San Diego Toreros (0-2, 0-0 PFL) • Princeton (0-0, 0-0 Ivy League)

Saturday, September 16, 2023 •  1:02 p.m.

Torero Stadium (6,000) • San Diego, California

Streaming •  ESPN+ | Live Statistics • USDToreros.com

Social  •  Facebook.com/USDFootball  •  Twitter.com/USDFootball  •  Instagram.com/USDFootball

SAN DIEGO – After last week's home opener against Colorado Mesa, San Diego football (0-2, 0-0 PFL) continues a three-game homestand on Saturday afternoon by hosting Princeton (0-0, 0-0 Ivy League) in their final tuneup before Pioneer Football League action begins next week.

Kickoff against the Tigers is set for 1:02 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Jack Cronin (play-by-play) and George Whitfield Jr. (analyst) on the call. Live statistics for the game will be available on USDToreros.com.

ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST PRINCETON
• The Toreros are 1-3 against the Tigers all-time, with the two teams' most recent meeting coming exactly six years ago —September 16, 2017 — at Princeton Stadium, a 27-17 USD loss.

• San Diego last hosted Princeton on September 20, 2014, earning a 39-29 win over the Tigers at Torero Stadium before a crowd of 3,324.

• Quarterback Keith Williams passed for 277 yards and 4 touchdowns in the USD win, which marks the program's only victory over the Tigers, and senior wide receiver Reggie Bell hauled in 4 passes for 186 yards and two scores.

LAST TIME OUT - COLORADO MESA 28, SAN DIEGO 21 (OT)
• USD remained in last Saturday's game with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Dom Nankil to junior wide receiver Josh Heverly to tie the game with 1:07 left. But after Colorado Mesa scored on its first possession in overtime, the Toreros were unable to answer in head coach Brandon Moore's first game at Torero Stadium, suffering a 28-21 defeat to the Mavericks.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Colorado Mesa struck first with two touchdowns in the first 1:54 of the second quarter to take a 14-0 lead.

• The Toreros then followed with a couple of touchdowns of their own before halftime. Dom Nankil first found Elijah Johnson for 17 yards out to open the scoring for USD with 9:31 in the second quarter.

• Two possessions later, USD was able to convert two third downs into first downs on an eight-yard run from Nankil and a roughing the passer penalty against Colorado Mesa. With seven seconds left, Nankil found Isaiah Williams on the final play of the second quarter from seven yards out, tying the game at 14-14.

• After both teams traded punts to begin the third quarter, Colorado Mesa scored an 84-yard touchdown with 3:21 remaining in the third quarter.

• The Toreros, who punted the ball on its four drives to begin the second half, was able to get in the red zone as Nankil found Heverly to tie the game at 21-21 with 1:07 remaining.    

• In the second half, Colorado Mesa took a 21-14 lead with 3:21 left in the third quarter before the Toreros answered with 1:07 left in the fourth quarter with Nankil finding Heverly from 22 yards out.

• Staring down second and two on USD's 29 yard line, CMU quarterback Gavin Herberg targeted wide receiver Keenan Brown in the left front area of the end zone but underthrew the ball, allowing Amir Wallace to reach underneath the leap of Brown and secure the only interception of the game, turning a potentially game-clinching score into a pivotal turnover (and touchback).

• After San Diego took possession and the remaining seconds left in regulation expired, Colorado Mesa scored a 25-yard touchdown on its first play in overtime.

• USD could not get into the endzone when it got the ball back, losing 28-21 in overtime in its home opener.

NOTABLE
• Junior wide receiver Josh Heverly recorded four receptions, a team-high 75 yards, and a touchdown.

• Junior wide receiver Ja'seem Reed led the team with eight receptions for 65 yards.

• True freshman quarterback Dom Nankil (Mater Dei High School) completed 16-of-35 for 174 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran the ball eight times for 22 yards while being sacked three times.

• Senior running back Isaiah Williams led USD with 32 carries for 165 yards.

• Sophomore defensive end Alijah Brown had four tackles and recorded 1.5 sacks.

HOMETOWN HERO
• Graduate linebacker Jayden Wickware, who attended nearby San Diego High School, is facing off against his former team in the Tigers after transferring from Princeton to USD this past offseason. Wickware recorded five tackles and three tackles for loss with two sacks in last week's overtime loss.