USD uses punishing drive to kill clock, thump Dayton

Dom Nankil threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns and USD won its second Pioneer Football League game in a row, beating Dayton 31-13 on Saturday at Torero Stadium.

Adam Criter and Matt Colombo both added rushing touchdowns for the Toreros, who outgained the Flyers 322 yards to 214.

USD (5-4, 3-2) led 28-0 at the end of the third quarter before Dayton scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. The Toreros added a 28-yard field goal from Emiliano Salazar.

Yosei Takahashi sparked the Toreros in the second quarter, returning a Dayton punt 68 yards to the Flyers’ 5-yard line. One play later, Colombo – a USC transfer —  opened up the scoring with a 5-yard rushing touchdown.

It remained a seven-point game until the final seconds of the first half, when Nankil found Dylan Tapley for a 40-yard touchdown pass.

USD received to start the second half and put together one of the most impressive drives of its season, a 15-play, 73-yard march that Nankil capped with an 11-yard pass to Cole Monach. Salazar’s PAT made it a 21-point game. The Toreros bled 7 minutes and 39 seconds off the clock and, in the process, effectively put Dayton away.

USD next travels to Valparaiso for a 10 a.m. showdown against the host Beacons.

Valpo lost 43-14 at Presbyterian on Saturday to fall to 1-8 overall and 0-5 in PFL play.