Tuesday, November 22, 2016
by Cody Bush, PFL Media Relations

AHEAD IN WEEK 13
All times Eastern.

SATURDAY, NOV. 26
San Diego at Cal Poly, 7 p.m.
Location: San Luis Obispo, California
Stadium: Alex G. Spanos Stadium (11,075)
Series: CPU leads, 5-0    Streak: CPU, five wins
Last Meeting: Cal Poly def. San Diego, 38-16 (9/10/16)
Video: ESPN3

LATEST PFL NEWS AND NOTES
Complete news and notes available in PDF version

PFL AWARDS TO BE ANNOUNCED NOV. 28-30 | The Pioneer Football League will announce its annual awards, Nov. 28-30. Six of the league’s major awards will be announced Monday, followed by the 2016 All-PFL Teams, Tuesday. Wednesday the league will present its 2016 Academic All-PFL squads, highlighted by its Scholar-Athlete of the Year announcement.

SAN DIEGO CLINCHES PFL TITLE, AUTOMATIC BID | San Diego clinched its eighth PFL title with its Week 11 victory against Stetson. The Torero’s Week 12 win at Campbell gave it an unblemished league record, the first in the PFL since 2010. It also is the third consecutive season San Diego has claimed at least a share of the title. The title also clinched the PFL’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship, San Diego becoming the first PFL program to represent the league twice in the tournament.

SAN DIEGO OWNS FCS’ STINGIEST DEFENSE | Entering the postseason, San Diego’s defense leads the FCS in fewest points allowed in 2016, permitting just 12.1 points per game. In four of their eight games, the Toreros have permitted just one score by the opposing team.The Toreros defense also leads all FCS units in pass efficiency defense (84.36) and total defense (249.6).

TOREROS PROTECT THEIR OWN | Keeping true to their mascot, San Diego has not allowed opposing teams to get to their quarterback, permitting just four sacks in 10 games this season, ranking third in fewest sacks allowed among FCS teams. Only Southern Conference members The Citadel and Wofford has done better, allowing only one sack in 2016.

STUBBS NABS STATS NATIONAL HONOR | Dayton cornerback Cameron Stubbs’ FCS best 234 kickoff return yards against Marist earned him the STATS National Special Teams Player of the Week honor, Nov. 14. He finished his 2016 campaign averaging 28.7 yards per kickoff return, fourth best among FCS kick returners.

GAHAFER NOW PFL’S MOST PROLIFIC PASSER | Morehead State quarterback Austin Gahafer became the PFL’s career passing yards leader during Week 10, with a 465-yard performance against Butler. He finished his career with 11,918 passing yards, breaking the record held by Jacksonville’s Josh McGregor (2008-11).

RAYMOND TOP PFL RECEIVER | Joining teammate Gahafer in the PFL record book, Morehead State slot receiver Jake Raymond became the league’s career receptions leader in that same Week 10 outing at Butler, breaking the record held by Butler’s Zach Watkins (2008-11). Raymond’s finished his career with 272 career receptions.

NO FLY ZONE | Dayton ended the regular season tied for the FCS lead in interceptions with 20 picks in 2016. The Flyers have three players – David Leisring, Christian Searles and Cameron Stubbs – ranked among the FCS Top 50 in interceptions per game.

HATTERS IN THE BACKFIELD | Stetson’s defense ended the regular season ranked No. 2 among all FCS squads in tackles for loss, averaging 9.3 team tackles for loss per game this season. The Hatters posted 10 or tackles for loss in six of their 11 games this season, including 16 tackles for loss against Jacksonville, Sept. 24. Stetson’s Jeb Boudreaux is ranked 10th among FCS defenders with a PFL-leading 1.8 tackles for loss per game this season.

WILL KICKS WAY TO PFL RECORD | Dayton kicker William Will set the PFL record for career field goals with three conversions at Jacksonville in Week 7, breaking the record held by Drake’s Billy Cundiff (49, 1998-01). He ended his career with 55 career field goals made.

IN GOOD CRUSADERS HANDS | Valparaiso also ended the regular seaosn as the FCS’s top team in ball security, surrendering only one fumble in 2016. The Crusaders are tied with Lehigh and Maine for the top spot. Drake and Davidson enter the regular season’s final week ranked seventh nationally with three fumbles lost.

BEASCHLER A CAMPBELL TROPHY FINALIST | Dayton linebacker Christopher Beaschler was named one of 12 finalists for the 2016 William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments®. One of only six two-time team captains in Dayton history, Beaschler has led the Flyers in tackles the last two seasons and leads the team this season. The Ada, Ohio native maintains a 3.72 GPA in Mechanical Engineering. He was a CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American, Pioneer Football League Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year and repeated as a First Team All-PFL performer in 2015.