SAN DIEGO — San Diego football dropped a 19-16 homecoming decision to Drake on Saturday afternoon as the Bulldogs utilized a game-winning field goal to take down USD at Torero Stadium.   

A game-tying 41-yard field goal from Emiliano Salazar with one minute remaining in the fourth quarter was nearly enough to push Saturday afternoon's conference bout to overtime, but a 55-yard attempt from the Drake kicker had just enough leg to make it through the uprights as time expired. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
A pair of field goals from Salazar and three straight stops for the USD defense helped the Toreros jump out to a 6-0 lead as the first quarter came to a close.

Drake scored a 33-yard run with 3:53 left in the half to take a 7-6 advantage, but the lead was short-lived as the Toreros drew up some trickery on their next drive with a flea flicker, as Tyler Voss threw a lateral pass to Yosei Takahashi who delivered a 73-yard touchdown pass to Cole Monach for a touchdown, making it 13-7 at the break. 

Neither side could muster any offensive momentum through the third period, before the Bulldogs opened up quarter four with a field goal to cut the Torero lead to just three at 13-10. 

Drake retook the lead at the 4:38 minute mark with a five-yard rush up the middle that made it 16-13, but the Toreros did not flinch, driving down the field to give Emiliano Salazar a 41-yard attempt to tie the game, which he drilled to make it 16-16 with 1:09 left on the clock. 

The Bulldogs utilized the time left on the clock to reach the USD 45-yard line with three seconds remaining, and converted a 55-yard walk-off field goal attempt to win the game 19-16.  

NOTABLE

• Salazar's 47 field goal in the first quarter was a career long. 
• After exiting last week's game against Marist due to injury, Adam Criter led San Diego with 28 carries, tallying 108 rushing yards. 
• Defensively, sophomore linebacker Nate Fischer led the way for San Diego with 12 total tackles (five solo) and three pass breakups. 
• Sophomore linebacker Jack Munro and graduate defensive lineman Malachi Cooper each had 1.5 sacks. 
• Takahashi's first pass attempt of his USD career was a 73-yard touchdown pass. 

UP NEXT
The Toreros will utilize a bye week next Saturday before they return to PFL play in week nine, traveling to Davidson, N.C., to take on the Davidson Wildcats. Kick-off at Davidson College Stadium on Oct. 25, is set for 9 a.m. PST.