On the way to last year's NAIA national championship, Azusa Pacific went 8-0 in games decided by a TD or less and won 5 games in the final 30 seconds of play.

In its first-ever overtime game, Azusa Pacific knocked off the University of San Diego, 26-19, in both team's season-opener Saturday night in Azusa.

All-American running back Jack Williams, last year's NAIA Player of the Year, plowed over from a yard out in the first OT to lift the NAIA's No. 1- ranked Cougars to the victory and extend their winning streak to 11 straight - the fifth longest in all of college football. Williams set up his game-winning TD on the first play of OT with a 24-yard half back option pass to Caleb Willis that put the ball at the 1-yard line. Williams scored on the next play.

"I enjoy pressure and love to step up," said Williams. "The offensive line did a great job opening the hole for the TD and protecting me on the pass."

San Diego tied the game at 19-19 with 2:23 left in regulation when QB Tom Jackson scored on a 1-yard boot-leg on third down.

The Cougars had one last chance to win the game in regulation with the ball at their own 37-yard line and 31 second left to play. Yet, first-year Cougar coach Peter Shinnick opted to run the clock out and play the overtime.

"I was confident we were going to win," said Shinnick, who becomes only the second Cougar coach ever to win his debut game. "Our defense was playing great, and I told our offense that we were going to run Jack Williams on a half back option to start overtime and win the game."

After Azusa Pacific scored the go-ahead TD, San Diego had one last chance in its half of OT, but the Toreros never got a quality opportunity. On third- and-six from the Cougar 21-yard line, Jackson was sacked and Azusa Pacific linebacker Miguel Ramos pounced on the loose ball to end the game.

Azusa Pacific led 19-9 with 12 minutes left in the game, but USD turned a block punt into a FG and then put together a 71-yard drive capped by Jackson's TD to tie the game at 19 and send it into OT - the first ever for both programs.

The do-it-all Williams, who also starts at strong safety, finished the game with 53 yards rushing on 10 carries, was 2-for-2 passing for 37 yards and had 5 tackles on defense.

Cougar QB Neo Aoga, who is 6-2, 290 pounds and is making his first gridiron appearance in 2 years, was 16-for-30 for 210 yards. He was 9-for-15 for 151 yards in the first half, but the rust and layoff began to show in the second half when he completed just 7-of-15 for 59 yards.

"We played with a lot of confidence tonight," added Shinnick. "The defense was unbelievable. I was disappointed with our play in the red zone. We were inconsistent, but I'll take full blame for that. It was a great win for us, and my most exciting victory."

Azusa Pacific trailed 9-6 at the half. A mishandled exchanged between Aoga and fullback Adam Shelly gave San Diego the ball at the Cougar 6-yard line with 1:56 left in the second quarter. The Toreros converted the miscue into the only TD of the first half when Jackson sprinted around right end from 5 yards out to give USD a 9-6 lead.

The Cougars clearly controlled the first 30 minutes of play, accumulating 156 yards in total offense to San Diego's 65. However, 3 first-half turnovers, including a fumble on the opening play of the game, negated nearly every threat Azusa Pacific mounted.

For the game, Azusa Pacific finished with 316 yards in total offense while holding San Diego to just 183.