed just 10 points and 222 total yards. Kickers Pablo Tager and  Brandon Eickert  tied the program record with a 53-yard field goal in the third quarter to knot the game at 3-3, and connected on the eventual game-winning 44-yard field goal with 9:50 left in the fourth, respectively. Late in the third quarter, quarterback Mason Randall fired a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Michael Gadinis to tie the game at 10-10. Running back Terrence Smith produced 117 total yards on 19 rushes and three catches.

After a low-scoring affair against Drake, the USD offense soared at Presbyterian the following week, taking down the Blue Hose 69-28 in South Carolina. The win vaulted head coach Dale Lindsey into the record books, making him the winningest coach in USD football history with 72 total victories. Graduate running back Terrence Smith scored three touchdowns in the win, ending with 83 total yards. Freshman wide receiver Vance Jefferson registered two touchdowns on the day, including a 14-yard catch and a 20-yard rush. And the San Diego defense grabbed four turnovers, including a forced fumble and an interception from junior cornerback Zamir Wallace in addition to redshirt junior linebacker David Ambagtsheer's blocked punt recovery that he ran back for a touchdown. 

Back at home in week nine, it would be the San Diego defense that carried the team at Torero Stadium, with USD beating Valparaiso 21-14 courtesy of three sacks, six total tackles, and two quarterback hurries from redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Will Buck and 21 unanswered points from the USD offense, including a 15-yard rushing touchdown with 1:15 remaining in the fourth quarter from graduate quarterback Mason Randall before he found wide receiver Christian Brown on a two-point conversion to give San Diego the 21-14 lead and seal the win.

The Toreros' final home game of the season was more of the same as USD continued to lean on its defense, taking down Morehead State by a 10-3 margin with two goal line stands, two interceptions, and a blocked field goal. On the offensive side, senior running back Emilio Martinez compiled 138 all-purpose yards. Freshman wide receiver Vance Jefferson caught five passes for a season-high 120 yards. Graduate quarterback Mason Randall ended with 247 passing yards on 19 completions. After the win, all eyes turned to USD's final regular-season game of the 2021 season, one that after Davidson's loss in week 10, presented the opportunity for the Toreros to make history.

And in that final regular-season game in DeLand, Florida, USD did what it does best — dominate PFL competition. The Toreros earned a share of its PFL-record-tying 12th regular-season title with a dominant win over Stetson, taking control early with a 13-0 lead after the first quarter and 27-0 advantage at halftime. Graduate quarterback Mason Randall completed 21-of-31 passes for 337 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. Senior running back Emilio Martinez compiled 193 total yards, including 132 rushing on 17 carries and a touchdown. Redshirt junior wide receiver Christian Brown caught six passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. The freshmen wide receiving duo of Vance Jefferson and Ja'seem Reed combined for 10 receptions for 155 and two touchdowns. Defensively, senior cornerback Cassius Johnson snagged his second interception of the season, while senior linebacker Kyle Bilchik and redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Will Buck each registered two sacks.

Twelve Pioneer Football League titles. Countless years of hard work. A lot of grinding, so that at the end of the season the PFL trophy could shine with Torero Blue.

An FCS tradition perhaps unlike any other, right here in America's Finest City.