DAYTON --  The University of Dayton football team returns home Saturday to take on San Diego in UD's Military Appreciation Game.  Kickoff is 12 Noon ET.  Dayton is now 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Pioneer Football League after last week's 28-7 loss at Presbyterian.

UD leads FCS football in total defense (244.8 yards per game) and passing yards allowed (129.8) opponent first downs (12.9) and blocked kicks (7).  Dayton is second in FCS opponent third down conversion (25.7%).   

Linebacker Gideon Lampron leads FCS in TFL (2.3).  Lampron and safety Vincent Firenze are tied for third nationally in blocked kicks (2).  Paul Kelly is tied for third in punt return average (15.7).  Safety Ca'ron Coleman is tied for fifth in fumbles recovered (3)

Quarterback Drew Van Vleet is on the Stats Perform Jerry Rice Award Watch List, which goes to the top freshman in FCS football.  He has completed 142 of 224 passes (.634) for 1,551 yards, with 15 touchdowns against five interceptions.  He is the third-ranked freshman in FCS in passing efficiency (11th overall) and the second freshman in completion percentage (39th overall).San Diego is 5-3 this season and also 3-2 in the PFL.  USD's league wins are over Presbyterian, Marist and Davidson, and the losses are to Drake and St. Thomas. 

The Toreros' six defensive touchdowns are tied for the most this season in FCS.  

Senior Ja'seem Reed leads the PFL in receptions per game (7.8), receiving yards per game (102.1) and receiving touchdowns (8).  He is third in FCS in receptions per game and receiving yards per game.  

The Flyers entered the season with the fifth-best winning percentage (.711, 180-73) in FCS football since 2000 AND have produced the most football Academic All-Americans (36) in Division I in the same time frame.  The top five in winning percentage are North Dakota State (.804), Montana (.766), Harvard (.751), San Diego (.712) and Dayton (.711).

The Flyers are one of 11 FCS teams to win 700 games.  The first eight members of the FCS 700 Win Club were Yale, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, North Dakota State, Dartmouth, Delaware and Lehigh.  Dayton was the ninth.  Northern Iowa and Lafayette joined the 700 win club last season.

The Pioneer Football League is in its 31st season.  The original (and now the only) Division I strictly need-based football league began with charter members Butler, Dayton, Drake, Evansville, San Diego and Valparaiso.    The Flyers' 141-54 record is the best in PFL history. 
UD's 12 league championships are tied with San Diego for the most in PFL history.  

UD is home again next Saturday, Nov. 16 for Senior Day against Valparaiso.  At halftime, the 2024 Lt. Andy Zulli Memorial Award will be presented.