Villanova football is a consistent team with a 3-1 record, and has been among the best FCS teams in recent years. The Wildcats only loss so far this season came in Week 4 from FBS University of Maryland. But who are the Wildcats?
Last year, Villanova was 10-3, and earned a playoff berth in a three-way tie for the Colonial Athletic Conference title. The University of Albany and the University of Richmond were the other two teams at the top of the CAA in 2023 with 7-1 conference records as well. Villanova was knocked out of the playoffs by the back-to-back National Champion South Dakota State University Jackrabbits.
On Saturday, Villanova played Maryland, a member of the Big 10 Conference. Despite being down by 24 going into halftime, the Wildcats showed grit and put together a good second half.
Head coach Mark Ferrante said the coaches told the team at halftime to “Forget about what’s happening, sometimes it takes a little while to get used to the speed of things.” And that advice seemed to work, as Villanova scored all 20 of its points in the second half.
It wasn’t enough to win, though, and the Terrapins took it 38-20.
This loss came after a nail-biter one point win in Week 3 over the Towson Tigers, 14-13. Towson had an opportunity to win it in the fourth quarter, but missed the game-winning field goal in the last seconds. Junior wide receiver Jaylan Sanchez caught both touchdowns for the Wildcats that game.
CAA preseason offensive player of the year Connor Watkins has been a crucial part of Villanova’s success this season. He has 559 yards in the air and 5 passing touchdowns so far. As a 6 feet 3 inch 225 pound quarterback, he is dangerous on the ground as well, with 202 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns through the first four games. Watkins is surrounded this season by mostly new receivers for him, but Ferrante said he helps them tremendously as a veteran player.
“[Watkins] is like having a coach out there,” Ferrante said. He added that Watkins helps guys line up on the field and gets them going in the right direction.
On the defensive side, cornerback Isas Waxter is an important piece. He was named to the preseason watchlist for the Buck Buchanan Award and second-team FCS preseason All-American list. Another important defender is Ty Trinh, a graduate student in his fifth season with the Wildcats. Against Maryland, Trinh had an interception for 24 yards and added five tackles. Ferrante said the defense didn’t make a lot of mistakes mentally or in the plays, but has room for improvement in its execution.
“When your technique isn’t where it needs to be, you’ve got a guy that can overpower you a little bit more,” Ferrante said.
Overall, he said even though the team lost, the second half gave Villanova confidence for the rest of the season. With a veteran quarterback, talented young receivers, and a solid defensive core, the Wildcats are a well-rounded team and a fun one to watch.
The team is back in Villanova Stadium this Saturday with a matchup against Long Island University. LIU is 0-4 so far this season, but has been within one score in each of its FCS matchups.
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