Toreros Stage Rally to Knock Off Redlands, 17-14

Turning the tables on what was the best NCAA Division III football team in California last year, the University of San Diego powered its way to a come-from-behind 17-14 victory against the University of Redlands on Saturday night.

And afterward, the Toreros danced and hugged in front of the 2,715 fans at Ted Runner Stadium and surely gave a thought or two about a postseason berth that has escaped them for 18 consecutive seasons.

“Coming here and beating them here was a beautiful thing,” junior running back Scott Sporrer said.

Indeed. It was a little like knocking out Mike Tyson. USD beat Redlands at its own game.

USD, which trailed, 14-10, at halftime and had been embarassed by the Bulldogs, 28-14, last season, gained 258 of its 399 yards in the second half while Redlands managed only 19 yards after piling up 241 in the first 30 minutes.

Where one might argue the Torero defense did a fantastic job--and it did--the offense never really gave Redlands a chance, hogging the ball for all but five minutes and 55 seconds in the second half.

Sporrer and freshman running back Willie Branch saw to that. Sporrer, the only man other than the quarterback to touch the football in the final 3:37, gained a career-high 178 yards in 31 carries, and Branch, who was celebrating his 19th birthday, added 106 in 12 attempts.

Branch’s 37-yard counter action sprint to the end zone with 27 seconds left in the third quarter put the Toreros on top, and Dave Bergmann’s conversion kick ended the scoring.

“Our offensive line really took it to them,” USD Coach Brian Fogarty said. “That Scott Sporrer is one tough guy, and it’s nice to have (Branch and) that speed on the outside.”

Statistically, this one was a near opposite of last year’s game when Redlands’ Curt Landreth and Shaun Trejo combined for 283 rushing yards. Saturday, they were held to 93, including five in the second half.

“We did a much better job in the second half,” Kevin McGarry, USD’s defensive coordinator, said. “They had us figured out so we changed our techniques and alignments at halftime. Plus, we tackled much better in the second half.”

The Bulldogs scored on their second and third possessions, but the first play of the game should have been an indication of what kind of night it would eventually become.

Redlands fumbled.

With USD’s Ken Robak recovering on the 18-yard line, the Toreros had a prime opportunity seconds into the contest. Six plays later, however, the Toreros had to settle for a 22-yard field goal by Bergmann, whose chip shot tied him with Robert Lozzi for career field goals at USD with 27 in 41 attempts, six fewer than Lozzi.

After Redlands took a 14-3 first-quarter lead and threatened to rout, USD came back with an 11-play, 94-yard scoring drive with 4:30 left in the half. Branch had 44 of those yards on three carries and Michael Bennett completed two 16-yard passes before Charlie Taumoepeau scored on a one-yard plunge. For Taumoepeau, a senior fullback who had been switched to nose guard this week, it was his first play on offense after seeing several snaps on defense.

USD forced two turnovers late in the half--Dave Paladino had an interception and Paul Sellers recovered a fumbled punt return--but couldn’t capitalize. The Toreros failed to get a first down on one series and Bergmann’s 48-yard field-goal attempt was blocked as time expired in the half.