USD beats Southern Utah in overtime, pulls off first win over ranked team since 2017

According to DraftKings, the University of San Diego football team was a 21-point underdog against Southern Utah on Saturday night.

Score one for the underdog. In a stunning finish, USD wasted a 14-point lead with less than 2½ minutes to play, then rallied to upset 24th-ranked Southern Utah 30-27 in overtime.

The win was USD’s first against a ranked Division I FCS opponent since Nov. 25, 2017, when the Toreros hammered No. 25 Northern Arizona 41-10 in the first round of the playoffs.

“I’m proud. I’m like a proud parent right now,” said USD head coach Brandon Moore, whose team improved to 1-1. “I think from the spring this coaching staff has believed in this program, believed in these kids, what they’re capable of doing.

“We did that. We competed and we got it done.”

With less than three minutes to play in regulation, the win seemed a certainty for USD. But with 2:20 to play, the visitors pulled to within 24-17 on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Bronson Barren to Anson Kraut.

USD went three-and-out on its ensuing possession.

Southern Utah (1-1) took over on its 48 with 1:48 to play. The Thunderbirds required only five plays to tie the game, Barren hitting Gabe Nunez on a deep crossing route for a 35-yard touchdown. The ensuing PAT tied the game with 46 seconds to play in regulation.

Southern Utah got the ball first in OT. The visitors got a first down, then were forced to settle for a 28-yard field goal and their first lead of the night.

Given the ball, USD drew a pass interference call that gave the Toreros a first down at the 5. After a Southern Utah offsides penalty, graduate student Matt Colombo bounced off left tackle and rambled into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.

Colombo, who started his career at USC, finished with 202 rushing yards on 34 carries. As a team, the Toreros ran for 296 yards on 49 carries.

“I’m more impressed that we ran it in to win,” said Moore. “That’s a testament to the offensive line. They did that all day against a very good football team. Southern Utah is a good football team.”

Of the winning play, Colombo said: “I got the ball and saw our left tackle (Oscar Weigel) beat the defensive end pretty bad. I just saw daylight. I honestly blacked out. I wasn’t thinking. I just ran.”

One of the reasons Mater Dei Catholic High School product Dom Nankil won the starting quarterback job was because of his ability to extend plays with his legs.

He demonstrated his running ability throughout the game, particularly on two plays. His 10-yard scramble gave USD a 7-0 halftime lead. With 10:33 to play in the fourth quarter, Nankil faked the ball to Colombo, then darted off on a 49-yard run for a 21-10 lead.

He finished with more yards rushing (76) than passing (64, on 6 of 16 completions).

Of his team’s resilience, coming back after wasting a late two-touchdown lead, Moore said: “We’ve matured. I think we were an immature football team last week. This week I think we matured. They didn’t stop believing.”