Presbyterian became the first Pioneer Football League team since 2018 to defeat an FCS Top 25 squad, highlighting the league’s action on Saturday. The Blue Hose defeated #11 Mercer 15-10 in Macon, Georgia, to give the PFL its first win against a ranked FCS opponent since Butler defeated Youngstown State to start the 2018 season.
It was the PFL’s third win against an FCS opponent in the opening weekend, following St. Thomas’ victory against Lindenwood on Thursday and Marist’s victory against New Haven on Friday.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Morehead State and Valparaiso also picked up victories to start their 2025 campaigns.
PFL Scoreboard: Week 1
Thursday, August 28
Eastern Illinois def. Dayton, 24-14
St. Thomas def. Lindenwood, 35-13
Drake def. Upper Iowa, 41-7
Friday, August 29
Marist def. New Haven, 31-14
Saturday, August 30
Morehead State def. Allen (S.C.), 38-31
Presbyterian def. #11/11 Mercer, 15-10
Valparaiso def. Lynchburg, 67-10
Northern Iowa def. Butler, 38-14
Georgetown def. Davidson, 51-14
Cal Poly def. San Diego, 41-17
Webber International def. Stetson, 31-21
PFL Recaps: Saturday, August 30
Presbyterian def. #11/11 Mercer, 15-10
MACON, Ga. – Zach Switzer’s 16-yard touchdown run with 56 seconds left pushed Presbyterian to a 15-10 upset victory against No. 11 Mercer on Saturday at Five-Star Stadium. The Blue Hose and Bears traded first-half touchdowns, with a missed extra point being the difference, as Mercer led 7-6 at the break. Both teams then hit field goals in the third quarter, with the Bears taking a 10-9 lead into the fourth quarter. Presbyterian’s game-winning drive started on its own 20-yard line with 6:35 left, and quarterback Collin Hurst took the Blue Hose down the field in 5:39, converting a 4th-and-4 during the drive before Switzer’s game-winning gallop. Mercer threatened on its final drive, which started on its own 40-yard line after a 40-yard kickoff return. The Bears would get to the Presbyterian 28-yard line, but back-to-back incomplete passes ended the game. Hurst completed 25-of-38 passes for 303 yards and a touchdown. Switzer’s 16-yard run was the Blue Hose’s longest run of the night and capped a nine-carry, 33-yard outing.
Morehead State def. Allen (S.C.), 38-31
MOREHEAD, Ky. – Sidney Webb’s 83-yard kickoff return for a touchdown provided the winning points as Morehead State held off Division II Allen, 38-31, on Saturday at Allen Field. Morehead State built a 24-14 halftime lead as Carter Cravens rushed for an eight-yard touchdown and Jordan Price hit a 21-yard field goal as part of a 10-point second quarter. Allen closed the deficit to seven points, 31-24, with 12:01 remaining in the game on Sam Herman’s 32-yard field goal, but Webb returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to push the lead back to 14 points. Morehead State’s Carter Craven completed 16-of-21 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown and ran for two touchdowns as part of a nine-carry, 71-yard effort. Webb finished with 139 yards on two kickoff returns, including the 83-yarder.
Valparaiso def. Lynchburg, 67-10
VALPARAISO, Ind. – Valparaiso’s ground game amassed 297 yards and five touchdowns as the Beacons rolled past Virginia-Lynchburg, 67-10 on Saturday at Allen Field. Valparaiso built a 26-0 lead at halftime but broke the game open with a 35-point third quarter. In the third, the Beacons got a 17-yard touchdown pass from Rowan Keefe to Colin Hayes, a blocked punt recovered by Frank Bartell for a touchdown, Anthony Feltrinelli’s 10-yard scoop-and-score, Dawaiian McNeely’s 17-yard touchdown run, and Rowan Keefe’s 13-yard touchdown run. Valparaiso’s Michael Mansaray opened the season with 15 carries for 134 yards and two touchdowns to lead the running attack that needed just 38 carries to post 297 yards.
Northern Iowa def. Butler, 38-14
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Reagan Andrew passed for a touchdown and ran for another, but it wasn’t enough as Northern Iowa pulled away in the second half for a 38-14 victory on Saturday at the UNI Dome. Andrew’s first touchdown was a four-yard pass to Nick Munson, tying the game at 7-7 with 2;22 left in the first quarter. He gave Butler a 14-10 lead in the second quarter courtesy of a nine-yard touchdown dash with 9:55 left in the half. But the host Panthers scored before the break and held Butler scoreless after allowing the second Andrew touchdown. Andrew completed 22-of-36 passes for 189 yards and ran for 75 yards on 15 carries.
Georgetown def. Davidson, 51-14
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Coulter Cleland passed for a touchdown and ran for another in the first and second quarters, respectively, but Davidson fell to Georgetown 51-14 on Saturday at Davidson College Stadium. Georgetown scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and tacked on two more in the second quarter to build a 38-14 halftime lead and didn’t look back. Cleland completed 12-of-17 passes for 128 yards and ran eight times for 52 yards to lead the Wildcats’ 329-yard outing.
Cal Poly def. San Diego, 41-17
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – San Diego put together a 17-3 run in the middle of the game, but could not overcome a slow start in a 41-17 loss to Cal Poly on Saturday at Torero Stadium. Cal Poly scored the game’s first 24 points in the opening 29 minutes. San Diego broke through right at the halftime gun when Dom Nankil completed a 45-yard pass to Bradley Schlom for a touchdown, trimming the deficit to 24-7. On the other side of the break, Emiliano Salazar hit a 35-yard field goal as the teams traded third-quarter field goals. Adam Criter broke off a 79-yard touchdown run to start the fourth quarter, and San Diego closed within 10 points, 27-17, with 14:49 left in the game. But Cal Poly closed with three touchdowns while holding San Diego off the scoreboard to seal the win. Nankil completed 19-of-39 passes for 202 yards while Criter finished with 117 all-purpose yards.
Webber International def. Stetson, 31-21
DELAND, Fla. – Stetson scored on the game’s opening drive but Webber International struck for 17 points in the second quarter and held on for a 31-21 victory on Saturday at Spec Martin Memorial Stadium. Cayden Betts' six-yard touchdown run capped a three-play, 63-yard scoring drive to open the game. Neither team scored again until Webber International hit a 38-yard field goal to open the second quarter. The Warriors then recovered a Hatters fumble and scored to take a 10-7 lead before a touchdown with seven seconds left pushed the visitors’ advantage to 17-7 at the break. Stetson would score touchdowns in both the third and fourth quarters, but they were matched by Webber International each time. Stetson quarterback Kael Alexander completed 16-of-25 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown to lead the offensive effort.