The PFL Recap: Sept. 27

Home teams sweep the PFL-opening slate in Week 5

9/27/2025 10:59:03 PM

By: Cody Bush, PFL Media Relations Director

All four home teams opened Pioneer Football League play with victories, with Butler and San Diego pulling out victories in the final two minutes while nationally-ranked Presbyterian and Dayton eased to league-opening wins.  

PFL Week 5 Quick Hits

  • In its first game as a nationally-ranked squad, Presbyterian recorded its first PFL shutout win – and its third as a Division I program as it defeated Morehead State 41-0.
  • San Diego rallied from a 17-point deficit in the final 22 minutes to stun St. Thomas 30-27.
  • Dayton’s Bryce Schondelmyer became the second PFL quarterback to toss five touchdowns in a game, leading Dayton to a 48-14 victory against Stetson.
  • Reagan Andrew led Butler on a game-winning drive that culminated with his third touchdown pass of the day with only 1:47 left to lift the Bulldogs to a 31-28 victory against Marist.

PFL Scoreboard: Week 5

Saturday, September 27
Dayton def. Stetson, 48-14
Butler def. Marist, 31-28
#25 Presbyterian def. Morehead State, 41-0
San Diego def. St. Thomas, 30-27

PFL Recaps: Saturday, September 27

Dayton def. Stetson, 48-14
DAYTON, Ohio – Dayton quarterback Bryce Schondelmyer threw five touchdowns in the first half, leading Dayton to a 48-14 PFL victory against Stetson on Saturday at Welcome Stadium. Schondelmyer wasted no time as he led Dayton’s opening drive to a touchdown, capped with a 50-yard touchdown strike to Donovan Weatherly. Stetson responded on its first drive, driving 68 yards in six plays and tying the game on Kael Alexander’s 27-yard touchdown pass to Dylan Redmond. But Schondelmyer struck twice more touchdowns in the first quarter, tossing a 54-yarder and a 21-yarder, then tacked on two more touchdown throws in the second on a pair of more mundane seven-yard tosses, to build a 35-7 Dayton lead. Stetson would battle back with the game’s next touchdown, but Vincent Firenze’s 99-yard pick-six as the first half ended put Dayton ahead 42-14 at the break, and the Flyers didn’t look back. Schondelmyer completed 19-of-23 passes for 333 yards and five touchdowns. Alexander paced Stetson with his 15-of-29 passing effort for 190 yards and two touchdowns.

Butler def. Marist, 31-28
INDIANAPOLIS – A back-and-forth affair came down to the final two minutes, and it was Reagan Andrew’s touchdown with 1:47 remaining that proved decisive, leading Butler to a 31-28 PFL victory against Marist on Saturday at the Sellick Bowl. Butler led 17-14 entering the fourth quarter before both offenses struck for two touchdowns in the final frame. Sonny Mannino put Marist ahead 21-17 with 13:20 left on a 27-yard touchdown pass to Devin Kennedy. On the ensuing Butler drive, Andrew led a six-play, 75-yard scoring effort capped by Brady Preston’s one-yard touchdown run to give Butler a 24-21 advantage with 9:49 left. Marist gained control two drives later, stuffing a Butler 4th-and-1 attempt in its own territory and turning that into a go-ahead score on Mannino’s 35-yard touchdown toss to Lance Martinez with 3:11 remaining. Andrew was unfazed and led Butler on a five-play, 69-yard drive that needed only 79 seconds as he found Archie Cox for a 48-yard touchdown for a 31-28 lead with 1:47 left in the game. Marist’s final drive was stunted by the Butler defense, which recorded a pair of sacks to force a turnover on downs to seal the win. Andrew completed 17-of-27 passes for 151 yards and three touchdowns, adding 57 yards on the ground. Mannino completed 23-o-35 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns.

#25 Presbyterian def. Morehead State, 41-0
CLINTON, S.C. – In its first game as a nationally-ranked squad, Presbyterian recorded its first PFL shutout win – and its third as a Division I program – with a 41-0 victory against Morehead State on Saturday at Bailey Stadium. The Blue Hose defense set the tone in the first half, recording two interceptions, getting three turnovers on downs, three punts, and a fumble. Presbyterian finished the game with four turnovers gained – three interceptions and a fumble recovered. That was more than enough for the Blue Hose offense, as Collin Hurst threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, finishing 11-of-17 passing for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Presbyterian running back Zach Switzer added two touchdowns on his six-carry, 158-yard effort that led a rushing attack that amassed 303 yards and four touchdowns on just 32 carries. Morehead State finished with 277 offensive yards.

San Diego def. St. Thomas, 30-27
SAN DIEGO – Emiliano Salazar’s 25-yard field goal with two seconds left capped San Diego’s massive 17-point come-from-behind victory to stun St. Thomas, 30-27 in PFL action on Saturday at Torero Stadium. The Toreros trailed 27-10 with 7:04 left in the third quarter, but started to turn the momentum as the defense held St. Thomas to a field goal after the Tommies blocked a punt deep inside Toreros territory. San Diego’s offense built on that momentum on its next drive with a quick four-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Adam Criter’s 12-yard touchdown run. After a St. Thomas missed field goal, San Diego struck again, going 80 yards in three plays and 75 seconds with Dom Nankil hitting Cole Monach with a 54-yard touchdown pass with seven seconds left in the quarter to get San Diego within three with a quarter remaining. In the fourth quarter, San Diego’s defense held St. Thomas to two punts, a turnover on downs, and recovered a fumble to keep the visitors off the scoreboard. That left it to Salazar’s foot, and he nailed a 34-yard field goal to tie the game with 1:42 left before hitting the game-winner. Nankil completed 11-of-16 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns to lead the San Diego offense. Andy Peters powered St. Thomas’ early outburst with two touchdowns through the air and another on the ground as part of his 277 total offensive yard outing.