Well, if the Power Five conferences can do it, so can Villanova.

The Colonial Athletics Association (CAA), home of Villanova’s football team, along with other FCS programs such as Towson, Delaware, Stony Brook and Rhode Island, among others, has officially released the teams for their plans to play football in the spring. 

The blueprints for this season were published Wednesday, Sept 30, 2020 by the CAA itself. Its statement outlines specific components and structures for how the season will be carried out.

Here is what it includes: Each of the 12 teams will play a six-game conference only schedule. Each team will be given the opportunity to add two additional non-conference games to their schedule if they choose to do so. Those games would potentially be scheduled as early as Jan. 23, 2021. 

The conference will be divided into north and south divisions, six teams each. The divisions will be determined based on the geographic location of the schools themselves. The winner of each conference will be determined by who has the best overall record after the six game schedule has concluded. In the event of a first-place tie, a tie-breaking policy will be instated. The winners of the two divisions will be automatic qualifiers for the Championship Game. 

Any optional non-conference games will not count towards conference standings, tie-breakers or qualifying for the Championship Game. Conference play will begin on March 6 and conclude on April 17. 

During the seven-week period, each of the 12 teams will receive one bye week. The NCAA FCS Playoffs will feature 16 teams, featuring 11 automatic qualifiers based on division victors and seeding births based on total record of wins and losses. 

The specific makeup of the divisions, as well as further details, will be announced in the weeks to come. 

CAA Commissioner Joe D’Antonio is taking a lead on the conference’s voyage towards college football. He has given clear intentions of the procedures on caasports.com. 

“All of our institutions know that today’s announcement is simply the first step in the planning process associated with playing football on each of our campuses in the spring,” D’Antonio said. “Each member institution, as well as the Conference office, has additional protocols that must be finalized and approved in order to ensure a safe return to the field. Our goal in creating this unique scheduling format was to implement a competitive model while also trying to reduce the risks associated with travel as much as we could.  It’s been an extremely difficult and challenging time, but it’s nice to be able to give our coaches, student-athletes and fans something to look forward to.”

The most important thing to D’Antonio, however, is that the players and coaches are safe.

“Health and safety remain at the forefront of every decision we are making, and we are hopeful about getting the Spring 2021 season underway.”

Ever ince the suspension of the season on July 17, the CAA has expressed a strong intention to resume the season in the spring, and make the appropriate adjustments needed to put the health and safety of the players and staff first. 

The Villanova roster continues to practice, train and condition to remain in appropriate shape for the start of their unusual yet highly anticipated season.