POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – USD attempted a late comeback more feasible than a few it had already completed earlier in the year but ultimately fell shy 14-19, dropping the PFL contest 2,400 miles from home.
Neither team could get much going offensively, but Marist was able to best the Toreros via big plays. While San Diego totaled 92 rushing yards to the Red Foxes' 38, the hosts had the edge through the air.
How it Happened
In a defensive start to the competition, it was the Toreros who broke through first. Junior quarterback
Dom Nankil dropped one in the bucket in the endzone from 31 yards out for grad wideout
Josh Heverly's fourth straight game with the team's first touchdown.
After the USD defense allowed just 19 yards in the first 14 minutes of the game, Marist broke through with a couple of big plays, scoring on a 67-yard pass just before the break, however missing the point after attempt.
The game reverted to a defensive duel in the second quarter, as neither team could develop the run game or score. San Diego brought its sack total for the half up to four. It was also a punter duel as both teams' specialists exchanged punts pinned inside 15 yards and Salazar had two of 59-plus yards.
The hosts were threatening to break the deadlock as they entered the red zone for the first time, late in the third quarter. The Torero defense stepped up again, however, as
Nate Fischer tipped a deflected a pass, which fellow sophomore linebacker
Cayden Gibson intercepted in the back of the end zone.
On the next offensive series, the Red Foxes did finally burst through right before the break on a 35-yard pass to take their first lead of the game but failed the 2-point conversion.
Both teams continued to exchange punts deep into the fourth quarter before Marist added on to it's lead with 4:43 remaining. Despite surrendering just 38 rushing yards all game, another big play, a 32-yard rush, was a critical blow that set up a 1-yard tush push for the score.
The Toreros, comeback kids in each of their three wins, would not go down without a fight, however. A 30-yard pass from Nankil to a wide-open senior receiver
Cole Monach in the end zone pushed the score to 14-19.
USD got a much-need 3-and-out on the ensuing drive and would get the football back just outside the two-minute warning. They'd drive down the field, setting up a second and two on the opponent's 28-yard line. The Red Foxes, who entered the ultimate drive with one sack all game, would take down Nankil in the backfield on three consecutive plays, putting them into victory formation.
Notable
- Third string running back, senior James Scott, led the USD run game with 53 yards on 14 attempts … Star senior backer Adam Criter had 50 yards on 10 rushes but did not log a carry past the second quarter
- Defensively, San Diego was led by Fischer's nine total tackles and two pass break-ups, one of which led to an interception
- Grad lineman Malachi Cooper notched two sacks while senior Tre Moore, son of head coach Brandon Moore, added on another for his team-leading 4.5th of the season, each in the last three games
- The defending national kicker and FCS special teams player of the week Emiliano Salazar had booming consecutive 59 and 61-yard punts in the second quarter without wind aid … The NFL's top punters average around 50 yards per punt and the 61-yarder would rank 19th in the NFL in 2025
- Heverly has scored USD first touchdown in four straight games in the Toreros' four-game win streak, moving his season total to a team-leading five touchdown receptions … he finished with six catches for 71 yards in addition to the score
- The Toreros had four first-half sacks, finishing the game with six
- The two teams combined for 24 punts
- Gibson notched his first career interception, the lone turnover in the contest
Up Next
San Diego (3-3, 1-1 PFL) returns to Torero Stadium for a Homecoming clash with PFL foe Drake on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 2 p.m.
