SAN DIEGO —  In the 2024 regular season home finale, the Toreros will look to win three straight for the first time this season, protecting their unblemished home record with a tilt against bottom of the league Stetson Saturday. 

The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, while voice of the Toreros Jack Cronin will be calling the action. Updates and highlights can also be followed on the @USDFootball social media pages.

San Diego Toreros (6-3, 4-2 PFL) • Stetson Hatters (2-7, 0-5 PFL)

Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024  •  1 p.m. PST

Torero Stadium (6,000) • San Diego, Calif.

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

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

ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST STETSON
• The 2024 home record isn't the only perfect record USD will be protecting Saturday; the Toreros are 10-0 all-time against the Hatters dating back to the first meeting in 2013 

• San Diego has won each of the last eight meetings by 24-plus points, scoring at least 31 in all ten and allowing 10 or less points in six of ten

• The Toreros came out on top 47-20 in DeLand, Fla. last season (Nov. 18, 2023) and 34-10 on April 4, 2021, the last time the Hatters visited Torero Stadium

SENIOR DAY

• The Toreros will be honoring 22 graduating senior student-athletes prior to the game, in addition to student managers and graduate assistants: DB Nick Murray, CB Eric Haney, RB Kenyon Sims, QB Grant Sergent, RB Isaiah Smith, DB Matt Ballentine, K Aidan Lehman, RB Logan Gingg, LB Jerry Riggins, TE Cooper Shults, LB Giovanni Iovino, LB Chase Lyons, LB Giulio Fernandes, LB Jagger Pagano, OL Jonathan Greaves, OL Bennett Commander, WR Darius Hyde, WR Ja'seem Reed, DL Justin Aletor, DL Shayden Molina, DL Doogie Harvey amd LB Noah Thomas

• Prior to last season's OT loss to St. Thomas on senior day, the Toreros had won each of their last eight final home games of the regular season (traditionally senior day), 18 of the last 20 dating back to 2003 (now 18 of last 21) ... The Toreros are 2-0 when playing Stetson on senior day (34-10 – the last time Stetson came to Torero Stadium – in the 2020/21 season and 42-7 in 2006)

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

• With the dominant win over Davidson on Nov. 2, the Toreros moved to 5-0 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 five straight at home since winning the last four at home in 2021 and first two of the 2022 season (six straight)

• San Diego last won six home games in the same season since going a perfect 6-0 across the 2015 season ... The Toreros last won three straight in a season, home and on the road, in 2021 (seven straight to end the season)

HIGHEST SCORING DEFENSE

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

          - Tied most defensive touchdowns in FCS, and across all of DI (FCS/FBS)

          - Tied most pick-sixes (4) in FCS

• 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.

PIONEER LEAGUE PIONEERS

• Despite having one less game in hand than most teams , 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 (8, 11th in FCS), total receiving yards (883, 6th in FCS), receiving yards per game (98.1, 6th in FCS) and receptions per game (7.4, 4th in FCS).

• Graduate quarterback Grant Sergent is first in the league in passing TDs (18, 18th in FCS) and points responsible for (110, 36th FCS), as well as second in passing yards per completion (12.39) and third in passing yards per game (212.0).

• On defense and special teams, junior defensive back Ruben Lopez is first in the PFL in fumble recoveries (2, 6th in FCS), senior linebacker Giovanni Iovino is leads the way in forced fumbles (3, 5th FCS) and Aidan Lehman is second in field goals per game (1.33) and third in field goal percentage (.800).

LAST TIME OUT

• San Diego Football earned it's first road win of the season and improved to 6-3 on the season, 4-2 in PFL play after a 16-10 performance over Dayton on Saturday, Nov. 9.

• The Toreros were led to victory by a strong defensive performance fronted by four turnovers while senior Logan Gingg had 175 rushing yards and USD's lone touchdown that proved the difference.

Head Coach Brandon Moore: "They played lights-out all day. I think Matt [Aponte] did a great job running the ball and we did an even better job taking the ball away from [Dayton] and giving our offense good field position. The way the coordinators and players responded was excellent."

KEY PERFORMANCES

• Gingg's 175 yards came on 28 attempts 96.8 (6.3 YPC), and punched home a five-yard rush, his fifth touchdown of the season. He has three consecutive games with 100-plus yards on the ground after never having surpassed 85 total rush yards in one of his three previous seasons. He had a career-best 51-yard rush in the second quarter, the biggest play of the game. 

• Senior linebacker Giovanni Iovino forced two of San Diego's three first half fumble recoveries, including one with the Torero's back up against their own two-yard line at the end of the second quarter. Iovino also had the second most total tackles in the conference matchup with nine.

• The rest of the USD defense combined for six sacks, 10 tackles for loss and two turnovers on downs on top of the four takeaways.

• Aidan Lehman, the Toreros senior kicker, continued his terrific season, scoring a game-high 10 points in a perfect day, making field goals from 22, 34 and 45 yards, also converting on a PAT.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Torero defense started hot, forcing a three and out to start the game … The USD offense struck first with a Lehman 22-yard make on the ensuing drive

• USD would make it back-to-back stops as Iovino forced his first fumble of the day on the host's next drive, which senior lineman Malachi Cooper jumped on

• San Diego's offense capitalized on the field position as a Ja'seem Reed 40-yard reception set up Gingg's five-yard score

• With the Flyers threatening on the San Diego 10, USD's Jerry Riggins executed a strip sack which Brian Coburn picked up to give the Toreros the ball back

• Lehman made a field goal from 34-yards to extend San Diego's lead to 13-0 with 3:52 to go in the half

• Dayton again got in the San Diego red zone and completed a pass to the two-yard line but Iovino delivered a lethal blow before the Flyers could extend over the goal line, a fumble that was picked up by Matt Ballentine

• The hosts scored their first points at the start of the third quarter, a 22-yard field goal that ended San Diego's streak of six straight defensive stops

• The Toreros answered with a field goal of their own as Lehman converted from 45, his fifth from 42-plus on the year

• Senior DB Trey Ortega collected his team-leading third interception of the season at 12:56 in the fourth quarter, the Toreros fourth turnover of the day

• Dayton finally broke into the endzone with a 5-yard passing TD with 6:51 remaining to make it a six-point game

• Cooper made a clutch sack on fourth down to give the Toreros ball with the lead and 2:33 to go … Gingg and the Toreros iced the game, running down the clock for a 16-10 win  

LEHMAN NAMED PFL SPECIAL TEAMS POTW

• Senior kicker Aidan Lehman has been named the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week for Nov. 10, 2024, the Pioneer Football League announced on Sunday afternoon. 

• Lehman was perfect and connected on three field goals, including a 42-yarder, scoring a game-high 10 points in San Diego's 16-10 victory at Dayton on Saturday. He opened the scoring with a 22-yarder in the first quarter, then connected on a 34-yard field goal in the second quarter, helping San Diego open up a 13-10 halftime lead. Lehman helped secure the win with a 45-yard field goal in the third quarter, following Dayton's first points.

• He is the first Torero to be named the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week this year and is San Diego's sixth weekly conference honoree of 2024 after 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, junior defensive back Ruben Lopez was named the PFL Co-Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 7, graduate defensive back Eric Haney was named the PFL Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 20, and senior linebacker Jerry Riggins took home PFL Defensive Player of the Week honors on Nov. 3.

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

• On Oct. 20, 2024, the Pioneer Football League announced senior linebacker Jerry Riggins as the league's defensive player of the week following a dominant effort against Davidson.

• Riggins is the fifth Torero to earn a PFL weekly honor in the first eight 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, junior defensive back Ruben Lopez earned the honor on Oct. 7 and graduate defensive back Eric Haney was named the PFL Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 20.
 

THIRTY-POINT QUARTER

• USD scored a historic 30 points in the second quarter of the Nov. 2 40-13 win over Davidson, the most points in a quarter for the Toreros since Oct. 13, 2007, scoring 31 in the second quarter in a home win over Drake.

• In the quarter, the  Toreros notched a 42-yard field goal from Aidan Lehman (his first of two from that distance and beyond in the game), a scoop and score by senior linebacker Jerry Riggins and quarterback Grant Sergent was 8-10 for 200 yards and three touchdowns. 

• Ja'seem Reed had two of those touchdowns and 93 of the receiving yards in the quarter, his five receptions adding to his game sum of 14 that tied a Torero single-game record, first set by John Matthews on Nov. 15, 2008 against Butler.

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.