College Football: Mesa still Kings of the County, USD dominates Stetson on Senior Day, Aztecs fall in Vegas, and Southwestern defeats struggling Griffins

Photo Credit: Nicole Noel Photography

San Diego Mesa Edges Palomar in Tight Contest

In a hard-fought defensive battle, San Diego Mesa (8-2, 5-2) edged out a 14-10 victory over Palomar (4-6, 3-4) to earn the Kings of the County title for the second straight season. Sophomore running back Danny Davis emerged as the hero for Mesa, scoring both touchdowns on runs of three and 10 yards, while amassing 103 yards on 19 carries. Despite a challenging day through the air, with quarterback Jax Leatherwood throwing four interceptions, including three to Palomar's Davion Green, who recorded his second three-interception game of the season for a total of nine, Mesa's offense displayed resilience.

The Olympians managed to accumulate 330 total yards, with wide receiver Jalil Tucker leading all pass-catchers with 73 yards on five receptions. Mesa's defense stepped up when it mattered most, limiting Palomar to a mere 73 rushing yards and forcing two crucial fumbles. Palomar's offense showed flashes of brilliance, such as Elijah Hudson's 76-yard reception and a touchdown pass from KJ Chatham to Quincy Herron.

Sergent's Senior Day Spectacular Powers Toreros Rout Over Stetson

The University of San Diego Toreros (7-3, 5-2) celebrated their seniors in style as quarterback Grant Sergent put on a masterclass performance, throwing six touchdowns on the team's first six possessions. Sergent finished with 311 passing yards, completing 20 of 28 attempts. Senior receiver Ja'seem Reed had a monster first half with three touchdowns and 121 yards on five receptions before sitting out the second half. The Toreros will be perfect at home this season with a 6-0 record at Torero Stadium. Next week they'll close the season on the road looking to spoil Morehead State's opportunity to win a share of the PFL title and earn a playoff bid.

 

UNLV Dominates San Diego State, Spoils Bowl Hopes

UNLV (8-2, 4-1) continued their solid season with a convincing 41-20 win over the San Diego State Aztecs (3-7, 2-3) at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The Rebels' offense was firing on all cylinders, amassing 515 total yards with a balanced attack of 253 rushing yards and 262 passing yards.

QB Hajj-Malik Williams led the charge with two rushing touchdowns and a passing touchdown, while the Rebels' ground game featured four different players scoring rushing touchdowns. UNLV's defense was equally impressive, forcing two interceptions and holding the Aztecs to just 270 total yards.

In a bright spot for the Aztecs, Marquez Cooper became the first player in FBS history to rush for over 1,000 yards for three different teams, adding to his historic collegiate career.

 

Southwestern Cruises Past Grossmont, 28-7

In a battle of struggling teams, the Southwestern Jaguars (2-8, 1-6) ended their season on a high note after dominating the Grossmont Griffins (1-9, 0-7) at DeVore Stadium. The Jaguars scored three rushing touchdowns from three different players - Connor Underhill, Jaheem Williams, and Xzavier Crews - before quarterback Ethan Gallegos connected with Tyler Becker for a four-yard touchdown pass to seal the win. Southwestern's defense was stout throughout, holding Grossmont scoreless until the fourth quarter.