San Diego Toreros (5-3, 3-2 PFL) • Dayton Flyers (5-3, 3-2 PFL)
Saturday, November 9, 2024 • 9 a.m. PST | Noon EST
Welcome Stadium (11,000) • Dayton, Ohio
Live Streaming • Facebook Live | Live Statistics/Radio • USDToreros.com
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SAN DIEGO — The Toreros will line up across from, on paper, an equal opponent in their ninth game of the season Saturday as they face Dayton, whose 5-3 and 3-2 overall and PFL records are identical to USD's.
The game will be broadcast on Facebook Live, while voice of the Toreros Jack Cronin will be calling the game on radio at USDToreros.com. Updates can also be followed on the @USDFootball social media pages.
ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST DAYTON
• This will be the 29th all-time meeting between the Toreros and Flyers with Dayton holding a 16-12 advantage, 9-5 in the Buckeye State
• San Diego, however, has won the last five matchups dating back to 2015 and eight of the last 10 ... In 11 of USD's 12 wins over Dayton, the Toreros have scored 31-plus points
LAST TIME OUT
• San Diego football utilized a tied-for-program record 14 receptions from wide receiver Ja'seem Reed and yet another strong defensive effort to remain perfect at home in 2024, defeating Pioneer Football League rival Davidson by a score of 40-13 at Torero Stadium.
• Reed totaled a game-high 186 yards and two touchdowns as he tied a program record by hauling in USD's most receptions in one game (14) since 2008.
• Linebacker Jerry Riggins kept the Toreros at the top of the Division I football defensive touchdowns leaderboard by returning a fumble 73 yards for a touchdown.
• USD scored a historic 30 points in the second quarter behind a 42-yard field goal from Aidan Lehman, Riggins' scoop and score, two touchdown receptions from Reed, and a 60-yard strike from quarterback Grant Sergent to Bradley Schlom. It was 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.
KEY PERFORMANCES
• Sergent completed 19 of his 27 passes for a total of 307 yards as he connected for a trio of touchdowns on Saturday without throwing an interception.
• Nick Murray headlined the USD defense with 10 solo tackles, while three Toreros teamed up to total three sacks on the afternoon. Four more earned at least a share of a tackle for loss.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• San Diego was tied 7-7 with the Wildcats at the end of the first quarter before it erupted in the second period to create a 31-7 advantage with 2:50 to go before halftime. A minute later, Davidson got back on the board with a 32-yard touchdown rush to make it 31-13 after a missed extra point, but the visitors didn't score again
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 October 20.
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)-DIII
- 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, 8th in FCS), total receiving yards (817, 6th in FCS), receiving yards per game (102.1, 3rd in FCS) and receptions per game (7.8, 3rd in FCS).
• Graduate quarterback Grant Sergent is first in the league in passing TDs (18, 11th in FCS) and points responsible for (110, 23rd FCS), as well as second in passing yards (1,786), passing yards per completion (12.58), points responsible for per game (13.8), and third in completions per game (17.75), passing yards per game (223.3) and total offensive yards (211.8).
• On D/ST, junior defensive back Ruben Lopez is first in the PFL in fumble recoveries (2, 5th in FCS) and Aidan Lehman is second in field goals per game (1.13) and third in field goal percentage (.750).
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
• With the dominant win over the Wildcats, 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). The Toreros last won five home games in a season in 2019.
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.
