SAN DIEGO — After a bye week, USD Football is back in action! This Saturday, they’ll face off against Davidson at Davidson College Stadium in North Carolina. Kickoff is at 9 a.m., and you can catch the game live on ESPN+. Jack Cronin will narrate the action on the radio.
HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH DAVIDSON
The Toreros have a solid track record against the Wildcats, boasting a 15-5 all-time series lead. Last season, USD dominated Davidson with a 40-13 victory at home. However, their last trip to Davidson ended differently, with USD losing 55-33 two seasons ago.
LAST GAME RECAP
PLAYER SPOTLIGHTS
Emiliano Salazar set a career-long field goal at 47 yards in the first quarter. Adam Criter, returning from injury, led the ground game with 108 yards on 28 carries. Defensively, Nate Fischer stood out with 12 tackles and three pass breakups. Cooper and Munro contributed with 1.5 sacks each. Remarkably, Takahashi’s first-ever pass attempt was a touchdown.
POLLING & PROGRESS
USD received votes in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll for two consecutive weeks in late September. This marks their first appearance since head coach Brandon Moore took over. The program was last ranked on Nov. 19, 2018. USD has had strong performances in past years; they once ranked as high as No. 18 in the coaches’ poll.
NEW FACES ON THE TEAM
This season, USD welcomed two new offensive coaches: Nick Fulton as Offensive Coordinator and Ryan Diedrick as Wide Receivers Coach. Fulton comes to USD with extensive experience, having worked as Offensive Coordinator at several colleges. Diedrick was previously at Colorado School of Mines, where he helped develop the passing game.
PRESEASON OUTLOOK
In the preseason poll, USD was named the favorite in the Pioneer Football League, garnering five first-place votes. This reflects changes in the league with new coaches at five programs. The team will be looking to improve upon their strong finish last season, where they ended with an 8-3 record and finished second in the PFL.
This season, five Toreros were named to the preseason All-Conference team, showing strong expectations for the squad.
In 2024, USD found success with a strong home record, going 6-0 at home. Their defense was impressive, tying for the most defensive touchdowns in FCS. The season marked a solid turnaround under Moore, indicating a bright future for USD Football as they head into the current season with confidence and talent.
