University of St. Thomas Athletics
7-4 , 5-3
Presbyterian
9-2 , 5-2
Blue Hose hand Tommies 23-9 setback
11/15/2025 6:03:00 PM | Football
ST. PAUL, MINN. – It's hard to believe the season is coming to an end for the University of St. Thomas football team. The Tommies closed out their 2025 Pioneer Football League (PFL) schedule at O'Shaughnessy Stadium Saturday afternoon, hosting Presbyterian College in a key showdown between two of the top teams in the conference. While St. Thomas put together a strong third-quarter surge, pulling within one on a pick-six by Branden Smith (Las Vegas, Nev. / Cimarron-Memorial), but the Blue Hose pulled away in the fourth, using a pair of touchdowns to seal the 23-9 victory. With the loss, St. Thomas is now 7-4 on the year and 5-3 in PFL play.
QUICK HITS:
- =Senior linebacker Jordan Pendleton (Memphis, Tenn. / Lausanne Collegiate School) broke the DI era record for single-season sacks Saturday afternoon, closing the contest with 7.5. He closed the game with six tackles, two of which were sacks.
- St. Thomas' defense was all over the stat sheet, as Caden Nelson (Waunakee, Wis. / Waunakee) and Ryan Sever (Edina, Minn. / Benilde-St. Margaret) led the team in tackles. Nelson was credited with a career-high 14, while Sever added 10. It marks the second straight week the Tommies have had two linebackers record 10+ tackles in the same game.
- Branden Smith (Las Vegas, Nev. / Cimarron-Memorial) nearly tied the game with a pick-six in the third quarter. He also recorded two pass breakups.
SCORING SUMMARY:
First Quarter: It was a low scoring first quarter, as both teams struggled against the other's defense. Presbyterian eventually opened the scoring with a 42-yard field goal by Jett Jackson, taking a 3-0 lead at 5:37. St. Thomas was unable to answer with a score of its own.
Second Quarter: The Blue Hose extended their lead with a 13-yard touchdown early in the second quarter. The Tommies had opportunities to whittle the lead, but the offense was as cold as the wind in O'Shaughnessy Stadium, resulting in the 10-0 Presbyterian lead.
Third Quarter: The third quarter belonged to St. Thomas, as the Tommies outscored the Blue Hose 9-0 and cut the lead to 10-9 entering the fourth and final quarter of play. St. Thomas got on the board with a 34-yard field goal from Ben Hoiland (North Oaks, Minn. / Mounds View), capping a 14-play, 61-yard drive. Smith then electrified the stadium with his 36-yard pick-six, cutting the deficit to one in the final seconds of the quarter.
Fourth Quarter: Down one with 15 minutes to play, St. Thomas looked to capitalize on the strong play of its defense. However, Presbyterian responded early in the quarter with a 31-yard touchdown strike from Collin Hurst to Dominic Kibby, gaining a 17-9 advantage over the Tommies. The Blue Hose added a 2-yard rushing TD by Nathan Levicki to seal with 23-9 victory.
UP NEXT:
St. Thomas will close the 2025 regular season at #1 North Dakota State University. The Tommies will take on the FCS perennial power at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 22. Tickets are still available on NDSU's website.
Team Stats
PC 3, UST 0
PC - Jackson,Jett 42 yd field goal 13 plays, 43 yards, TOP 05:29
PC 10, UST 0
PC - Switzer,Zach 13 yd pass from Hurst,Collin (Lipscombe,Peter kick) 8 plays, 77 yards, TOP 04:24
PC 10, UST 3
UST - Hoiland,Ben 34 yd field goal 14 plays, 61 yards, TOP 06:28
PC 10, UST 9
UST - Smith,Branden 36 yd interception ()
PC 17, UST 9
PC - Kibby,Dominic 31 yd pass from Hurst,Collin (Lipscombe,Peter kick) 7 plays, 79 yards, TOP 03:58
PC 23, UST 9
PC - Levicki,Nathan 2 yd run (), 13 plays, 60 yards, TOP 07:02
