The Pioneer Football League may not allow scholarships, but as the University of San Diego demonstrated to Presbyterian College on Saturday, winning games in it is no trip to the beach.

Besides, San Diego left the beach behind while defeating the Blue Hose, 23-13, on Military Appreciation Day at Bailey Memorial Auditorium after spotting PC a six-point lead at halftime.

Beginning a drive on PC’s side of the field six times (five of which occurred in the final two periods), the Toreros shut out the Blue Hose in the second half.

The team that stunned Wofford of the Southern Conference, whose territory is enclosed by scholarships, has lost five out of six since.

The measure of Presbyterian’s improvement is competitiveness, not success. That doesn’t come cheap.

The Blue Hose entered the fourth quarter with the same 13-7 edge they took to halftime, but ever since that glorious evening in Spartanburg, when it seized the game in the final seconds, Presbyterian (3-6, 1-5 PFL) has been unable to close deals.

San Diego (3-6, 3-3) scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and held possession for 10 of the final quarter’s 15 minutes. The Toreros pushed the surge with 103 yards in kickoff and punt returns. USD penetrated the PC backfield and quarterback Tyler Wesley for five sacks.

Additionally, the visitors assembled 103 return yards and breached the PC backfield for five sacks, causing disruption evidenced by a 3-13 rate of third-down conversions.

San Diego never took its first lead until the final three minutes, and when it happens most every week, it’s not a random occurrence.

Presbyterian can compete, but it must learn to win, which sounds simple but clearly isn’t. Fast tracks to the top often begin slow.

A visit to Des Moines, Iowa, to play Drake (6-3, 6-0) next, and the final game is at home. Morehead (Ky.) State (3-5, 2-3) ends the season in Clinton on Nov. 18. The games are a week and 1,034 miles apart. Both start at 1 p.m. EST.

Isaiah Williams rushed for 128 yards on 28 carries for the Toreros. PC rushed for 56 on 28 as a team. San Diego quarterback Dom Nankil completed 17/24 passes for 100 yards. PC’s more spectacular Wesley was 14/30 for 153 yards, yielding two interceptions. The Blue Hose are more exciting to watch but less efficient  and successful.

For once, someone other than stellar linebacker Alex Herriott led Presbyterian in tackles. It was safety Anthony Thornton with 12, though Herriott only fell shy by one.

Mack Mikko kicked two first-half field goals.

Dominic Kibby hauled in six receptions, while Worth Warner grabbed four.

Presbyterian’s only touchdown occurred on its second position, courtesy Jaden Wright’s 18-yard rush.

San Diego finally tied the game on Nankil’s seven-yard touchdown pass to Josh Heverly in the fourth quarter.

J.B. Seay fumbled with 4:51 left in the game, and the recovery by USD’s Zamir Wallace set up Aidan Lehman’s 47-yard field goal – he kicked three — that gave the Toreros the lead for good at the 2:50 mark.

Just for good measure, Wallace’s 21-yard interception return with 15 seconds on the clock distorted the final score of a game that was close for 59 minutes, 45 seconds.

There’s nothing easy about putting a victory to bed in front of 675 warm bodies. Thirty were cheering for the Toreadors (I counted them, and came close with the home side).

At least, however, there is stability in knowing at least where Presbyterian football is (sea to shining sea), that Englehart is diligently raising its quality and the typical scores are merely the 23-13s and not the 70-35s of the Kevin Kelley Year of Living Dangerously.

The maniacal changes of the current century are winding down. Like it or not, Presbyterian College knows what it is doing. A reasonable facsimile of a plan has now been in place for most of a decade.

Drake, scene of Tommy Spangler’s final victory in spring 2021, has won all six of its PFL games this season.

Take a look at the statistics here.

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The next Fiesta Grande open mic is Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m.