It’s not often that a team gets a late-season, in-conference, tune-up game. So when the ‘Cats saw 0-7 Stony Brook coming into town for homecoming weekend, their eyes must have lit up.
No. 19 Villanova trounced the Seawolves, 48-13, to improve to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in CAA play. Graduate quarterback Connor Watkins threw for 361 yards and four touchdowns on 13 completions. He posted his numbers in just three quarters, as redshirt freshman quarterback Tanner Maddocks came in at the start of the fourth.
The ‘Cats registered three-100 yard receivers for the contest. The last time Villanova had three 100-yard receivers was Nov. 18, 2000. Graduate receiver Rayjuon Pringle racked up 196 yards, 121 after the catch, and a touchdown on just five catches. Graduate receiver Jaaron Hayek also had five catches, good for 102 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore receiver Jaylan Sanchez accrued 103 yards and a touchdown on four catches.
“We have guys all over the field that can make big plays, which is a huge benefit for us,” Watkins said. “It’s fun to throw to those guys, they’re ballers, they make plays.”
It was interesting for the first quarter. A failed-fourth down conversion attempt by the ‘Cats gave the Seawolves the ball in good field position, but they failed to make anything of it, missing a short field goal.
“Early I took a chance on fourth-and-one,” head coach Mark Ferrante said. “The defense did a great job covering my back on that call.”
Stony Brook would manage to drive into the end zone on a 12-yard touchdown pass to bring the scoreline to 7-7 with 5:44 to play in the first quarter. From there, the ‘Cats scored six unanswered touchdowns, three of which were of more than 40 yards. Stony Brook would manage to find the end zone as the clock expired on the game, but would not attempt a point after.
“If they’re gonna roll the safeties up, we’re gonna take it,” Ferrante said. “We’re going to take what the defense gives us, and if it leads to some of those explosive [play]s, that’s fine with us.”
Looking forward, the ‘Cats will now ether their toughest stretch of football. Villanova will travel to New Hampshire for a Wildcat battle next week. The other ‘Cats are currently tied for 20th in the FCS Coaches Poll, though they will likely drop out of the poll after a loss this week to Rhode Island. Then Villanova will be back at home against Towson on Nov. 11. The ‘Cats will then travel to No. 5 Delaware to close out the regular season Nov. 18 in the annual “Battle of the Blue” matchup. If Villanova can win its next two games, it’s possible that a share of the CAA title could be on the line in the Delaware game.
The ‘Cats will have to beat New Hampshire first before they can look ahead. The game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. kick on Nov. 4 in Durham.
