GRAND FORKS, N.D. – San Diego Football held a 17-10 lead early in the second half against FCS No. 10 North Dakota before the Fighting Hawks used 24 unanswered points in the third quarter to defeat the traveling Toreros, 41-24, on Saturday at the Alerus Center.
 
"I'm proud of our players, I think they did an amazing job," said head coach Brandon Moore. "They fought hard. Now we're on to the next one. I think we're going to see teams like this at the end of the season."
 
Senior wide receiver Ja'seem Reed highlighted the USD day with 11 receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown, his fifth career 100-yard performance. Reed reeled in eight of 10 targets for 82 yards and a TD-catch in the first half alone.
 
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.
 
Four Toreros fronted the defense with six tackles: Eric Haney, Giovanni Iovino, Malachi Cooper and Trey Ortega. San Diego won the first down battle, 20-18, 11-6 in the first half.
 
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.
 
UND was led by Sawyer Seidl who racked up 123 yards on 13 carries, including a 70-yard house call. Despite having three receptions on 10 targets, Bo Belquist notched 116 yards and two touchdowns to lead the air game.
 
How it Happened
On the opening drive of the game, a NoDak interception saw the Fighting Hawks offense start inside the USD 30. The Torero defense would get a crucial stop, however, ceding just a 24-yard field goal.
 
Graduate quarterback Grant Sergent avenged his first pick of the season by leading the Toreros down the field on their second drive, capped by a 14-yard blown coverage touchdown pass to junior Cole Monach.
 
After a UND three-and-out, the Toreros eased down the field again as Sergent would again find his receiver wide open, this time connecting with Reed for a 28-yard score to increase the lead to 14-3.
 
Two offensive plays later Seidl found a gap on the left sideline for a 70-yard touchdown run to put top-10 NoDak back within a score with 11:04 to go in the second quarter.
 
The USD defense held UND at bay the rest of the first half as the Fighting Hawks would miss a 30-yard field goal and San Diego junior Ruben Lopez intercepted a tipped ball on the ensuing North Dakota drive. The Torero offense couldn't take advantage of the opportunities either however, and both teams would head to the locker rooms at the half with the score 14-10.
 
On the fourth play of the second quarter graduate Matt Ballentine intercepted Romfo, his team-leading second pick on the year, and took the ball 24 yards to the UND 43. The Toreros would settle for a career-high 54-yard field goal from senior Aidan Lehman on his only attempt since week one.
 
It was then that the hosts answered for 24-unanswered points in the period. On the next offensive snap, Belquist caught a 69-yard touchdown pass. Then the Fighting Hawks capitalized on a muffed USD punt on a drive that ended with a Gaven Ziebarth one yard score and the first UND lead of the game.
 
The Toreros found their way into the redzone, but Sergent was intercepted for the second time on the day. NoDak scored seven on their third consecutive drive of the quarter as Belquist gathered his second deep touchdown.
 
A 31-yard field goal pushed the UND lead to 34-17 before the end of the quarter after having trailed by seven exactly 11 minutes prior.
 
San Diego started the fourth quarter strong, surging down the field in a drive that would culminate with a one-yard rushing touchdown for senior Logan Gingg, his second TD of the season.
 
UND would get the last say however answering and sealing the game with another rushing touchdown of their own.
 
Up Next
Moore's Toreros (2-1, 0-0 PFL) will return to the gridiron in one week's time, traveling to Des Moines, Iowa to face Drake (1-1, 0-0 PFL) in the Pioneer Football League opener on Saturday, Sept. 28, with kickoff set for 11 a.m. PST.