DAVIDSON, N.C. — Among all the steps and missteps involved in Presbyterian College football moving up to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, a linchpin is being able to compete in the Pioneer Football League against Davidson College.

Based on an annual game between the Blue Hose and Wildcats at Richardson Stadium on Saturday night,, Presbyterian is making progress, but Davidson’s 45-28 victory was thoroughly convincing.

PC’s expedition across the walk-on Pioneer began officially with the Kevin Kelley Year of Living Dangerously, spring 2021. Eight PFL opponents pasted Kelley’s foolhardy tacticians by a combined average score of 69-33. Most of Kelley’s players left when he did, and Steve Englehart’s first team was 1-10.

In every way imaginable, Davidson (6-2, 5-0 PFL) is where the Blue Hose want to be, and not just on the banks of Lake Norman. The Wildcats and head coach Scott Abell won their 40^th victory in six years. Since joining Division I by design, Davidson has carved a niche. Presbyterian has played by ear.

Not Englehart. Everyone else.

With 8:37 remaining in the first quarter, PC’s Tyler Wesley broke loose for a 68-yard touchdown dash that, coupled with Mack Mikko’s extra point, tied the game, 7-7. Eight minutes, 40 seconds later, nine seconds into the second quarter, Mikko had two field goals, each of 22 yards, but Davidson led, 31-13 at halftime.

The only Davidson field goal was a 50-yarder by Adam Zouagui in the second quarter.

Englehart’s team has improved by leaps and bounds. It’s just not done.

Presbyterian (3-5, 1-4)  pulled off a stunning upset of Wofford and won a PFL game at Dayton after 18 straight losses.

Englehart and staff have made the Bue Hose competitive. The trick is to make them win.

Signs are everywhere.

Wesley, the Blue Hose dazzling sophomore signal-caller, rushed for 198 yards and passed for 189. Not only did PC accumulate more offense yards (419-365), but Wesley had more yards than the Wildcats by himself.

PC couldn’t beat Davidson with statistics. The Wildcats had seven more first downs, 76 more rushing yards, and quarterback Culter Cleland hit 7/8 throws. Wesley threw early and often, 15/23 for 189.

Two of Presbyterian’s next three dates will have Bailey Memorial Stadium as the backdrop, flipping back home on Nov. 4 to go head-to-head with San Diego for a noon kickoff.

Wesley, from St. Cloud, Fla., erased his previous rushing  best in the rushing attack (79 yards), accounting for 92 percent of the team’s offense versus the Wildcats.

For the fifth straight game, linebacker Alex Herriott led the team in tackles with 16. Malik Lewis and Brooks Russ-Martin each had 10.

Davidson took the lead first as PC committed a turnover on an errant punt snap. Later a fourth-down conversion contributed to the second-quarter runaway.

San Diego slipped past Morehead (Ky.) State at home. The Toreros won in San Diego, 28-3, last year.

While it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the majority of San Diego’s tenure in 2023 (only able to take a W twice in two months), the latest of those victories came on Saturday in California over Morehead State by a 17-11 clip.

The Toreros will travel to Clinton while PC searches for revenge and its second triumph at home this semester.

Check out the stats here.

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