San Diego Toreros (0-1, 0-0 PFL) • Colorado Mesa Mavericks (0-1, 0-0 RMAC)

Saturday, September 9, 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 opening up its 2023 season on the road last week at Cal Poly, San Diego football (0-1, 0-0 PFL) is set to return to Torero Stadium this Saturday for its home opener, hosting Division II Colorado Mesa (0-1, 0-0 RMAC) in what will mark new head coach Brandon Moore's first game in Alcala Park.

Kickoff against the Mavericks 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 will be available on USDToreros.com.

LAST TIME OUT
An Aidan Lehman field goal and a Ruben Lopez pick-six kept USD within striking distance in its first game under new head coach Brandon Moore, but the Toreros (couldn't overcome a late-game Cal Poly surge last Saturday, falling to the Mustangs by a 27-10 margin at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.

How It Happened
• Cal Poly struck first with a 41-yard field goal halfway through the first quarter to take a 3-0 lead, but USD answered back late in the opening period, tying the score at 3-3 when Lehman found his mark from 38 yards back.

• The Mustangs found the end zone as the first quarter wound to a close, pulling ahead by a score of 10-3 following a 30-yard rushing touchdown.

• A one-yard touchdown reception at the 2:24 mark in the second quarter stretched Cal Poly's lead to 17-3 before the San Diego defense came up clutch.

• With 6:37 to go in the third quarter, Lopez grabbed the Toreros' first interception of the season and sprinted 48 yards to secure a pick-six, moving the score to 17-10 in the Mustangs' favor
after Lehman converted on the extra point.

• Cal Poly made it a 10-point game with a third-quarter field goal, then put Saturday's contest out of reach with an 18-yard rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter, dealing San Diego a tough 27-10 loss to begin its 2023 campaign.

NOTABLE
• Senior running back Isaiah Williams paced the Torero offense with 99 total yards (75 rushing, 24 receiving).

• Junior wide receiver Ja'seem Reed was just behind with 69 receiving yards.

• True freshman quarterback Dom Nankil (Mater Dei High School) got the start in the season opener and passed for 145 yards while completing 15 of his 27 pass attempts.

• Graduate safety Joshua Hong led the San Diego defense with 11 total tackles, including nine solo and two for losses.

• Sophomore linebacker Jerry Rangel was just behind with nine total tackles, notching seven on his own and two for losses.

THREE TOREROS NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-PFL TEAM
• Three Toreros were named to the 2023 Preseason All-PFL Team and San Diego was picked to finish fourth in the 2023 PFL Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Pioneer Football League announced in August.

• Wide receiver Re-al Mitchell, defensive lineman Will Buck, and linebacker Chase Lyons comprised the Toreros' all-conference selections, joining 27 other PFL student-athletes. USD was picked to finish fourth in the 2023 PFL Preseason Coaches' Poll, tallying 73 points and a first-place vote behind league favorite St. Thomas (98 points, eight first-place votes), Davidson (92 points, two first-place votes), and Dayton (75 points). A maximum of 100 points were available, and coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams. 

• Mitchell, a redshirt senior from Eastvale, California, was an All-PFL First Team selection in 2022 at the all-purpose position, posing a triple threat of passing, rushing, and receiving. He completed nine of 13 pass attempts for 91 yards and 13 touchdowns, led USD with 433 passing yards and four rushing touchdowns, and caught 23 passes for a total of 272 yards and two touchdowns.

• Lyons, a senior from Aurora, Colorado, was an All-PFL Second Team selection in 2022, playing in all 10 of the Toreros' games while registering 46 total tackles (31 solo). He racked up 7.5 tackles for losses, two sacks, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hurry. Lyons' two forced fumbles last season were the most on the USD roster.

• Buck, a redshirt senior from Sacramento, California, joined Lyons on the All-PFL Second Team in 2022 after totaling 33 tackles (13 solo) across 10 starts. He registered four sacks and eight tackles for losses, and led the Toreros with 11 quarterback hurries.