DAVIDSON, N.C. – The Toreros bounced back from two straight conference losses with a 28-24 comeback win over Davidson yesterday in a Pioneer Football League battle.
USD (7-2, 5-2) overcame a 21-0 deficit by scoring 28 points while only giving up a field goal through the game's final three quarters.
Davidson's (3-6, 2-5) early lead was spearheaded by a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on the game's first play. The Wildcats then recovered a botched Toreros field goal and converted that possession into points, giving Davidson a 14-0 advantage.
The Toreros entered the second quarter scoreless for the first time in two years, but after falling behind 21-0, USD saw new life in a 46-yard pass play from Sebastian Trujillo to John McGough.
The play set up a 24-yard touchdown reception to wide receiver John Matthews. Then, after forcing a Davidson punt on the ensuing possession, USD's Kevin Dunn came free to block the ball and set up yet another scoring strike from Trujillo to Matthews.
Matthews finished the game with 140 yards and three touchdowns on 11 receptions. His second touchdown gave him a school record for most TD catches in a season, breaking his old record of 16. Matthews' 11 catches also set a record for most receptions in a season with 75.
In last season's matchup against Davidson, Matthews accounted for 190 yards and four touchdowns in a 52-49 USD win.
“John Matthews is a great player,” Trujillo said. “I have a lot of confidence in him. He deserves the ball. He expects the ball. You can't ask for much more from the guy.”
Matthews' third touchdown reception of the game capped an eight-play, 57-yard drive that brought the Toreros back to 21-21 at the beginning of the third quarter.
“John (Matthews) and Seb (Trujillo) have quickly gotten a good feel for one another,” said Toreros coach Ron Caragher. “Receivers and quarterbacks need to have that good relationship. John is a tremendous athlete and we as coaches like to have the ball in his hands.”
Trujillo finished the game with 265 yards on 22-of-27 passing with three touchdowns (and one interception) for a passer rating of 193.2. His biggest play came when he lunged over center on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line to take back the lead in the fourth quarter.
“I never even realized we were down 21-0,” said Trujillo. “You try to never look at the scoreboard. Executing plays, that's all that we were trying to do. Even when things weren't going well for us in the first half, we just told ourselves to keep doing what we know how to do and things will work out.”
USD stopped a potential scoring drive with an interception from Derek Pilkington on the Toreros' 11-yard line with just less than five minutes to play. Two third-down conversion runs from Matt Jelmini and Trujillo helped the Toreros retain possession and run out the clock.
Jelmini finished with 133 yards on the ground on 25 attempts.
With the win, coupled with Butler's 28-21 overtime loss to Dayton, the Toreros are now tied for third in the PFL standings. USD hosts Butler at 6 p.m. Saturday.
