SPORTS

 

SAN DIEGO – Davidson football headed west and earned one of the program’s biggest victories in its 123-year history Saturday, snapping San Diego’s NCAA tying 39 consecutive conference win streak, winning at Torero Stadium, 31-25.

With the win the Wildcats move to the top of the Pioneer Football League at 4-1 overall and 3-0 in league play. They won their fourth straight in a single season for the first time since 2006 and, once again, moved to 3-0 for the first-time ever in the PFL. San Diego was also nationally ranked number 25 in the AFCA Coaches Poll, the first-ever ranked win for the ‘Cats.

To help put it into perspective, San Diego had not lost a PFL game since 2015, a feat that tied Duquesne’s run in the MAAC from 1999-2006.

Now Davidson holds the longest win streak in the league as they head down the stretch of a strange, but successful spring 2021 season.

The ‘Cats got off to a fast start, finding the end zone on their second play from scrimmage, an 83-yard scoring scamper from Dylan Sparks.

The Toreros countered with a scoring drive of their own, but Davidson responded quickly, scoring on their next two possessions. Senior quarterback Tyler Phelps kept the Toreros guessing, dropping it into sophomore Bradyn Oakley and senior Satchel Moore on back-to-back drives, touchdowns of 28 and 10 yards, respectively. The first touchdown was a beneficiary of sophomore Brian Jacobs forced fumble on a San Diego punt recovery with classmate Jaden Pask coming away with the ball.

Leading 21-7 early in the second, San Diego tacked on a field goal, but the ‘Cats came right back. Phelps orchestrated a 14-play, 76-yard drive capped off with a 27-yard scoring strike to junior Jalen Staples.

Davidson took a healthy 28-10 lead into the break, but the Toreros made their adjustments, scoring on consecutive drives late in the third and early in the fourth, adding a two-point conversion, to cut the lead to three, 28-25.

If the Wildcats ever needed one of their patented clock-killing drives it was in the middle of the fourth and they got just that, burning 6:11 off the clock and finishing it off with a 27-yard field goal from sophomore Caden Bonoffski. Davidson held a six-point edge, 31-25, and gave San Diego just over two minutes to work.

On the ensuing drive, junior linebacker called game, picking off Torero quarterback Mason Randall, leading to the Wildcat first victory formation over the perennial league leaders in since 2009.

Davidson finished with 449 total yards, 260 on the ground, led by Sparks’ 133. Phelps completed 10 of 15 passes for 189 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively Jacobs paced the ‘Cats with seven tackles, the forced fumble and pass breakup. They held San Diego to 357 yards and just 88 on the ground as the Toreros played from behind much of the day.

Davidson returns to the field Saturday, Apr. 10 at Presbyterian. Kickoff from Clinton, S.C. is slated for 1 p.m.