San Diego Toreros (2-2, 0-1 PFL) • Presbyterian Blue Hose (2-3, 0-1 PFL)
Saturday, October 5, 2024 • 1:00 p.m. PST
Torero Stadium (6,000) • San Diego, California
Live Streaming • ESPN+ | Live Statistics • USDToreros.com
Social • Facebook.com/USDFootball • X.com/USDFootball • Instagram.com/USDFootball
SAN DIEGO — The Toreros will hope not to dip under .500 for the first time this season as they host Presbyterian in the first Pioneer Football League tilt at Torero Stadium this season.
The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Braden Suprenant and George Whitfield Jr. calling the action. Game updates can also be followed on social media @USDFootball.
It will be USD's first game back at Torero Stadium since Sept. 7. The Toreros will look to stay perfect on home turf and all-time against Presbyterian.
ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST PRESBYTERIAN
• USD is 4-0 all-time against the Blue Hose dating back to the first meeting during the 2020 shortened season.
• The Toreros have won each of the last three matchups by multiple scores, the largest margin of victory being a 69-28 win in Clinton, S.C. on the Oct. 23, 2021.
LAST TIME OUT
• San Diego made a 19-point fourth quarter comeback to take a late lead at Drake Saturday but fell 28-30 as the Bulldogs hit a 48-yard field goal as time expired in the PFL opener.
• Once down 9-27 with 11:30 left in the game the Toreros stormed back to score 19 unanswered points and claim a 28-27 lead with under two minutes remaining. The Toreros fall to 2-2 and start PFL play 0-1.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• San Diego opened the game with a touchdown on their first drive, a 17-yard reception by senior Josh Heverly, his first of the season. Senior kicker Aidan Lehman would miss the extra point, however.
• The two sides exchanged punts and field goals, first with Drake's Shane Dunning making from 38, then Lehman redeeming himself from 30, only to be answered by Dunning from 42.
• The Bulldogs ended the half with a three-yard receiving touchdown to take their first lead of the game at 13-9.
• Drake's offense and defense persisted at the start of the second half, scoring the third quarter's only points via a touchdown, a 41-yard breakout rush from Blake Ellingson.
• The defending PFL champs scored again to start the fourth quarter, a 36-yard passing touchdown to Mitchell January to put them up 27-9.
• It was then that the Toreros started clawing back. On the next drive the Toreros marched down the field as senior Logan Gingg found the end zone with his second two-yard rushing TD in as many weeks.
• San Diego stormed to the red zone on their next drive but settled for a 26-yards field goal from Lehman. On the ensuing kickoff senior Mo Vanderweil tackled the return attempt inside the 10-yard line. On the following play a pressure from senior defensive lineman Brian Coburn forced an intentional grounding from inside the end zone, in effect a safety.
• USD got the ball back and took their time going down the field, eventually scoring on a 5-yard reception by junior tight end Peyton Smith to put San Diego up a point with 1:55 remaining. The failed two-point conversion would prove critical, however.
• San Diego forced a turnover on downs and had the ball back with 1:17 remaining but went three and out and gave the ball back with 44 seconds remaining. The defending PFL champs then went 62 yards in eight plays, ending with a game-winning 48-yard field goal from Dunning.
• It's the second straight year that the Bulldogs beat the Toreros on the last play of the game, winning 25-20 on a hail Mary in San Diego on Oct. 21, 2023.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES
• Graduate quarterback Grant Sergent had 292 passing yards on 25-40 with two touchdowns.
• Junior wide receiver Cole Monach had eight receptions for 122 yards and found the end zone for a third straight week, this time around for a two-point conversion.
• Defensively, USD was led by senior linebacker Giovanni Iovino who tallied nine tackles, one tackle for loss, one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry.
• Senior cornerback Nick Murray added seven tackles, one for a loss and a pass breakup.
TOREROS' STRONG SHOWING THWARTED AT NO. 10 NORTH DAKOTA
• North Dakota was able to fend off the visitors by rushing the football and forcing timely turnovers that saw them make five trips to the red zone. The Fighting Hawks rushed for 267 yards and three touchdowns to the Toreros 61 yards. Three NoDak backs rushed for 50-plus.
• Defensively, the Toreros held strong for three of four quarters of play. San Diego limited UND quarterback Simon Romfo to just five completed passes while picking him off twice to bring the season interception total to six.
MALACHI COOPER GARNERS PFL DPOTW
• Senior defensive lineman Malachi Cooper has been named the PFL Defensive Player of the Week for September 22, 2024, the Pioneer Football League announced on Sunday afternoon.
• Cooper had three tackles for loss and two sacks to lead a San Diego defense that helped keep No. 10 North Dakota's offense in check for a half before the host Fighting Hawks pulled away in the second half. Cooper finished the game with a team-best six tackles (all solo). His first sack came on third down to force a punt after San Diego took a 7-3 lead, and his second on the final drive of the first half.
• He is the second USD player to earn a weekly PFL honor this season, after Matt Ballentine (Defensive) was selected back on Sept. 1 after sealing San Diego's football's win over Cal Poly with a clutch 40-yard pick-six.
HIGHEST SCORING DEFENSE
• Despite having played one less games than most teams due to the week three bye, through Sept. 20, the Toreros three interceptions returned for touchdowns was good for:
- Most defensive touchdowns in FCS
- Most pick-sixes in DI FBS/FCS
- Tied-most pick-sixes across all of DI FBS/FCS, DII and DIII
- Tied-most defensive touchdowns in DI FBS/FCS
• Co-defensive coordiantors Mike McGlinchey and Isaac Carter's unit had scored as many touchdowns as it had surrendered with two games in hand in 2024
• As of Oct. 3, the Toreros still rank No. 1 in interceptions returned for TD (3) in FCS and tied for first in DI FCS/FBS
USD FOOTBALL 2-0 FOR FIRST TIME IN 13 YEARS
• San Diego Football unleashed an aerial assault — led by three passing touchdowns from Grant Sergent — to take down Division II Central Washington by a 26-7 margin at Torero Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7
• The win marked the Toreros' first 2-0 start in a non-shortened season in 13 years
A SIGNATURE VICTORY ON OPENING NIGHT
• San Diego's thrilling season-opening 27-21 victory over Cal Poly on Saturday Aug. 31, marked the third time since 2016 that it has defeated a scholarship opponent.
• It was also just the third night football game that USD has hosted since 2016 and the Toreros' first since 2022 when they defeated La Verne 58-0 in a kickoff that began at 6 p.m..
THREE TOREROS NAMED TO 2024 PFL PRESEASON TEAM
• Three San Diego players were named to the 2024 All-PFL Preseason Team, the Pioneer Football League announced on July 31.
• Defensive lineman Malachi Cooper, linebacker Chase Lyons, and defensive back Eric Haney earned the honor ahead of the Toreros' season opener against Cal Poly.
• Cooper, a San Diego native who attended Serra High School, was named to the All-PFL Second Team last season after recording 24 total tackles (11 solo) and seven tackles for losses across 10 games. This is his first career All-PFL Preseason Team selection.
• Lyons was named to the All-PFL Preseason Team for a second consecutive season following a dynamic junior campaign that saw him pick up a 2023 All-PFL Honorable Mention. He appeared in nine games last season, recording 23 total tackles (14 solo), five tackles for losses, and one sack. Lyons has also earned an All-PFL Second Team selection (2022).
• Haney took home both All-PFL First Team (Defense) and an All-PFL Honorable mention in 2023 after notching 41 total tackles (30 solo) alongside five tackles for losses, two interceptions, and three pass breakups. He recorded a team-high 18 kickoff returns for 411 yards (22.83 yards per return) and had six punt returns for 30 yards. This is his first career All-PFL Preseason Team selection.
