Oct. 15, 2005

Box Score

DAYTON, OHIO - The No. 1 ranked University of Dayton football team suffered its first loss of the season, 48-24, at the hand of No. 2 San Diego Toreros in a match-up of Pioneer Football League powers and the top two teams in the NCAA Division I-AA Mid-Major rankings. The Flyers fall to 6-1 and 1-1 in the PFL standings, while San Diego (6-1, 2-0) stands alone in first place in the PFL North Division and controls its destiny in its bid to host the PFL Championship game.

San Diego's defense, ranked No. 1 in Division I-AA, smothered UD in the second half. After giving up 312 yards and 24 points in the first half, the Toreros held UD to just 63 yards of offense in the second half and just four first downs in the final 30 minutes. The Toreros defense shut out UD in the second half, as USD scored 28 unanswered points in the second half. Dayton's 24 points in the first half were more than San Diego had allowed in any game this season.

Quarterback Kevin Hoyng ran for 80 yards on 10 carries to lead the Flyer ground attack, while tailback Tim Watson added 60 on 11 attempts. Senior wideout Ryan Wrobleski caught six passes for 90 yards for the Flyers.

San Diego tailback J.T. Rogan racked up 180 yards on 30 carries and three touch downs rushing. USD QB Josh Johnson was 21 of 29 through the air for 257 yards and three touchdown passes, including one to Rogan. Johnson also rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown.

What was billed as a defensive struggle started off with all offense as each team scored on its' first two drives of the game.

On the seventh play of UD's first drive, Kevin Hoyng eluded the pass rush, tucked the ball and took off. With the Flyers' wide outs running deep patterns, Hoyng was able to carry the ball 30 yards before coming upon any defenders in the secondary. After cutting to the outside, Hoyng completed the 50-yard TD run to put Dayton up 7-0 just 3:44 into the game.

The Toreros answered on the ensuing drive, starting with a return of the squib kickoff to midfield. USD QB Josh Johnson hit Nick Garton on a 19-yard slant for the game-tying touchdown.

Dayton responded with an 80-yard march on the next drive, converting on fourth and goal as FB Matt Mong went over the top of the pile on the one-yard touchdown plunge.

San Diego ran a flea-flicker as Johnson found Garton for a 49-yard completion that set up J.T. Rogan's seven-yard TD to tie the game at 14-14. In the second quarter, after forcing a UD punt, the Toreros took a 20-14 lead after Johnson 17-yard TD strike to John Matthews. The extra point was no good.

Josh Heyne drilled a 48-yard field goal to pull UD within 20-17 with 8:29 to go in the first half.

Hoyng completed three-straight passes to three difference receivers, including a 20-yard connection with Matt Champa for a touchdown. The extra point made the score 24-20 UD.

The two teams combined for 29 first downs in the first half (UD 15, USD 14), and 585 yards of total offense (UD 312, USD 273).

But in the third quarter, the Toreros surged ahead on a three-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Rogan. After Dayton punted on the next possession, Rogan broke free from the pile of would-be tacklers for a 35-yard touchdown run to give USD a 34-24 lead.

USD forced a Flyer fumble for the first turnover of the day. And Johnson made the Flyers pay with an 11-yard scamper for his fourth TD of the day on the first play of the fourth quarter. USD missed its second point-after on the day to hold a 16-point lead at 40-24.

The Flyers went three and out on the next drive and the Toreros poured it on with a four-yard Rogan touchdown run, his fourth TD (third rushing) of the game. San Diego added the two-point conversion to push the lead to 48-24 with 9:30 to go.

San Diego totaled 551 yards of total offense on the day, including 294 on the ground.

Brian Kelly recorded 15 tackles for the Flyers. USD's Kyson Hawkins led the Toreros with 12 tackles, including for in the backfield.

Dayton will host Valparaiso on Saturday, October 22 in a PFL North game at 1:00 p.m. at Welcome Stadium. UD will celebrate senior day, and present the Lt. Andy Zulli Award - the Dayton football program's most prestigious honor - for the 50th time at halftime. USD will return home to face Drake next week.