Alerus Center (13,500) • Grand Forks, N.D.

SAN DIEGO —  The Toreros will hit the road for the first time in 2024 following San Diego Football's first 2-0 start in a non-shortened season in 13 years. Fresh off a bye week, USD will face the No. 10/9 North Dakota Fighting Hawks on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 11 a.m. under the roof of the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N.D..

The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ while Braden Suprenant will also be calling the action over the air on radio on USDToreros.com. Live statistics will also be available on USDToreros.com.

With a win, San Diego would earn its first 3-0 start in a full, standard-length season since a six-win start to the 9-2 2008 season. The Toreros also seek their first win over a ranked FCS opponent (both in the AFCA Coaches Poll and Stats Perform FCS Top-25) since topping No. 25 Northern Arizona 41-10 on the road in the first round of the 2017 FCS Playoffs (Nov. 25).

ALL TIME SERIES AGAINST NORTH DAKOTA

•  Saturday's contest will mark the first-ever meeting between the Toreros and Fighting Hawks on the gridiron.

LAST TIME OUT

• 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.

HOW THEY BEAT THE WILDCATS

• The Toreros got on the board first when Sergent found Sims for a 28-yard touchdown reception early in the first quarter. The Wildcats swiftly responded with a first quarter touchdown of their own, taking a 7-6 lead after 15 minutes of play, however their first and last score of the day.
 

• Saturday's second frame began with punts from both teams, before Sergent found Monach for a 39-yard strike to take a 12-6 lead, which USD took into halftime

• Central Washington forced a San Diego punt to open up the third period of play before defensive lineman Jae'Von Reels picked off a pass in remarkable fashion and took it all the way back for the Toreros third pick-six of the season, extending the Toreros' advantage to 19-6.

• San Diego's defense held firm to shut out CWU through the fourth quarter, setting up Sergent to find Reed for one last touchdown that gave the Toreros a 26-7 lead they did not relinquish. 

• The defensive movement continued Saturday night for the Toreros as Ballentine recorded the team's second pick-six of the night, this one coming from 40 yards out to extend USD's lead to two possessions, 24-14 with 13:37 in the final quarter.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES

• Sergent commanded the USD offense with 231 passing yards, including passing touchdowns to Ja'Seem Reed, Cole Monach, and Kenyon Sims.  

• Reed paced the Torero receivers with 74 total yards, including a 24-yard score in the fourth quarter. 

• Isaiah Smith tallied 41 yards on the ground, while Sims led the Toreros with 89 all-purpose yards.

• Giovanni Iovino fronted the USD defense with 13 total tackles, including 1.5 tackles for losses.

HIGHEST SCORING DEFENSE

• Despite having played one less games than most teams due to the week three bye, the Toreros three interceptions returned for touchdowns is 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 coordinators Mike McGlinchey and Isaac Carter's unit have scored as many touchdowns as it has surrendered with two games in hand in 2024.

A SIGNATURE VICTORY ON OPENING NIGHT

• San Diego's thrilling season-opening 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.

MATT BALLENTINE NAMED PFL CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

• After sealing San Diego's football's thrilling 27-21 win over Cal Poly on Aug. 31 with a clutch pick-six, graduate defensive back Matt Ballentine was named the PFL Co-Defensive Player of the Week, the Pioneer Football League announced on Sept. 1.

• With the Toreros clinging to a 17-14 lead at the start of the fourth quarter, Ballentine intercepted a pass at the Cal Poly 40-yard line and returned it for a touchdown, extending the USD lead to 24-14. He also had two pass breakups and a tackle to lead a San Diego defense that forced three turnovers and turned two of those takeaways into defensive touchdowns.

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.

KEY SAN DIEGO RETURNERS

• Quarterback Grant Sergent: Started five games in 2023, completing 65 of 105 pass attempts (61.90%) for 893 total yards and seven touchdowns. Averaged 178.60 passing yards per game, posted a 151.54 quarterback rating, and threw only two interceptions.

• Quarterback Dom Nankil: Appeared in eight games (seven starts) in 2023, completing 109 of 183 pass attempts (58.60%) for 1158 total yards and five touchdowns. Averaged 144.75 yards per game, posted a 115.47 quarterback rating, and threw four interceptions.

• Wide Receiver Ja'seem Reed: Led USD with 764 receiving yards (56 receptions) and an average of 69.45 yards per game in 2023. Scored two touchdowns across 11 games. 

• Wide Receiver Josh Heverly: Led USD with five touchdowns and an average of 16.88 yards per reception in 2023, totaling 574 yards (52.18 yards per game).

• Running Back Isaiah Smith: 161 yards on 32 carries ranked third on the USD roster in 2023 and are the most of any returning Torero.

• Cornerback Nick Murray: 55 total tackles and three interceptions in 2023 were second on USD roster and are the most among returning Toreros.

• Cornerback Eric Haney: 30 solo tackles in 2023 were third on USD roster and are the most among returning Toreros. Grabbed two interceptions last year, including a game-sealing pick against Dayton at Torero Stadium on September 23. Was named to 2023 All-PFL First Team (Defense) and 2024 All-PFL Preseason Team.

• Safety Josh Hong: Returns for sixth season at USD after racking up 34 tackles (21 solo), four pass breakups, and a forced fumble in 2023.

• Linebacker Chase Lyons: 14 solo tackles and a fumble recovery in 2023. Was named to 2024 All-PFL Preseason Team.

FROM USC TO USD

• Running back Matt Colombo has joined San Diego for the 2024 season as a graduate student after spending the first four years of his college career at the University of Southern California.

• He appeared in four games as a redshirt junior in 2023, totaling seven yards on one rushing attempt, and was named to the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll for the 2022-23 season.

• On the first offensive play of the year for San Diego in 2024, he ran 28 yards for a first down. Colombo took the first three plays on the ground, which included moving the chains on a third-and-2. The Southern California transfer also recorded a 4-yard run on a fourth-and 1.

• Colombo, who attended St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California, has amassed a sizable audience on TikTok, where he boasts nearly 60,000 followers.