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SAN DIEGO -- In a game that featured six lead changes and four ties, the University of Dayton football team fell for the first time in the Pioneer Football League this season, 40-29 at San Diego.  The host Toreros took advantage of the warm California night to score four of their six touchdowns in the last three minutes of each half -- two in the second quarter and two in the fourth quarter. 

USD also took advantage of four Flyer turnovers to improve to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the PFL.  Dayton is now 5-2, and 3-1 in league play.

Senior running back Connor Kacsor led UD with 115 yards on 17 carries and a TD.  During the game he became just the eighth UD player to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.  He now has 1,073 yards.

Redshirt sophomore linebacker Christopher Beaschler was the game's top tackler with 12 (8 solo). He also had a fumble recovery.  True freshman cornerback Christian Searles added 10 (7 solo).  Dayton special teams blocked two punts, one by Zach Elias that Jack Crain covered in the end zone and one by Nick Kaczkowski that he also recovered to set up Kacsor's three-yard score.

Dayton jumped out to a 13-0 lead with 10:04 left in the half when the Elias-Crain blocked punt connection scored the first touchdown of the game.  And the Flyers appeared to be ready to put the dagger in when, on the first play after a USD fumble, a Kacsor 46-yard run gave the Flyers a first-and-goal at the five.  But Dayton came away with no points, and San Diego drove 80 yards to score. 

On the ensuing kickoff, the Flyers fumbled the ball away, giving USD a short 36-yard drive to score its second TD. 

Danny Leach blocked the PAT to make it 13-13 at halftime.

After the two teams traded punts, another Dayton fumble set up a 28-yard drive to give the Toreros their first lead, 20-13.  Dayton answered with a 70-yard drive, most of it coming on a flanker option pass.  UD's leading receiver, Ross Smith took the ball on an end-around and threw it 41 yards to a diving Colin McManamon to tie the game 20-20.

Kaczkowski made a great play in punt coverage to pin San Diego deep in its own end, and then blocked his punt and recovered it to set up the Kacsor TD that gave Dayton a 26-20 lead when the snap-hold kick was not clean and Will's pass for two points was intercepted.

USD answered with an eight-play, 66-yard drive to score on the first play of the fourth quarter, but the snap was poor as well and the game was tied 26-26.

Dayton answered with a 67-yard drive to set up a 24-yard field goal by Will, and the Dayton defense held USD to a three-and-out.  UD was able to get one first down, but then a seven-yard punt gave the Toreros a short field again and they needed five plays to go 45 yards to take the lead for good, 33-29.

After the Flyers gave up an interception, on the next possession, USD quarterback Keith Williams salted the game away with a 13-yard scoring run after Dayton had to use up its remaining timeouts, making the final 40-29.

For Dayton, Bardo was 24 of 41 passing for 217 yards and two interceptions.  Smith caught nine passes for 64 yards.  Tyler Tumpane had five for 55, Gabe Macis five for 41 and Cory Stuart four for 54.  Safety Danny Leach forced a fumble and blocked a PAT to go with his seven tackles.

For San Diego, Williams was 12 of 21 passing for 163 yards and two TD's.  Dallas Kessman gained 102 yards on 19 attempts.

Dayton is back home next Saturday, Nov. 1, when the Flyers host Valparaiso.  Game time at Welcome Stadium is 1:00 p.m. ET.