Blue Hose Fall to Dayton, Ending Nation’s Second-Longest Winning Streak

The undefeated run of the #16/19 Presbyterian College football team came to an end on a chilly Saturday afternoon at Welcome Stadium, where the Blue Hose fell to the Dayton Flyers 35–19. The loss snapped an 11-game winning streak—the second-longest active run in the nation—and marked PC’s first defeat in 171 days.

Despite being outgained by just 16 yards and nearly matching Dayton in first downs, turnovers proved costly for Presbyterian. The Flyers capitalized on three takeaways while playing a nearly flawless game on their home turf.

Head coach Steve Englehart’s team entered the matchup with seven straight Pioneer Football League victories, tying the program’s best start to a season at 7–0. They were among only eight remaining unbeaten FCS teams before Saturday’s setback.

“This one stings, no doubt,” Englehart said after the game. “But I’m proud of how our guys battled. Every team faces adversity—it’s how we respond that defines us. We’ve got a lot of football left and everything still in front of us.”

Game Recap

Presbyterian struck first when quarterback Collin Hurst found wide receiver Cincere Gill wide open for a 72-yard touchdown just 41 seconds into the contest—Gill’s seventh score of the season, which ranks among the top five nationally at the FCS level. The Flyers quickly answered with a 79-yard rushing touchdown before PC retook the lead on a one-yard plunge from Nathan Levicki late in the first quarter. A blocked PAT left the Blue Hose ahead 13–7 after one.

Momentum shifted in the second quarter as Dayton turned a PC interception and short field into back-to-back touchdowns, then capped the half with a 71-yard scoring drive to take a 28–13 lead—the first time PC trailed at halftime since their overtime win over Furman seven weeks ago.

In the second half, Dayton controlled the clock with long possessions but failed to add points early thanks to key defensive plays from Robert Porter and Boyce Bankhead, who combined for a drive-ending sack. However, a pick-six on Presbyterian’s next series extended the Flyers’ lead to 35–13. Hurst connected with Dominic Kibby for a late touchdown to narrow the deficit, but the Blue Hose couldn’t close the gap, ending the game scoreless in the fourth quarter.

By the Numbers

• Cincere Gill surpassed 100 receiving yards for the second straight game.

• Robert Porter tallied two sacks, leading nine Blue Hose defenders who recorded at least one tackle for loss.

• Boyce Bankhead and Michal Torres each reached double-digit tackles, the third straight such game for Bankhead.

• Zeb Stroup snagged his second interception of the season, part of PC’s 11 total picks in 2025—the third-most in the FCS.

• Both teams struggled on third down, combining for just 5-of-23 conversions.

Looking Ahead

Presbyterian (7–1, 3–1 PFL) will look to rebound next Saturday when they return home to Bailey Memorial Stadium to host Valparaiso (1–7) at 1:00 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.

The Beacons have dropped seven straight contests after an early win over Virginia-Lynchburg, most recently falling 17–13 to Morehead State—a team Presbyterian dominated earlier this year, 41–0.

Saturday’s matchup marks the first meeting between PC and Valpo since 2022, when the Beacons claimed a 47–27 victory in Clinton.