SAN DIEGO — Coming off three straight wins, San Diego football will look to carry its momentum back home, taking on the Butler Bulldogs on Saturday for their final home game of 2025, celebrating Senior Day. 

Kick-off at Torero Stadium is set for 1 p.m., while the game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Jack Cronin and George Whitfield Jr. on the call. 

ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST THE BULLDOGS

• The Toreros boast a 21-6 overall record over the Bulldogs, with the last matchup between the two schools coming in 2022 when Butler defeated San Diego 26-23 at Torero Stadium ... The Toreros are 13-2 vs. the Bulldogs on home turf

• Prior to that loss, USD held a nine-game win streak over the Bulldogs that dated back to 2010

SENIOR DAY

The Toreros will be honoring 25 graduating senior student-athletes prior to the game, in addition to one graduate assistant coach: defensive lineman Malachi Cooper, cornerback Jake Higgins, wide receiver Josh Heverly, running back Adam Criter, captain/running back Matt Colombo, captain/safety Ruben Lopez, wide receiver Bradley Schlom, safety Ryan Meloche, linebacker Elijah Johnson, wide receiver Cole Monach, safety Trey Sena-Ortega, running back James Scott, cornerback Ezekiel Swayne, wide receiver Ben Moseley, linebacker Jerry Rangel, tight end Dylan Lawson, tight end Travis Plugge, linebacker Mo Vanderweil, offensive lineman Nick Struempf, offensive lineman Jack D'Ambra, offensive lineman Evans Bowling, tight end Zane Fullmer, tight end Peyton Smith, defensive lineman Brian Coburn, defensive lineman Evan Niemi, defensive lineman Nelson Hemmert and graduate assistant coach Vincent Farrar.  

LAST TIME OUT

- The running game was once again on display as San Diego made the trip Saturday to Valparaiso where Colombo and senior back Adam Criter ran nuclear in a 43-27 Pioneer Football League win over the Beacons. 

- San Diego scored in every quarter against Valparaiso to extend its winning streak to three. 

- After sophomore kicker/punter Emilaino Salazar opened the scoring with the first of his three field goals from 39 yards out, the running game began as Colombo helped the Toreros add on with his 11-yard receiving touchdown to take a 10-0 lead. That touchdown was fueled by junior Yosei Takahashi's 33-yard punt return, setting up Colombo on the ensuing play, exactly like the week prior against Dayton. 

- Takahashi's near-punt return touchdown set up a 5-yard touchdown run by graduate student Matt Colombo on the ensuing play ... It marked Colombo's second straight game with a touchdown after returning to the field last week.  

- The hosts led at halftime, however, 14-13 after Salazar's 43-yard field goal was one-upped by a Valpo touchdown with 12 seconds remaining in the half.

- The back-and-forth battle continued into the third quarter as the Beacons took a 21-20 lead on a 100-yard kickoff return after a 9-yard rushing score by Criter. San Diego got right back on offense, scoring 16 unanswered points to take a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter. 

- During that stretch, Colombo recorded touchdowns from three and 36 yards out as Emiliano Salazar kicked a 21-yard field goal in between the graduate student's two scores. 

- Prior to Colombo's 36-yard touchdown run, senior captain safety Ruben Lopez recorded a red zone interception, setting up a seven-play, 90-yard Toreros drive with Colombo punching it home with six minutes left in the game. 

- On that drive, Colombo recorded four carries, including a 29-yard scamper one play before his 36-yard run. 

- San Diego got its first lead of the second half, compiling a nine-play, 75-yard drive, ending in Criter's first touchdown from nine yards out, giving the Toreros a 20-14 lead. 

- With 15 seconds remaining on third-and-goal from the 2-yard line, the Criter punched through, settling the score at 43-27 and giving San Diego its second 40-point game in its last two road games, third of the season.

NOTABLE

- With the victory, San Diego has won 16 of the last 18 meetings against Valparaiso, dating back to 2004

- For the third consecutive game, San Diego recorded multiple interceptions, posting a season-high three picks – one each by Lopez, sophomore Jack Munro and senior Jake Higgins 

- For Munro and Higgins, it marked their first career interceptions while Lopez logged his third straight game with a pick, fourth of the season 

- Lopez's interception, which came with 10:07 left in the fourth quarter, marked his 10th pick of his collegiate career, moving him to eighth all-time in program history 

- Sophomore linebacker Nate Fischer led USD tacklers with six total, four solo, Lopez being right behind with five total, four solo

- The 485 total yards by the San Diego offense is the second-most this season, most since the Toreros faced Princeton (Sept. 20)

- With 121 rushing yards, Matt Colombo logged his second 100-yard game of the season and most since his 202-yard rushing performance against Southern Utah (Sept. 6)

- Saturday marked Colombo's first game in a USD uniform with multiple rushing touchdowns  

- Adam Criter recorded his second straight 100-yard game and fourth this season

- In his last three games, Criter has five touchdowns, including two Saturday and two at Davidson (Oct. 25)

- Junior quarterback Dom Nankil completed 21-of-29 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown

- Salazar's 14 points marks a new season-high with his five made PATs and three field goals

TOREROS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

• The San Diego offense has had just one pass intercepted all season, which leads the country as the fewest, tied only with Alabama State

•  The Toreros also lead the country in least total turnovers lost with four, tied with Villanova and William & Mary

•  Individually, senior safety Ruben Lopez ranks tied for second nationally with four interceptions on the season ... Senior linebacker Tre Moore ranks ninth nationally and first in the conference with three forced fumbles in 10 games

MOORE MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF

• Senior linebacker Tre Moore, son of head coach Brandon Moore, was named PFL Player of the Week on Sunday, Nov. 2

• Moore finished with six tackles (five solo), including two for loss and a sack, and had an interception in San Diego's 31-13 victory against Dayton. After a San Diego fumble late in the first half, Moore led a defensive effort that only allowed Dayton to gain 10 yards. On back-to-back plays, he scored a sack and then intercepted a pass to end the drive and help preserve San Diego's 7-0 lead while also setting up a drive that resulted in a touchdown just before the break. 

SMOOTH-E EARNS SECOND SPECIAL TEAMS POTW

• Sophomore kicker/punter Emiliano Salazar, nicknamed "Smooth-E" was responsible for eight points in San Diego's 40-28 PFL victory at Davidson ... He split the uprights for a 23-yard field goal and five PATs ... Salazar also averaged 51.0 yards on his two punts, with one of 58 yards and one downed at the Davidson five-yard line ... He also handled kickoff duties, with three of his seven kicks going for touchbacks and a net of 40.4 yards per kickoff.

POLLING 

• On back-to-back weeks (9/21, 9/28) the Toreros received votes in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll ... The Sept. 21 vote was the Toreros' first time in the poll since head coach Brandon Moore took over at the helm before the 2023 season ...  USD was last ranked in both the FCS coaches and Opta Stats poll on Nov. 19, 2018

• While USD held the record in the FCS' non-scholarship league, the PFL, for highest ranking at No. 18 in the AFCA coaches poll and No. 19 in the stats poll (both Nov. 19, 2018), conference foe Presbyterian broke the league's seven-year drought from the Opta Stats poll and broke the coaches poll record at No. 16, tying the Toreros'  stats poll record at No. 19 before a week nine loss to Dayton

FCS NATIONAL SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

•  A perfect field goal as time expired to see through a 30-27 come-from-behind victory encapsulated a perfect day for USD sophomore kicker/punter Emiliano Salazar on Sept. 27, whose performance was recognized nationally as the Stats Perform FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 29

• In addition to the three clutch field goals, the Orange, Calif. native also went 3-for-3 on extra points on the day and punted twice for 99 yards, an average of 49.5 yards and long of 57 ... Salazar was named the Pioneer Football League's Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 28, and Fred Mitchell Award Kicker of the Week on Sept. 29 

• It's the third times a charm for the first year starter as he's the first Torero to earn a national honor this season after running back teammates Matt Colombo and Adam Criter finished as Stats Perform National Offensive Player of the Week honorable mentions in weeks two and four respectively after their performances on the ground against FCS heavyweights that merited PFL Offensive Player of the Week

SECOND USD RUNNING BACK GARNERS PFL OPOTW

• Senior running back Adam Criter was named Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Sunday, Sept. 21, also being one of five players nationally to be named Opta Stats FCS National OPOTW honorable mention

• In his first career start, Criter totaled 173 yards with three touchdowns in the Toreros' last three series of the game to complete USD's 21-point comeback on the road at Princeton Saturday ... Criter was untouched on all three fourth quarter touchdowns, from four yards, 24 yards and eight yards respectively ... After the Toreros went through the air in the first half, Criter logged 76 of his 105 rushing yards in the fourth quarter comeback alone ... He also totaled 68 receiving yards on 10 catches 

•  Not only is Criter the second Torero to win PFL Offensive Player of the Week this season, but the second USD running back to win the honor and earn FCS national OPOTW HM after grad captain Matt Colombo also did so week two (Sept. 7) following San Diego's win over No. 24 Southern Utah

•  Colombo had a 202-yard rushing day and two touchdowns, including the walk off winner in overtime ... The El Segundo, Calif. native posted the PFL's first 200-yard rushing performance of 2025 and just the second in all of FCS ... Colombo was responsible for 10 of San Diego's 18 first downs ... He was one of two players nationally named Opta Stats Perform FCS Offensive National Player of the Week Honorable Mention

NEW COACHES ON OFFENSE

•  Head Coach Brandon Moore added two new faces to his staff on the offensive side of the ball, bringing on Nick Fulton as Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach while Ryan Diedrick joins the program as Wide Receivers Coach and Passing Game Coordinator

About Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Nick Fulton:

•  Fulton has more than 20 years of college football coaching and administrative experience, as he joins USD from the University of Wyoming, where he had served as the Cowboys' Associate Athletics Director for Football Operations since January, 2022.

•  He was responsible for a variety of administrative duties at UW, including planning team travel, monitoring the football budget, serving as a liaison with the athletics academic counseling staff, helping oversee and coordinate roster management and player personnel activities and assisting with the launch of the Cowboys' Name, Image and Likeness program before serving as the football program's liaison to Wyoming's NIL collective.

•  Fulton served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Colorado Mesa University in 2020 and served in the same role at Northern Colorado in 2019.   

•  He enjoyed a successful four-year run at Colorado School of Mines alongside Brandon Moore from 2015-18 ... The Orediggers advanced to the NCAA DII Playoffs in 2016 and 2018 and captured the RMAC Conference Championship both seasons, aiding in team records of 8-3 ('15), 10-3 ('16), 7-4 ('17) & 10-2 ('18).

•  Prior to coaching at Colorado School of Mines, Fulton spent three seasons (2012-14) as the offensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator and football academic coordinator at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D. ... While at Black Hills State, Fulton's offense set a school record for total offense in the 2014 season ... Fulton coached the Yellow Jackets offensive linemen in 2012 and '13 and coached the quarterbacks in 2014 ... Fulton was a graduate assistant coach at Wyoming for the 2010 and 2011 seasons, worked as an assistant coach at Doane College in Crete, Nebraska from 2006 to 2009 and began his collegiate coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Sioux Falls, in 2005.

About Wide Receivers Coach Passing Game Coordinator Ryan Diedrick:

•  A native of Sammamish, Wash., Diedrick came to San Diego from the Colorado School of Mines, where he worked as a wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator from 2017-24, including crossover under Head Coach Brandon Moore.

•  Diedrick first arrived at Mines from Indiana State, where he served as an offensive analyst, video coordinator and in an offensive quality control position in 2016 ... A 2016 graduate of Willamette University, Diedrick served as a student assistant as a senior after retiring during his junior year from playing as a quarterback and wide receiver.

USD PICKED TO WIN PFL IN PRESEASON POLL

•  For the first time since 2019, San Diego football was tabbed as the Pioneer Football League's preseason favorite in the league's 2025 Preseason Coaches Poll, released Monday, July 28

FIVE TOREROS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE

•  Five Toreros were named to the Pioneer Football League Preseason All-Conference Team: Evans Bowling, Malachi Cooper, Aydan Corrales, Ruben Lopez and Maicah Talavou

• Two USD offensive linemen make the cut, grad Evans Bowling, who was Second Team All-PFL in 2024 and senior Maicah Talavou, who was an honorable mention last season

•  On the defensive line, grad Malachi Cooper is honored as one of the best at his position in the league after earning second team honors in 2024 ... Senior defensive back and team captain Ruben Lopez was also picked after being a second-teamer last season

•  The Toreros are also represented on the special teams all-PFL list by junior Ayden Corrales who is picked as the leagues top punter to start the season ... he was an All-PFL honorable mention in 2025

2024 IN REVIEW

• The Toreros returned to winning ways in Head Coach Brandon Moore's second year at the helm, finishing with an 8-3 overall record, 6-0 at home, and 6-2 in conference action.

• It was the first time with six home wins in the same season since going a perfect 6-0 across the 2015 season and the first time USD had won six straight at home since winning the last four at home in 2021 and first two of the 2022 season.

• USD finished alone in second in the Pioneer Football League, falling just behind Drake (7-1), who clinched the PFL outright title and a spot in the FCS playoffs ... The Bulldogs topped USD 30-28 on a walk-off field goal on Sept. 28 in Des Moines, Iowa, proving the difference for San Diego's postseason hopes. 

• Despite having two bye weeks and ten games played, the Toreros'  six total defensive touchdowns entered the season finale as the: 

          - Tied-most defensive touchdowns in FCS, and across all of DI (FCS/FBS)

          - Tied-most pick-sixes (4) in FCS

• In the Toreros' first 2-0 start in a non-shortened season in 13 years, Co-defensive coordinators Mike McGlinchey and Isaac Carter's unit has scored as many touchdowns as it had surrendered in the first two games in 2024; Two week one vs. Cal Poly and one week two vs. Central Washington

•   Toreros swept the PFL Offensive and Defensive player of the Year awards as DB Eric Haney and WR Ja'Seem Reed were pinned as the conference's best ... LB Giovanni Iovino was also picked as first team all-conference five Toreros on the second team and 11 USD players as All-PFL Honorable Mentions.