SAN DIEGO — After a dominant win last Saturday over Dayton, San Diego football will look to carry its momentum on the road this week, taking on the Valparaiso Beacons on Saturday as they continue Pioneer Football League play. 

Kick-off at Brown Field is set for 10 a.m. PST, while the game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and Jack Cronin will have the call over the radio airwaves on USDToreros.com. 

ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST THE BEACONS

• The Toreros will be playing the Beacons for the first time since 2022 with a 21-7 upper hand all-time ... In that 2022 matchup, the Toreros fell to the Beacons by a 28-21 margin at Beacon Field.

• Prior to a 20-19 loss to Valparaiso in the 2020-21 season, USD held a 14 game win streak over the Beacons that dated back to 2005.

LAST TIME OUT

- San Diego relished being back at home as the team executed on all three sides of the ball to come out with a seventh-straight victory Dayton, 31-13 on Saturday, Nov. 1. 

- The Toreros (5-4, 3-2 Pioneer Football League) held Dayton (6-3, 4-2 PFL) scoreless until early in the fourth quarter, while limiting the Flyers to negative six rushing yards and adding five sacks, 10 tackles for loss and two interceptions. 

- Junior Yosei Takahashi had a 37-yard punt return called back due to a penalty in the opening quarter, but immediately responded by recording a 68-yard punt return, setting up the offense for its opening touchdown on the very next play. 

- Takahashi's near-punt return touchdown set up a 5-yard touchdown run by graduate student Matt Colombo on the ensuing play to give USD a 7-0 lead midway through the second quarter ... It marked Colombo's second straight game with a touchdown after returning to play last week.  

- Although Criter lost a fumble on a 21-yard rush, senior linebacker Tre Moore picked him up by recording a sack, before catching an interception on the very next play to put the ball back in the offense's hands with 1:34 left in the half. 

- As Nankil took the snap, he scrambled to avoid the Flyers' three-man front and launched the ball into the end zone ... After the ball was tipped, not once, but twice, sophomore Dylan Tapley caught the ball in the end zone amongst a number of players from both teams, his first career touchdown reception, to give USD a 14-0 lead. 

- The offense continued to roll after halftime ... To begin the third quarter, USD went on a 14-play, 73-yard drive, capped off by an 11-yard touchdown reception by Cole Monach to give USD a 21-0 lead. On that drive, which lasted 7:39, San Diego went 4-for-4 on third downs and Nankil completed 7-of-8 passes for the lone score of the third quarter.

- The Toreros made it 28 unanswered points when Criter scored untouched from four yards out early in the fourth quarter after another lengthy drive, 12 plays over a span of six and a half minutes. 

- The shutout was soiled by the Flyers with 12:27 remaining in the game, however, as Dayton finally found its way around the Torero defense. 

- San Diego answered back to put the game fully out of reach as defending PFL Special Teams Player of the Week, sophomore kicker/punter Emiliano Salazar 'doinked' a tied career-best 47-yard field goal off the crossbar and in ... In garbage time, Dayton scored again inside the two-minute warning but failed to convert on the two point attempt and onside kick to settle the final score at 31-13.

NOTABLE

- With the win, USD records its seventh consecutive victory over the Flyers, a streak that dates back to 2016 ... The Toreros have also won 10 of the last 12 meetings between the two schools

- Overall, Takahashi recorded 131 punt return yards, setting a new single-game program record, surpassing Zac Fielder's 103 against Pomona-Pitzer in 1990

- San Diego recorded its best run-defense performance of the season, limiting Dayton to -6 rushing yards and 214 total yards of offense

- USD tied a season high with 10 tackles for loss and the five sacks was the third-best mark this season ... USD had 10 tackles for loss at Marist on Oct. 4 and recorded six sacks for the first of two times, also at Princeton, Sept. 20

- Yosei Takahashi's 68-yard punt return in the second quarter was the longest of his collegiate career

- Dom Nankil recorded his second Hail Mary touchdown to end a second quarter this season, with the first coming in the season opener against Cal Poly on Aug. 30

- Nankil, who completed 16-of-23 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns, has now recorded at least two passing touchdowns in four of his last five games. 

- Cole Monach's third quarter touchdown marked his fifth consecutive game with at least one touchdown ... He has six scores in that five-game stretch, which dates back to San Diego's 42-35 comeback win at Princeton (Sept. 20)

- With nine receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown, Monach has three 100-yard games and two nine-reception games this season

- Senior Adam Criter, who recorded 15 carries for 83 yards, recorded a fourth quarter touchdown ... It marked the second straight game he, Colombo and Monach all found the end zone in the same game

- Ruben Lopez logged his second straight game with an interception, his third of the season, which came in the fourth quarter ... Lopez is now tied for eighth in program history with nine interceptions (Also: David Tolbert, 2016-19; Patrick O'Neill, 2006-07)

- Tre Moore recorded his first interception in a Torero uniform, in the second quarter

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

•  San Diego picked up five first-place votes and was not ranked lower than third by any of the league's head coaches to earn the poll's top spot with 94 points, 16 points ahead of 2024 PFL champs Drake.

•  The poll reflects the vastly different landscape in the PFL entering the 2025 season with five programs helmed by new head coaches: Kevin Lynch at Butler, Saj Thakkar at Davidson, Joe Woodley at Drake, Mike Jasper at Stetson and Andy Waddle at Valparaiso.

•  The 2025 season marks the 33rd year of the Pioneer Football League ... The league features 11 teams, each playing an eight-game schedule to determine the league champion and recipient of the automatic bid to the NCAA FCS Championship ... USD will not face Morehead State and Presbytarian in 2025.

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.