Toreros to Meet Talented UCSB in Pivotal Game

Before the season, University of San Diego Coach Brian Fogarty called UC Santa Barbara the most talented football team the Toreros would face. Seven weeks later, he says the same thing.

Only now, UCSB--which USD will play this afternoon at 1:30 in Isla Vista--is the most important opponent of the year, too.

USD is 6-1, having lost only to Occidental two weeks ago. For the Toreros to have a shot at the NCAA Division III playoffs, they must win their final two games--today and Nov. 11 in their homecoming against Menlo College.

UCSB (5-2) has won four in a row. But the Gauchos are ineligible for Division III postseason play because the program is converting to Division II. In fact, USD is UCSB’s only non-Division II opponent.

Occidental is 5-1, including a forfeit victory over Azusa Pacific, an NAIA Division II team that USD defeated, 24-6. Of its three remaining games, Occidental plays Whittier (1-5) twice and Redlands (3-3).

Occidental is ranked fourth in the West Region, from which four teams--and normally only one from California--are generally selected for the 16-team playoff. USD was ranked No. 4 before losing to the Tigers.

If both USD and Occidental win the rest of their games, the Toreros could argue fewer losses with a tougher schedule. Occidental would claim dominance because it defeated USD.

Of course, the Toreros must first defeat UCSB. Last year, USD lost, 13-10, when Gaucho linebacker Bryan Scher made a fingertip interception in the end zone with 23 seconds left. UCSB had just scored with 2:11 left on a nine-yard pass from Mike Curtius to Kevin King. USD won in the rain in 1987, 7-0.