San Diego Toreros football

For information on all University of San Diego sports, see San Diego Toreros.

The San Diego Toreros football team is the college football program that represents the University of San Diego (USD). The Toreros compete in NCAA Division I (FCS) as a member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL). The team plays its home games at Torero Stadium.

San Diego Toreros football
2024 San Diego Toreros football team
First season	1956; 69 years ago (1956)
Athletic director	Bill McGillis
Head coach	Brandon Moore 2nd season, 12–10 (.545)
Stadium	Torero Stadium (capacity: 6,000)
Field surface	Grass
Location	San Diego, California
NCAA division	Division I FCS
Conference	Pioneer Football League
All-time record	346–238–7 (.591)
Playoff record	2–5
Conference titles	12
Division titles	2
Rivalries	Cal Poly
Consensus All-Americans	41
Colors	Navy, white, and Toreros blue[1]
Website	USDToreros.com

San Diego's first football team was fielded in 1956. The Toreros have won the PFL championship 12 times.

History

Classifications

• 1973–1992: NCAA Division III
• 1993–present: NCAA Division I-AA/FCS

Conference memberships

• 1956–1972: Independent
• 1973–1992: NCAA Division III independent
• 1993–present: Pioneer Football League

In the early 1990s, the NCAA passed new legislation which required athletic departments to now play all of their respective sports at the same divisional level. Briefly discussed as a potential answer to the legislation, the concept of Division I-AAA was considered in response, including USD as one of only six schools eligible for the classification along the West Coast (along with Santa Clara, CSUN, Sacramento State, Saint Mary's and UCSB).^[2]

However, in January 1992, the proposal to create a football-playing Division I-AAA was twice voted down at an NCAA convention; then in February 1992, Toreros athletic director Tom Iannacone announced USD football would elevate to I-AA status beginning in the fall of 1993, by way of joining the PFL.^[3]

Rivalries

Cal Poly

San Diego Toreros and Cal Poly have a regional rivalry, both schools are in-state FCS opponents but not in the same conferences.^[4]

Notable former players

Notable alumni include:

• Jamal Agnew
• Eric Bakhtiari
• Ross Dwelley
• Michael Gasperson
• Evan Hlavacek
• Josh Johnson
• Matt Maslowski
• John Matthews
• Jordan Paopao
• Vern Valdez
• Brendan P. Murphy
• Ken Zampese
• Dave Dunn

Year-by-year results

^[5]

Year	Wins	Loss	Ties	Win %	Coach	Conference
1956	2	3	0	.400	Gil Kuhn	Independent
1957	6	3	0	.667	Bob McCutcheon
1958	8	2	0	.800
1959	1	5	0	.167	Paul Platz
1960	4	5	1	.450	Mike Pecarovich
1961	2	8	0	.200
1969	5	2	0	.714	Jim Gray
1970	2	6	0	.250
1971	3	5	0	.375
1972	6	3	1	.650	Andy Vinci
1973	9	2	1	.792		Independent (NCAA Division III)
1974	3	8	0	.273	Dick Logan
1975	2	7	0	.222
1976	1	7	1	.167	Bill Williams
1977	3	7	0	.300
1978	7	3	0	.700
1979	5	6	0	.455
1980	6	5	0	.545
1981	9	1	0	.900
1982	4	6	0	.400
1983	5	5	0	.500	Brian Fogarty
1984	1	8	1	.150
1985	5	5	0	.500
1986	4	6	0	.400
1987	6	3	1	.650
1988	5	4	0	.556
1989	7	2	0	.778
1990	7	2	0	.778
1991	7	3	0	.700
1992	7	2	1	.750
1993	6	4	0	.600		Pioneer Football League (NCAA Division I FCS)
1994	6	4	0	.600
1995	5	5	0	.500
1996	4	6	0	.400	Kevin McGarry
1997	8	3	0	.727
1998	2	8	0	.200
1999	5	5	0	.500
2000	4	6	0	.400
2001	6	3	0	.667
2002	5	5	0	.500
2003	8	2	0	.800
2004	7	4	0	.636	Jim Harbaugh
2005	11	1	0	.917
2006	11	1	0	.917
2007	9	2	0	.818	Ron Caragher
2008	9	2	0	.818
2009	4	7	0	.364
2010	5	6	0	.455
2011	9	2	0	.818
2012	8	3	0	.727
2013	8	3	0	.727	Dale Lindsey
2014	9	3	0	.750
2015	9	2	0	.818
2016	10	2	0	.833
2017	10	3	0	.769
2018	9	3	0	.750
2019	9	3	0	.750
2020	4	2	0	.667
2021	7	4	0	.636
2022	5	5	0	.500
2023	4	7	0	.333	Brandon Moore
Totals	358	249	7	.583

Championships

Conference championships

Year	Conference	Coach	Overall record	Conference record
2005	Pioneer Football League	Jim Harbaugh	11–1	4–0
2006			11–1	7–0
2007†		Ron Caragher	9–2	6–1
2011†			9–2	7–1
2012†			8–3	7–1
2014†		Dale Lindsey	9–3	7–1
2015†			9–2	7–1
2016			10–2	8–0
2017			10–3	8–0
2018			9–3	8–0
2019			9–3	8–0

† Co-champions

Divisional championships

From 2001–2005, the Pioneer Football League was divided into North and South Divisions. As winners of the Pioneer Football League's North Division, San Diego has made one appearance in the Pioneer Football League Championship Game, in 2005. The Toreros also shared the Division title with Valparaiso in 2003, but the tie-breaker allowed the Crusaders to represent the division in the championship game.

Year	Division Championship	Opponent	CG result
2003†	PFL North	N/A lost tiebreaker to Valparaiso
2005		Morehead State	W 47–40

Playoff appearances

NCAA Division I FCS

San Diego has made five appearances in the FCS playoffs. Their overall record is 2–5.

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
2014	First Round	Montana	L, 14–52
2016	First Round Second Round	Cal Poly North Dakota State	W, 35–21 L, 7–45
2017	First Round Second Round	Northern Arizona North Dakota State	W, 41–10 L, 3–38
2018	First Round	Nicholls	L, 30–49
2019	First Round	Northern Iowa	L, 3–17
Playoff record		2–5

NCAA Division III

The Toreros made one appearances in the NCAA Division III football playoffs, with a combined record of 0-1.

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
1973	Semifinals	Wittenberg	L, 14–21

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of July 17, 2025.^[6]

2025	2026	2027	2028	2029	2030
Cal Poly	UC Davis	at Southern Utah	Sacramento State	at UC Davis	Sacramento State
Southern Utah	Idaho State	at Sacramento State	at Idaho State
at Montana State
at Princeton