CEDAR CITY, Utah - The No. 24 Thunderbirds will hit the road Saturday, September 5, 2025, to take on the Torreros in San Diego. The game will kick off at 7:00 p.m. MT and can be streamed on ESPN+. Southern Utah is looking to build on its momentum from a statement win in the season opener, while the Toreros aim to bounce back from a season-opening loss.
The Game
The Thunderbirds enter the week with a 1-0 record, having defeated future Big Sky opponent Idaho State 46-24 at home in the season opener. The Torreros began their season last Saturday, falling at home to Cal Poly 41-17. The matchup will be the first of six road games this season for Southern Utah.
The T-Birds are 2-0 all-time against the University of San Diego, having taken both games of a home-and-home series over a decade ago. The two teams last squared off in 2010 when the Torreros made the trip to Cedar City. That game ended with a final score of 32-3 in favor of Southern Utah.
Check out this Week's Coaches Show
On this episode of the Thunderbird Coaches Show, Coach Fitzgerald and host Jon Smith are joined by linebacker Sebastian Adamski as they break down the 46-24 win over Idaho State and preview this week's matchup with San Diego.
Key T-Birds to Watch:
Southern Utah's offense wasted no time making a statement in the season opener, piling up 563 yards of total offense in the 46-24 win over Idaho State. Quarterback Bronson Barron looked sharp in the passing game, completing 19-of-25 attempts for 240 yards and three touchdowns, spreading the ball to multiple playmakers. Gabe Nunez, Niko Alailefaleula, and Mark Bails each found the end zone through the air, while Shane Carr led the receivers with six catches for 77 yards. The early balance between the run and the pass kept the Bengals off guard and showcased the depth of weapons Southern Utah can bring to the field.
On the ground, the Thunderbirds were dominant, controlling the tempo of the game with a bruising and explosive rushing attack. Joshua Dye powered the offense with 180 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries, while Will Burns added a spark of his own with 107 yards on just five attempts, highlighted by a 72-yard touchdown burst. It marked the first time since 2023 that SUU had two players rush for over 100 yards in the same game, proving the Thunderbirds have a backfield capable of wearing down defenses and producing big plays.
Defensively, the Thunderbirds showed toughness up front, holding Idaho State to just 23 rushing yards on the night. Sebastian Adamski and Mason Stromstad led the effort with nine and six tackles, respectively, while linebacker Josh Dunn and cornerback Jakobi Spence each chipped in five stops. Logalima Lesa delivered one of the game's biggest momentum swings with a first-quarter interception, and the secondary played a disruptive role with multiple pass breakups. The balanced effort across all three levels gave Southern Utah control of the line of scrimmage and the confidence to set the tone heading into this week's road matchup at San Diego.
Tracking the Torreros
San Diego's offense will look to build on some explosive moments from its opener as they prepares for Southern Utah. Quarterback Dom Nankil showed poise under pressure, completing 19-of-30 passes for 202 yards, highlighted by a 45-yard Hail Mary touchdown to Bradley Schlom just before halftime. Running back Adam Criter also provided a spark, breaking free for a 79-yard touchdown run on his first career carry, giving the Toreros a proven big-play threat out of the backfield. With kicker Emiliano Salazar adding his first career field goal, San Diego demonstrated it has multiple options for putting points on the board.
Defensively, the Toreros will lean on sophomore outside linebacker Nate Fischer, who posted a career-high 12 tackles in the season opener. Fischer's effort underscored his role as a leader for San Diego's young defense, which showed toughness in stretches but struggled to get off the field on third downs.
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