Senior quarterback Geoff Buffum (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente HS) made his first start in a Cougar uniform a memorable run, finishing 18-for-33 for 205 yards and 1 TD pass. Junior RB/DB Jack Williams (Downey, Calif/Downey HS), a transfer from BYU, did wonders on both side of the ball, the most important coming on offense in the final minute of the game.

Williams had two big runs, including a 9-yard TD run with 39 seconds left to snap the Cougars' 6-game losing to streak to the Toreros, and in the process, get their first win over an NCAA Div. I-AA team in program history.

"I wasn't so much tired, because of the adrenaline," said Williams, who finished with 128 yards on 20 carries and the game-winning TD. "The offensive line made the holes and won the game for us." The first half was a defensive tussle, with neither team scoring, and the Cougars limiting the Toreros to under 100 yards of total offense. And going into the fourth quarter, neither team had any points on the board.

Early in the final quarter though, the Toreros got the scoreboard lights lit. On a 3rd and long, San Diego QB Mike Stadler hit Dylan Ching on a 28-yard screen pass that Ching took into the end zone.

The Cougars answered when Buffum hit senior NAIA All-American WR Dexter Davis (Long Beach, Calif./Jordan HS) on a 42-yard play-action pass, that Davis took into the end zone to tie it at 7-7 with 9:19 left in the game.

San Diego took the ball down and turned it back over to Azusa Pacific on downs. Williams broke a long run to put the ball back into San Diego territory, but the Cougars offense was hitting a lull.

Facing a 3rd and long, Buffum hit senior WR Steve Rodriguez (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho HS) for a 10-yard gain, Rodriguez' second third down catch in the game. A few plays later, Williams took the ball in for the lead.

San Diego quickly drove down the field inside the Cougars 30-yard line, but the Toreros' last gasp pass was batted away when the clock expired.

"This win should not surprise any of our players," said Cougar head coach Vic Shealy, who improved to 3-1 in season openers. "That fourth quarter effort is what our whole preseason effort has been about. This is a turning point for our program. That (USD) is a great team, picked to win their conference, and we beat them."

Scoring by Quarters
Azusa Pacific                0   0   0  14-- 14
San Diego                    0   0   0   7--  7