San Diego Toreros (4-3, 2-2 PFL) • Davidson Wildcats (5-3, 3-2 PFL)

Saturday, November 2, 2024  •  1:00 p.m. PST

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

 Live Streaming • ESPN+ |  Live Statistics • USDToreros.com 

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

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SAN DIEGO —  Currently 4-0 this season at Torero Stadium, the Toreros will hope to bounce back from a crushing loss at St. Thomas last time out as they defend their perfect home record against a Davidson team that is winless on the road.

ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST DAVIDSON

• This will be the milestone 20th all-time meeting between the Toreros and Wildcats, with USD holding a 14-5 record over Saturday's guests.

• Davidson has won three of the last four meetings, including last year's affair, 55-35 in North Carolina ... San Diego won the last contest in America's Finest City, 31-14 on Nov. 12, 2022.

• Between the first meeting in 2000 to 2019, the Toreros won 13 of 15 matchups, scoring 50-plus points in seven and defeating the counterpart in nine straight between 2010-19. 

LAST TIME OUT

• San Diego football fell on the road on Saturday, Oct. 26 in the Minnesota capital, 34-14 to St. Thomas in a matchup dictated by the ground game.

• St. Thomas running back Hope Adebayo picked up 277 yards and three touchdowns on the ground vs. the previously hot San Diego defense ... The Toreros also lost the turnover battle, surrendering two interceptions and a fumble. 

KEY PERFORMANCES

• Positive takeaways for the Toreros in the clash with the Tommies in St. Paul included solid performances from players breaking on to the scene for USD as well as reliable names

• San Diego found success rushing the ball as well as senior back Logan Gingg had a breakout game, rushing 23 times for 120 yards ... Prior to the game, Gingg hadn't had more than 20 total carriers or 86 cumulative yards in one of his four seasons.

• Sophomore linebacker David Loch also broke out, adding 10 tackles to his previous career total of four, while Grad Jagger Pagano led the USD defense with 11 total tackles and senior Jerry Riggins had 2.5 tackles for loss.

• Senior WR Ja'seem Reed led San Diego pass catchers with 74 yards on four catches, including his PFL-leading sixth TD of the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Adebayo broke through for a 42-yard score on the Tommies first offensive drive of the game to open the scoring

• After an interception on the Toreros second play and successful St. Thomas fake field goal, the Tommies settled for a closer field goal, pushing the score to 10-0 from 25 yards

• Gingg rushed on eight of 12 plays in the Toreros next drive, which ended with a Reed 12-yard touchdown reception

St. Thomas answered with a 25 TD pass, set up by a 43-yard Adebayo run

• A Tommie fourth down conversion set up a 44-yard field goal as time expired at the half to see the hosts up 20-7 at the break

• After a 40-yard kick return, Adebayo scored on a 60-yard rush to the house on the first offensive play of the half

• The ensuing drive, Grant Sergent converted on a third down one-yard touchdown pass to Peyton Smith to cut the deficit to 14

• The game would remain scoreless until 11:51 left in the fourth quarter when Adebayo ran for a 70-yard house call on the first play of the drive again, putting the game out of reach for USD at 34-14 

PFL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK IS A TORERO FOR FOURTH TIME IN 2024

• On Oct. 20, 2024, the Pioneer Football League announced graduate defensive back Eric Haney as the league's defensive player of the week following a dominant effort on homecoming against Marist.

• Haney is the fourth Torero to earn a PFL weekly honor in the first six USD game weeks of 2024 after fellow defensive back Matt Ballentine was selected as the PFL Co-Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 1, defensive lineman Malachi Cooper earned a PFL Defensive Player of the Week nod on Sept. 22 and junior defensive back Ruben Lopez earned the honor on Oct. 7.

HIGHEST SCORING DEFENSE

• Despite having two bye weeks and seven games played, the Toreros'  five total defensive touchdowns is good for the: 

          - Most defensive touchdowns in FCS, tied most across all of DI (FCS/FBS)-DIII

          - Most pick-sixes (4) in FCS, tied most across all of DI (FCS/FBS)-DII

• Co-defensive coordinators Mike McGlinchey and Isaac Carter's unit has scored as many touchdowns as it has surrendered in three games in 2024; Two week one vs. Cal Poly, one week two vs. Central Washington and one week eight vs. Marist.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

• With the dominant win on homecoming, the Toreros moved to 4-0 at Torero Stadium in 2024, the first time with a perfect start to a season on home turf since going a perfect 5-0 at home in 2018.

• It marks the first time USD has won four straight at home since winning the last four at home in 2021 and first two of the 2022 season (six straight). The Toreros last won five home games in a season in 2019. 

PIONEER LEAGUE PIONEERS

• Despite having one less game in hand, multiple Toreros front the Pioneer Football lead in the statistical categories, highlighted by senior receiver Ja'seem Reed – Reed leads the conference in receiving TDs (6, 16th in FCS), total receiving yards (631, 18th in FCS), receiving yards per game (90.1, 9th in FCS) and receptions per game (6.9, 6th in FCS). 

• Graduate quarterback Grant Sergent is first in the league in passing TDs (15, 15th in FCS), passing yards per game (211.3), points responsible for (92), per game (13.1) as well as second in completions per game (17.57), passing yards per game (211.3) and passing yards per completion (12.02). 

• On the other side of the ball, junior defensive back Ruben Lopez is first in the PFL in fumble recoveries (2, 3rd in FCS).

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.

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