San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
USD TIES RECORD
Toreros beat Drake 27-13, tie FCS mark for consecutive conference victories at 39.
Owing to COVID precautions, fans were not permitted to attend USD’S home football game Saturday afternoon against Butler. But about 60 fans reclined in lawn chairs or stood along Linda Vista Road, looking down the hill inside Torero Stadium.
They were treated to history as the Toreros handed Butler a 27-13 defeat, marking USD’S 39th straight Pioneer Football League victory, tying an FCS record for most consecutive league wins.
But USD’S hard-toplease head coach Dale Lindsey was in no cele- bratory mood afterward, saying he was unaware of the feat.
“I heard different rumors, but I didn’t know what any of those were,” said Lindsey. “This was Saturday. The only thing that mattered today was we beat Butler. Whatever records are around, great for them.”
What the win signified more than anything is how much USD has dominated the PFL as the FCS’ only nonscholarship program.
The Toreros have won or shared the PFL title eight of the last nine seasons.
USD’S last PFL loss came on Oct. 10, 2015, a span of 1,988 days going into Saturday.
No player on USD’S roster has lost a league game.
“We don’t think about the streak too much,” said offensive tackle DJ Wright. “But in the back of our minds we know we’re going to get it.”
For a while it looked like USD would cruise to the milestone, jumping to a 17-3 lead with 10:14 to play in the second quarter. But the Toreros allowed a touchdown on the next possession, then the offense began to stumble.
USD was stopped on fourth-and-1 on Butler’s 3 with 1:27 to play in the half. Fifty-five seconds later after the defense forced a punt, quarterback Mason Randall was intercepted on the Butler 30.
The Toreros recovered an onside kick to open the second half and couldn’t score. On its next possession, following a blocked punt that gave USD the ball on the Butler 15, the Toreros settled for a field goal.
“You can’t do that and win,” said Lindsey.
After Butler pulled to within 20-13 late in the third quarter, the Toreros embarked on a 65-yard drive capped by a 2-yard Randall touchdown pass to tight end Derek Klein for a 27-13 lead.
Randall completed 32 of 41 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns.
USD now shares the FCS record for most consecutive league wins with Duquesne (1999-2006 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference). USD can set the record on April 3 when it hosts Davidson.
Lindsey, though, wasn’t satisfied late Saturday afternoon, particularly with the offense.
“I just told our players, I felt we got outplayed by Butler,” said Lindsey. “We were just better athletically. But Butler played harder. They were smarter and tougher than we played.”
While Lindsey downplayed the FCS record, Wright put it in perspective.
“It’s something amazing because this program has had a culture in the way it does things before I got here and probably will have the same culture, the same leadership after I’m gone. It’s a beautiful accomplishment. Mainly now we’ll be focused on breaking it.”